Thursday, July 17, 2014

CC: Hi-Collar



Subject: Hi-Collar
Location: Manhattan, NY
No WiFi
Rating: 6+ [see key]

When most people think of stopping by a coffee establishment for their morning fix, the majority think of a large, spacious room where they can sink into isolated bliss with their laptop. In most parts of the country, this model knows no rival (so fear not freelancers and budding authors!). But slowly over the past few years, a handful of spots have dared to spice it up, encouraging different experiences for patrons.

Hi-Collar is a petite Japanese establishment that, through the nature of their space, fosters more of a unique dining experience. The shop has but a single brass bar with 12 stools, accented with spiffy shoji shelves behind and paper blossomed branches above. Behind the bar, two baristas work feverishly to prepare coffee and various menu items. 



As for coffees, they offered an array of roasters such as Counter Culture and Porto Rico Importing Co. I ended up going with a with a siphon of MadCap's Ardi Ethiopian to precede my food order of their sausage, eggs and well-revered flapjacks. The siphon, left in bottle and served with a beautiful porcelain cup, smacked of strawberry jam, nougat, sweet wine and a touch of rosemary, making for a light, bright and delicious coffee. The food, especially the flapjacks, were also amazing. It should be noted that after lunch, this sleek coffee shop morphs into a cozy sake bar.

All together, Hi-Collar proved every ounce wonderful and unique an experience for great coffee and food. If you're looking to break out of the usual mold, make your way over to Hi-Collar.


1 comment:

K-Cup Coffee said...

I love when a coffee shop has plenty of space. Nothing worse than a coffee shop where you're a sardine.