Café Fiore

Today I tried out what may be the only independent coffee house in my neighborhood, Café Fiore, downtown Arlington Heights. The atmosphere was oddly comfortable for the ghost town that it was, and I browsed through the store as the one worker was hand-tamping the grind and readying my double espresso : loose leaf tea, teapots, a wall stacked high with Torani flavored syrups, a rack-full of nifty dining trays to set on your lap while you're driving, and the smell of dozens of kool-aid sugar packs lingered in the still atmosphere of the café.

$2.25 and a handful of ' thank you's ' later and I was debating whether I should stay and take in the coffee house a bit more or let the owner get back to his leisurely day of lounging about. I left, appreciating the light créma on my espresso and the queer little blue cup that was scribbled with banking advice and my lips stretched to get that first sip which crouched deep in the bottom of the cup. Mild Disappointment. A bitter espresso taste sat in my mouth which I attributed to a quality machine and an under-practiced though amicable barista.

If you want to save a couple pennies and are undeterred by sub-par espresso, this is your place. For me, I'll keep looking for the perfect cup of espresso.