Cold Brew, Cold Morning
Photo by @rikonavt
Spring has finally sprung, and Winter is raging against the dying of its limelight.
Cherry blossoms and heavy coats are the norm this morning in Petworth.
Denizens are commuting to work, students are rolling into the local high school, and I'm walking Spotty to a coffee shop.
However, I need to figure out where I'm going.
I gravitate towards Buna Coffee House.
Buna is the first local café I tried in D.C., and it's become a staple for me.
I've answered life-changing emails in their dining room.
My partner usually takes Spotty to Rue Café, a spot I'm still warming up to.
We get to the intersection of Georgia & Kansas Ave, and the traffic light is green in the direction I didn't plan on going.
Novelty is supposed to be good for our brains, so the dog and I take a new route to a familiar place: Little Food Studio.
We shuffle over to Upshur Street; I tie Spotty's leash to a metal fence guarding a tree, toss her treats, and walk towards the door.
Little Food Studio is housed in Almeda, a restaurant inspired by the African diaspora and led by Chef Danielle Harris's culinary expertise.
As I approach the big, beautiful wooden door to Almeda, I take off my headphones, not only because it's polite when interacting with folks, but also because I know I'm in for some good music when I get inside.
I didn't see iced coffee on the menu the last time I was here, so today, I scrolled through the kiosk to find something better: cold brew.
This cold brew is medium-bodied, mildly acidic, pleasant to taste, and shows zero signs of sitting too long.
I've had many cold brews that tasted like over-brewed coffee concentrates, acting as a harsh, darker alternative to iced coffee.
Little Food Studio has convinced me that if done right, cold brew can stand alone on a menu devoid of iced coffee.
It's 34 degrees outside (1.1 Celsius for our international friends).
It pains my left hand to hold a brisk beverage while the wind blows, but for this cold brew, I'll endure.
