Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Get caffeinated with True Love…

Tired of the same old coffeehouse scene? Looking for a new place to hang out with friends? Then True Love Coffeehouse is just what you are looking for. Located in Midtown Sacramento (see box for details), True Love provides a relaxed environment where young people can socialize and get caffeinated.

Preparing to park at True Love may require a little extra work. While there is a private parking lot, it is not very conveniently located. But there are plenty of spots to be found on the surrounding streets. But expert parallel parking skills are required. So practice up. But, consider the practice time a trade-off for scrounging around for quarters. The spots directly across the street from True Love feature free two-hour parking.

When entering True Love, coffee lovers must first pass through the outdoor seating area. But then one step past the threshold leads them to the drink and food-ordering area. That’s right, like many other coffee houses in Sacramento, True Love has its customers purchase their food at the front end of the visit. It keeps staff requirements down and allows customers to hem and haw over their choices without an impatient server waiting to write down their order. But speaking of staff, the young woman who takes orders on Monday nights could leave some customers rubbed slightly the wrong way. While friendly in her own way, her personality could come off as somewhat abrasive. So be warned.

In addition to choosing from a huge selection of very reasonably-priced coffee drinks, customers can also choose from an odd assortment of food. Meatless by design, True Love offers easy-to-plate options such as nachos, humus, falafel and a veggie panini. And while the prices don’t give your pocketbook a reason to complain, the food does leave a little something to be desired… like maybe more quality and more selection. But perhaps, that’s just the omnivore speaking…

After receiving their orders from the pick-up window, customers can choose to head back out front for a people-watching session in the outdoor seating area, head to a slightly more intimate table for two in one of the small indoor rooms or sit with a larger group out in the covered outdoor area in the back (which is heated to a comfortable temperature). Each area is decorated with a funky twist, some brightly-colored twinkle lights adding a festive touch. And adding to the fun feel of the coffeehouse are the stacks of card and board games available in the entryway. Customers are free to take the games to their tables. Thanks to True Love you can say goodbye to awkward small talk and hello to “Uno.” And for those slightly less-social customers, free WiFi is also available…

After finishing the yummy-tasting beverages and mediocre food, customers are asked to clear their own tables by throwing away their garbage and stacking their red, plastic food baskets (which were lined with paper) in the designated area.

True Love Coffeehouse, although not the best place to meet for dinner, is a local take on the corporate coffeehouse. Aimed at the city’s younger inhabitants, True Love is the ideal meeting place for intellectual conversations, catching up on life or even testing your pop culture knowledge with a round of Trivial Pursuit…

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

good review, nice clear writing. one thing though - they do have a private lot. however it is inconveniently located a block or so away.

Heather Edwards said...

oh- good to know... thanks!

Michael J. Fitzgerald said...

Interesting to read so many different takes on the same restaurant...

This writer mentioned the server was less than friendly and that prices were reasonable.

A nice addition would have been some specific prices, too.

And, not to be too obvious, but, well, how does the coffee stack up, too, compared to other such places.

The writer did mention other spots in the abstract, but a comparison (directly) might made this piece stronger.

Good description of the entrance and getting into the place, plus a nice detail for readers about the need to order up front. Going to new restaurants can be daunting and little details and tricks about how work your way through the maze are always appreciated.