Steam Cafe

This probably belongs in the "Internet with your coffee" media-darling series, but since the place is new, and I don't write that, I think it merits its own review.

The Steam Café opened not too long ago at the corner of 17th and R Streets, NW. I needed coffee badly this morning (afternoon) when I got up, and L'Enfant was packed, so I decided to give this new place a try. I arrived about 12:45, and the place was nicely empty.

I like the feel of this place immediately. I was able to snag one of the comfy red leather sofas. Later, I had to share it, and unfortunately not with the hottie occupying the one across the way (but I still got to look at him, a nice distraction from working), but they're plenty big for that. Warm orange walls and red couches and chairs…somehow it manages not to clash offensively. The café has a bunch of fun-looking chandelier/light fixtures, but none were on, leaving it a bit dim on a cloudy day. Loungy house music plays quietly, lending atmosphere but not interfereing with conversation or thought processes (a lesson I wish other coffee places would learn).

The water glass was rectangle-ish, and had a Capital Letter on each of four sides, which may have spelled "N – E – X – T," or quite possibly "E – X – T – N" or "X – T – N – E" which might mean something I'm not deep enough to get. I ordered a large café au lait, which came in a giant bowl-mug, just how I like it, and was only $2.25! I also ordered the Niçoise Salad: a bed of greens topped with tuna and a vinaigrette, surrounded by the rest of the salad's components: eggs, haricots verts, kalamata olives, vinegared potatoes, cucumbers, and beets (an interesting addition). Not enough of any of them was my sole complaint: the vinaigrette was very tasty, but I like more haricots and egg in my Niçoise. Oh well, it was only $6.25.

The crepes looked and smelled lovely – I only just resisted the banana and Nutella one – and they have some oddly geographically named smoothie things (why does "Iceland" have mango in it? I'd expect maybe dried fish or picked shark.), but it's too cold outside for that. The staff is friendly, if perhaps a bit distracted by apparently having too much going on behind the counter, and service was just fine, which by DC coffee shop standards means "spectacular." In the summer, this will be a prime spot for watching the mess stumble home through the Gayborhood, especially if they do in fact have patio seating, and even more given that the prices are quite reasonable, considering the location across the street from the overpriced-with-too-much-attitude FoodBar DC.