Coffee and Crepes (and Wine and Beer)

Shade Tree has been a favorite study spot of mine for a long time. Most people who go there seem to go for the purpose of studying, so they are quiet. The lighting is good during the day thanks to two walls of windows. And, most importantly, they serve a very good cup of coffee.

My friend and I went there the other day for a reading sprint. Caffeine is helpful for that. She was also hungry (and it is hard to read on an empty stomach), so she decided to try an artichoke heart-spinach crepe from their new crepe menu. These crepes are made just like they do it in France, with buckwheat, and they have lots of fillings–both sweet and savory.

My friend liked that the fillings were fresh and simply prepared. I got all excited when I saw that the crepes were made of buckwheat, so I asked the owner about them. He said that they also contained wheat, but only a little wheat. This is enough to give me hives, so I said no thanks. However, he also said that if there were sufficient demand, he could try making them with NO WHEAT AT ALL. So, if you want to help me out (or you are allergic to wheat or intolerant to gluten), you should go in and ask Greg about this all subtle-like. Or tell him that I said to ask. I do not care.

I just had a cappuccino and a macaroon. Sometimes they will draw a little fern or heart on the top of espresso-based drinks, but they didn’t this time. Disappointing, but at least it spared me the displeasure of ruining the drawing when I stirred my sugar in. Either way, it tasted good.

They also have wine and beer. I have never partaken, but I sometimes worry that they’ll stop serving if no one orders it, so you all should go and drink there. The bar area is kind of cute. And a coffee/wine/beer bar is so continental.

A few other notes: the crepe addition is not the only change that we have observed. They used to make a big deal about some aspect of their milk, like that it was local or organic or something. Also, their website seems to be outdated, claiming to serve Guglhupf pastries and silent on the matter of the crepes.

Toast: BYOB!

Toast just got awesomer in my book–I was getting impatient for them to start serving wine, and the owner says she’s working on that but probably getting close (apparently the ABC is annoying). But in the meantime you can bring in wine! Yay!

Also, downtown Durham has wireless, so you can get that at Toast. Yeah, I’m totally there right now.

Free Alcohol

I think this is important enough to be the first post.

There are at least three places in Durham to get free alcohol and, at two of them, learn something about it at the same time.

Every Friday from 5 - 8 pm Parker and Otis, near Brightleaf, has a beer tasting. The in-store beer guy, or sometimes a rep from the featured brewery, is around to tell you about the beer, if you care.

Every Saturday, there is a wine tasting at 12 - 3 pm at Parker and Otis. At the same time (unfortunately) there is also a tasting at Wine Authorities, at the intersection of University and 15-501. Wine Authorities also has a machine that allows you to serve yourself wine on tap any time by swiping a wine debit card. It seems dangerous,* and is called an Enomatic.

Less interesting but also free (with a purchase) are the unlimited mimosas at Dale’s (the Indian place on Ninth Street) that come with the Sunday brunch buffet.

So, you’re pretty much set for the weekend, if you’re ok with starting early.

*UPDATE: When I say dangerous, I mean in a very good way.