Alexander B.
Yelp
I will likely need to return during the week to figure this place out, but when I went this past Saturday at 1:00pm, the place was empty save the barista. Late 90's music (Mariah Carey's Fantasy, followed by some Destiny's Child) and the projection screens showing Kubo & the Two Strings clashed with the otherwise admittedly impressive art deco architecture and decor. I agree with every other reviewer that this cafe is located in a cool space in a cool building, but the 90's pop and off-brand 3-d animation just wouldn't allow for mental transportation to the Roaring 20's.
I was instantly greeted when I walked in the door, and have no complaints whatsoever about service. The barista was quick, polite, and efficient, making a flat white and cold brew, and grabbing an almond croissant from its glass cover on the counter per my last minute munchies craving. I grabbed a seat near the windows (which are unfortunately obscured by scaffolding and construction as of this date). The tables and chairs felt cheap relative to the buildings awesome facade, and had little succulents adorning each tabletop. Again, there was plenty of room to sit, as it was completely empty for my entire visit. This would likely be a positive aspect for someone looking to work/study unbothered by any kind of human activity whatsoever.
The coffees I ordered were coffees; caffeinated and bitter, but not rising to the level of notable. The almond croissant however, was a complete disaster. Now, Five & Dime does not list pastries on its menu. It does not highlight the fact it has them, beyond displaying them. When a restaurant does this, it usually means "we have to offer these because we're a coffee shop and the market demands it, but we're not proud of them." This statement was apparently the case in this instance (or should have been) as the croissant was already partially flattened when I ordered it (there was only one, so no I couldn't have "sent it back"). The outside was almost too tough to rip apart, and the consistency in some areas would be comparable to bread-based beef jerky. Needless to say, the aggressiveness needed to actually tear apart this croissant, combined with the delicately balanced almonds and powdered sugar, as well as my affinity for black clothes left me both culinarily unsatisfied and messy. Order the coffee, but skip the pastries. My suggestion to the cafe would be to partner with a serious neighborhood bakery and make sure quality controls are rigorously in place. If that's not feasible, just ditch the pastry offerings.
Regardless of the above, I will likely need to figure out what the "good hours" are of this place, as it certainly is not Saturday afternoon. There is nothing that will purposefully bring me back to Five & Dime, as my emotions while there ranged from awkward, to jarring, to nonplussed, to disappointed, but that isn't to say I will never come back. If I'm in the area again, I might give it a final shot, but until then, I think there are other places that should be sought out first.
