If you found yourself in Culture Espresso, you'd think you were in Williamsburg, Astoria, the Lower East Side--anywhere but midtown Manhattan. And yet that is precisely where this haven of exceptional coffee and baked goods lies, sandwiched between 5th and 6th Avenues on West 38th Street. My friend, fellow foodie and chef extraordinaire Geoff had suggested I check it out, noting that it is the one independent coffee shop he'd found in the area and, he'd added as a side note--though for me this was the real selling point--they make really good cookies.
I went there one afternoon to write and kill some time before work. I took Geoff's advice and got a decaf latte and, of course, one of their chocolate chip cookies. "Chocolate chunk" would really be the more appropriate name here; these cookies are absolutely packed with thick, 1/2 inch long slabs of what can only be exceptionally dark, (my guess is 65% cacao), and flavorful chocolate. Their standout characteristic, however, is their texture. These cookies are dome-shaped with a fluffed-up look about them, almost like a Dutch pancake. his makes sense once you take a bite. The center is indeed fluffy and gooey and slightly undercooked, the way most cookies are when you eat them straight out of the oven (although these are served at room temperature--what a feat). The edges however, as well as the outermost layer of the entire cookie, are crunchy with that satisfying buttery, slightly salty finish that can only be achieved when baked goods are 1) made with quality ingredients (no margarine here!), and 2) cooked to a crisp. How Culture Espresso has been able to roll this seemingly dichotomous texture into one cookie, I have no idea, but I'm really, really happy that they did. This may be the best cookie I've ever had, combining quality, low-sugar chocolate with a chewy and crunchy melt-in-your-mouth experience. Culture Espresso is a little pricey, but the vibes there are good, and you can almost always find a place to sit and hang out for a while. When you consider that they basically have a monopoly on this type of hip, quality-centric coffee shop in their area, the prices are more forgivable. Get thyself to Culture Espresso!
I went there one afternoon to write and kill some time before work. I took Geoff's advice and got a decaf latte and, of course, one of their chocolate chip cookies. "Chocolate chunk" would really be the more appropriate name here; these cookies are absolutely packed with thick, 1/2 inch long slabs of what can only be exceptionally dark, (my guess is 65% cacao), and flavorful chocolate. Their standout characteristic, however, is their texture. These cookies are dome-shaped with a fluffed-up look about them, almost like a Dutch pancake. his makes sense once you take a bite. The center is indeed fluffy and gooey and slightly undercooked, the way most cookies are when you eat them straight out of the oven (although these are served at room temperature--what a feat). The edges however, as well as the outermost layer of the entire cookie, are crunchy with that satisfying buttery, slightly salty finish that can only be achieved when baked goods are 1) made with quality ingredients (no margarine here!), and 2) cooked to a crisp. How Culture Espresso has been able to roll this seemingly dichotomous texture into one cookie, I have no idea, but I'm really, really happy that they did. This may be the best cookie I've ever had, combining quality, low-sugar chocolate with a chewy and crunchy melt-in-your-mouth experience. Culture Espresso is a little pricey, but the vibes there are good, and you can almost always find a place to sit and hang out for a while. When you consider that they basically have a monopoly on this type of hip, quality-centric coffee shop in their area, the prices are more forgivable. Get thyself to Culture Espresso!