The last time we actually posted something in this column (as opposed to our contest cop-out), it ended with something like, "blah blah, sick of chalk menus, blah blah, cafes are all the same, blah blah."

Perhaps the problem wasn't with the cafes your Trimethyldioxypurist was visiting. Perhaps the problem was, in fact, your Trimethyldioxypurist. We tend to gravitate toward what we're comfortable with, toward what we know.

So, in our efforts to find something special, new--or at least different--we tried to find a couple joints that weren't previously on our radar. Our usual tendency is to avoid places that are tourist-heavy. We also avoid busy, crowded places with lots of foot traffic. Accordingly, this week we tried J.R. Mugg's (499 Bay St.), at the turnaround point of the Taylor Street cable car line, as well as Cafe Venice, a sort of ramshackle, hole-in-the-wall kind of place right off the 24th St. BART station.

J.R.'s interior is cleaner than an operating room, big, airy, and pleasing. We were a bit surprised; there were a ton of tourists outside waiting for the cable car, and nary a person inside the shop. J.R.'s, in addition to coffee drinks, has food and gelato. It was a hot day, and the "triple espresso" gelato was especially tempting.

We were looking forward to trying the coffee at J.R.'s, as it's advertised as "all fair-trade, all organic." Emphasizing our efforts to try something different, and taking our cue from the proprietor of Palindrome, we started with an espresso macciato, which was described to us as "an espresso topped off with milk foam." The result was interesting -- and not necessarily in a good way. The flavor started off lovely -- a little dark, bitter, and lively. Toward the middle, the taste turned very sour, which was wholly unexpected. The finish, however, was clean, so the sourness didn't linger.

More disappointing was the plain ol' coffee. The beans they use have excellent flavor, but one must strain to taste it -- the coffee was very watery, very weak. Not enough bean in the brew? Not the right grind? We don't know; the result was barely passable coffee, all the more upsetting because the potential for something special was obvious. Well, at least the prices were okay; the cup of coffee ranging from $1.30-$1.70 depending on size; the espresso drinks in the $2-just over $3 range.

It occurred to us that perhaps the weak coffee was by design. "American coffee" is better known for being weaker and practically chuggable, as opposed to coffee in the Italian tradition, which is what many cafes are based on. Could it be that the tourists--who perhaps are the target market--prefer the weak stuff? Maybe.

Cafe Venice, right on 24th near Mission, is an interesting contrast. It also has some foot traffic (a ton more, actually), which, unlike J.R.'s, does not consist of a high percentage of tourists. Every time we've walked by, we see a line.

We have a big problem with lines. It stems from standing in so many of them as a child. This was due to our father's belief that if people are willing to stand in a line, it must be a good place. Our experience hasn't always reflected this, plus we're super-duper impatient (even when not overcaffeinated). We fought our instincts and braved the line. The wait wasn't so bad.

Cafe Venice is kinda disjointed. Stuff is just laid out, seemingly willy-nilly. The place is small. Not much to speak of in terms of aesthetics. However, the atmosphere is a rich one nonetheless; the staff and the patrons seem very representative of the area. The place is just full of personality; the conversation in the background--from locals, contractors, folks coming off the BART or heading there--is lively. Real. Not staged; not pretending to be anything other than a coffee joint.

On our first visit, we ordered a cappuccino. The price was right ($2.50). It was good, too; nothing special, but a solid entry. And it came out fast, and the dude behind the counter was friendly and engaging (note to self: get people's names; if they're good, they deserve the recognition). On our second visit, we got a small cup of coffee, just the buck-sized one, and that was pretty good too. Certainly better than J.R.'s. We've discussed before that so much of coffee is convenience; Cafe Venice is an excellent place for a pre- or post-commute jolt.

So, we wanted different and different was what we got. Special? Not so much. But we'll keep looking. Keep the recommendations coming, either in the comments section or e-mail us at trimeth-purist@sbgclobal.net.