Viva La Trimethyldioxypurist
Holy crap, man -- pass the sweetener!
Straight up, before anything else is mentioned about Cafe Macondo, it must be known that this is a super dark, wickedly bitter cup of coffee. This is a good thing.
Cafe Macondo, located in the Mission District at 3159 16th St. (between Valencia and Guerrero), was just bumped to the top of the Trimethyldioxypurist's list . . . a virtual tie for first with Gallery Cafe.
But it's different; drinking a cup from Gallery is like visiting, well, an art gallery full of pieces that have been refined, reviewed and categorized. Drinking joe from Macondo is akin to watching an artist paint -- raw, less refined, more powerful, and just full of energy and possibility. Hyperbole? Perhaps. But not entirely so.
Speaking of art -- what was the theme from a few weeks ago . . . something about atmosphere? After about five minutes in this joint (and halfway through my mug), I was ready to throw on a bandolier and join in the scenes of revolution, as depicted all over the walls in various pieces of art, posters, and prints.
What a prime location -- so close to some of the best bars in the 'Sco (hello, Dalva!). A great space, too -- roomy, hardwood floors, worn rugs, dark-stained tables and chairs, a long bench, two coffee tables (one long, one short) . . . it all contributes to a very homey warmth. A couple of delightfully hideous paper mache figures hang from the ceiling, as does a solitary stained-glass lamp. More lighting is present, though -- the bulk of the tables have individual lighting and a tall, standing lamp dwells near a couple of large bookshelves. The shelves themselves hold fewer books than capacity. Much more interesting than the books is just the various bric-a-brac: an old register, a vintage typewriter, some sort of ancient coffee press, a time-worn bust of a what I presumed was a man, some nice looking fake flowers, and more.
This is a great place for a quiet conversation or a fabulous venue for getting work done. Indeed, most of the crowd seemed to be writing on laptops or studying. The music, at least while I was there, lends itself to the studious feeling: the volume is appropriate, the sound is well-dispersed. Blessedly, the music's in Spanish; being monolingual, I'm not distracted as I might be by following the words while trying to get stuff done.
Apparently, Cafe Macondo has recently come under new ownership; it certainly was cleaner and had a few more coats of paint than the last time I'd visited (which, granted, was a few years ago). It looks great; much closer to "charmingly disheveled" than what I'd formerly described as "run down." I was told that within a few weeks there'll be even more changes; don't be surprised to see an update right here, after the new year. My only letdown was that the graffiti by local comic strip artist Keith Knight (author of "The K Chronicles"), which once resided on the restroom wall, was gone, replaced by scribblings from less talented practitioners. Ah, well. You just can't hold onto bathroom-based nostalgia without ending up disappointed.
This place just fits perfectly in the Mission. While I'd be happy to find such a shop anywhere, the Latin flavor, mixed clientele, and obvious commitment to creating a warm, rustic atmosphere make it tops in an area with a plethora of fine coffee houses.
Check it out, folks. Cafe Macondo -- great coffee, great atmosphere, and more changes to come.
No one's been telling the Trimethyldioxypurist where to go. While there's nothing wrong with being left to one's own devices, a little feedback from the public is a good thing. If suggesting your favorite place is taboo for some reason, the Trimethyldioxypurist would be happy to share the misery of your crappy coffee as well -- just let him know!