This post has been a long time coming. First I haven't written a review in ages. Seriously. I think the last one was in February before I started work at Acxiom again. That seems like forever ago. Secondly, I actually went to Muse a while ago, back on April 24th. A month ago now. I've really behind on things. That said, this review is based off memory.
The Order: I got a Sugar Free Vanilla 2% Latte and Josh a mocha (big surprise there).
General Babble: I want to love this place. It's got all the signs of Heather love on it. In my cute little Queen Anne neighborhood, trendy, but not overly so, decor, and it's nearby to home. I did really like it, but the coffee was just a wee bit disappointing. Not bad by any means; no it was quite good. But it just didn't call my name, "Heather, I'm an awesome drink. I'm now your favorite." Rather, it said, "hey, I'm pretty darn good, but I'm lacking that little extra umph aren't I?"
Ratings:
Overall Visit: 4 - As I was just saying, I really liked Muse. I like the name. I like the art and decor inside. The guy at the counter was nice and the right amount of talkative. The place was bright and airy. The muffin was tasty. It's just the coffee, it was really good, but not the best I've ever had. All in all, a definite return is necessary to full judge. I mean it was just one barista; I'm sure they have others and perhaps I just got an off day. And better yet...I just went to hyperlink the Yelp review here and saw 15% OFF if I mention Yelp. I'm going back now. It's a done deal. (Coffee is getting $$ - milk & coffee prices rising, bleh).
Latte Art: N/A – Honestly, I can't remember. Generally I take a picture of my foam, but my picture shows the cup after I began drinking. If I didn't take a photo though, it means I wasn't a OMG look at this foam moment for me. I bet it did have a design though.
Atmosphere: 5 – I think I like this place more than Josh. I just thought some of the decorating was so cool. I really wanted to sit in the cool looking hanging chair, but some group was already at that table. I did like the artwork and chandelier with all the little papers (I've been seeing this on HGTV, so it's the "in" thing - Muse is cutting edge in decorating). My seat was just fine and it was neither too loud or too quite. A great little neighborhood coffee shop. That's what I liked best. It didn't think too much of itself (unlike some other Seattle coffee shops).
Drink Options: 4 – Well, they had sugar free vanilla which is my standard. It was just fine tasting (sometimes sugar free can have a funky taste). I did have to go back up and ask for more sugar free vanilla, but they added it with a smile and very willingly. Sometimes barista give you a sour look when you ask for more and don't trust you. Phooey. Otherwise, they had all the usual options.
Coffee Knowledge: 3 – I just ordered this time without questions. The poor barista was all alone and I didn't want to bog down with questions. They do have a special page for coffee knowledge stuff though, so bravo.
Food: 4 - They had muffins. Yay! And a tasty bran-like blueberry banana muffin. It's Little Rae's Bakery, which is pretty popular around Seattle. Josh had a - orange scone. I was happy with my muffin. Josh was happy with his scone.
I did like the photos we took while we were there...
