had the place mostly to myself, save for a man seated at the bar who seemed to be a regular. This proved to my benefit, as I was able to chat at length with both my server/bartender and one of the owners who, like myself, is a longtime vegetarian and was eager to steer me in the right direction for a meat-free lunch.
Because I was lunching alone, I had ample opportunity to interact with the staff and observe the dynamics of the space. A discussion about Americans' general aversion to cold soups led to my getting a complimentary bowl of gazpacho to sample. The ripe sweet corn burst through the bright tomato base, and I found myself finishing the bowl, craving a hunk of bread to soak up the remainder. I preferred that sun-kissed vegetable flavor to the richness of the double-chocolate stout cupcake with buttercream frosting that I later snacked on at home. It's a damned fine sweet treat -- sinful and dense -- but a few bites were all I could manage in one sitting. My better half later noted that despite the indulgent quality, it's not a sugar-shock disaster like you'd be likely to find in the baked-goods aisle of a grocery store.
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