Spring Break Cafe Hopping pt 2: 1369 Coffeehouse

It's located in Central, where Hmart and Target is, which is where I plan on going after I have my little lunch here. Good location for grocery shopping after :). I don't know what a kouign-amann is, so I purchased one because it would be a shame if I kept going to coffeeshops without buying at least one pastry (ouch wallet).

1369 Coffeehouse

Rating: 4.5/5
Location: 757 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
Ordered: Latte (4.95), Basic Bird sandwich (11.50), Kouign-Amann (5)
Time spent: 2.25 hours

Vibes: Small store, with small tables, rustic with a slight reddish tint complemented by the red banisters. The walls are lined with either plant-patterned wallpaper or murals, the menu is on a blackboard, there were fairy lights and hanging plants everywhere, and this all combined gives the cafe a very hippy feel (is what I read on Reddit describes this place). I'm here on a Tuesday afternoon during spring break, so there is understandably not that many people here and there were a few tables free. Half the customers were grey-haired men and women reading newspapers or books, and the other half were younger folk like yours truly with their laptops or chatting with their group. There's a good amount of chatter, and the music is quiet, blending into the background. I don't really recognize any of these songs, but they're indie-pop. Unfortunately, you only get 1 hour of free wifi, but my wifi did not cut out at the one hour mark, so I have no idea how they're enforcing that. They also are lgbtq+ friendly and have a blm sign on the storefront so :))))))

Latte: Came in a glass mug with a heart on top. Very cute. I had a little sip without my one Splenda that I always put in my drinks because I'm a little bitch who can't drink coffee without a little bit of sweetener. It had a good rich flavor. The aroma was pleasant, both in terms of strength and quality. It has a nutty scent and nice aftertaste. With the Splenda, the sweetness is clear when it first touches my tongue and the bitterness at the end is not unpleasant at all. The milk flavor is slightly more pronounced and I think that's what makes this coffee taste so good. Honestly, it's just a good latte. I don't have any complaints.

Kouign-amann: Like I said, I've never heard of one before but if I had to describe it, I would say that it's a croissant shaped like a muffin with a light sugar glaze on top (like the ones on croissants). It's a little sweet on top but I love the texture of the bread. It has a bit more substance than a croissant, and I really like the chewiness. Honestly, this is better than a croissant. I could see myself eating this every morning, if I was okay with eating this many carbs in the morning.

Sandwich: Turkey, arugula, cheddar, tomato, and dijonnaise on sourdough bread. It's kinda small, in my opinion, at least for the price. There's a decent amount of turkey, don't get me wrong. In each bite, I'm definitely getting the flavors of every ingredient. The turkey is nice, not too dry and not too wet. I don't know what dijonnaise is, but I'm getting a little bit of the wasabi-like taste and scent and I'm assuming that's the dijon. I'm definitely feeling the tomato and arugula in every bite, and I think the tomato adds just the right amount of moisture to the sandwich. I can also taste the sour and the aroma of the sourdough, along with the chewiness in some of my bites (especially near the edges, where there is less filling to bread ratio). The crust is a little bit too hard, but I suppose that's the nature of the beast. The cheddar is quite thick and adds a nonnegligible amount to the aroma of the sandwich. The sandwich in general has an interesting and strong aroma, with the turkey, the dijon, the sourdough, and the touch that the cheddar adds. Nothing greatly overpowers the other. I like aromatic things. As I'm making my way through this sandwich, I do find it to be on the dryer side, and I think that's my main complaint (outside of value, which I'm not considering here. I mean, it literally looks like something you could make at home). Oh yeah, this is something that I don't usually mention, but when I eat toasted sandwiches, the roof of my mouth usually gets destroyed by the rough toasted bread and it's kind of annoying. The toast on the sourdough is a bit more gentle and my mouth isn't as torn up as it usually is.

Value: Definitely on the pricier side for the portions that you're getting, but I think the quality makes it worth. Honestly, some really nice and simple food. Honestly, it's not even that much more expensive, so I think it's worth if you're willing to spend just a little extra.

Rating: Very, very solid food, and I have no complaints outside of value and the stupid one hour wifi restriction. The latte was good, the pastry was good, and the sandwich was good. Highly recommend.