It's About Time!

Truth: I love coffee.

Truth: I drink a lot of coffee.

Truth: I spend a lot of time in coffee houses.

Truth: Not a huge tea fan.

Truth: I hit the jackpot this morning.

 

I am over in Ballard for a meeting this morning.  (For those of you who watch Deadliest Catch on Discovery, Ballard is home to many of the featured captains and crews like the father and sons team on the Cornelia Marie.)

We met in a cool coffee shop right on the main drag.  It is a great spot.  They serve the real stuff.  Not your typical roast.  The kind that is dark and rich with a "knock your socks off" aroma and a smooth crema laying on the top.  WOW.  Good coffee.

This post is actually not about that place. 

After the meeting I decided to relocate.  First, to move my car to a better parking spot and avoid a ticket.  Second, to try out a new coffee location.   I am also going to hit up one of my new favorite stores, Second Ascent, a new and used climbing gear place on a side street over here.  I remembered seeing some cool spots in the area so I rolled over and started hunting.  What I discovered surprised me. 

Miro Tea House.

Oh my goodness!! 

Once in a great while someone gets it right.  With the number of coffee houses in Seattle multiplying like rabbits every day you would think the odds of success would be high, each one learning from the others.  You would be surprised, however, how many mediocre to straight up lame shops come to set up shop.  In my opinion it is not an issue of capitol, but creativity and vision.

The perfect blend of eclectic Seattle decor and a hip new vibe that makes you feel seven to ten notches higher on the cool scale just by sitting here.  Which may drive the purist back to their nasty couch hole in the wall they have grown to love so dearly.  (Which usually has more to do with the fact that "Lisa" knows who you are than the quality of coffee or location.  Which should not be overlooked as an enormous quality to hold.)

Close enough to mix match yet close enough to intentional, the seating is inviting and functional. 

We have all been to the mom and pop coffee house with the wide    range of thrift store sofas that leave you begging for Grandma's plastic couch cover and a dirt devil.   Or on the other end of the spectrum...Starbucks - cookie cutter, cardboard cutout chain feel stores. 

Miro will whip you up a great latte but they focus mainly on tea and crepes.  I am working on a 16 oz. chai latte that is mediocre with a tad too much milk, but for some reason it tastes FANTASTIC in here! 

If you are looking for a place to meet up with an old friend, get a group together or pull off a serious meeting Miro is the place.

Quick Review (scale of 1-5)

Conversability - 4 (music at good level, although hard wood floors and flat walls can make for higher noise levels.)

Vibe - 5+++ 

Off the chart.  Just a cool spot.

Coffee - 3

Chai Lattee, average. Smell much batter than taste.

Ambiance - 4

Good mixture of furniture styles, shapes and arrangements make for good study, meeting or conversation. Original art and decor is excellent.

Wi-Fi - 5

802.11b/g very reliable and strong signal

Readability - 4

Coolness - 5

This might be one of the most cool places I have been in a long time.  You should visit and see for yourself.