I know, I know. I’m obsessed with the Klatch. But their amazing coffee, cushy couches, and delicious sandwiches make it a wonderful place to hide away for a few hours and enjoy a latte with friends. This time I decided to get my exercise on the way to the Klatch and rode two miles to the coffee shop.
Nothing like a cozy to go with my coffee.
I like to mix it up between honey lattes and Chai tea lattes and this time I ordered a Chai tea latte with almond milk. I’ve tried cappuccinos and while they are less calories (because of all that foam), they’re just not as fun as a latte. I wanted something unsweetened, but regular milk tends to hurt my stomach and I still had to ride home. Last time I visited the Klatch, the barista suggested almond milk and I enjoyed it.
My friend Jen promised me a foam kitty but since I ordered it iced, I got this cute marker kitty instead.
The ride over gave me the additional calories I needed for dinner. I could smell the Little Caesars wafting in from next door, but I’m still focusing on my diet. I didn’t ride my bike over here just to eat some pizza.
I locked my bike up next to the nearest safe spot and I was able to watch it and enjoy my coffee.
I was ready to order my usual Catalina sandwich, but I was close to my calorie count for the day and thought about trying a different sandwich, maybe the goat cheese on raisin bread or possibly the BBQ Chicken sandwich, then I saw the BBQ Ranch Chicken salad. Yum! I didn’t even know they sold salads.
What surprised me about the salad was the thin-sliced deli style chicken. The rest of it was a traditional spring mix with some red onion, corn, black beans, and a BBQ ranch dressing. I was relieved that the salad wasn’t filled with sodium- or calorie- bombs like blue cheese or candied nuts or fruit. In fact, this seemed fairly simple to incorporate into my work lunches.
Delicious BBQ Ranch Chicken salad.
I tried making my own Chipotle burrito bowl a few months ago. I cooked a chicken breast the night before and added black beans, corn cut from the cob, salsa, avocado, bell peppers, spring mix, tomatoes, and onion. It tasted amazing, but took a very long time to make. I looked at this salad again and thought, I could use canned corn and deli lunch meat for a quicker lunch time salad.
This is my own Chipotle-like creation.
Klatch isn’t the only place I’ve been riding to for lattes.
Another half mile up the road is the Rail Side Cafe, which is competing with Klatch to be my favorite coffee shop. Really, I love you both! A few weeks ago, my friend Deanna and I decided to have brunch at Railside. The cafe features homemade paninis, coffee, tea, breakfast bowls and sandwiches, and a variety of treats from bear claws and cinnamon buns to eclairs and tarts. But nothing compares to the sweet and spicy Rail Side Chai, which I and many Yelpers consider the best Chai around.
For brunch, I enjoyed the U.S.A. Melt – a rich combination of roast beef, cheddar, and pesto. I decided a half sandwich and salad combo is probably healthier than the whole panini, and I was not disappointed. Actually, the salad was very similar to the salads I take to work everyday, except this one included sun-dried tomatoes. Wow! The flavor of the tomatoes added a nice brightness to the rest of the salad and had me considering adding them to my lunch menu.
U.S.A. Melt and side salad to accompany the best Chai tea latte around: The Rail Side Chai.
It was a difficult ride, uphill the whole 2.8 miles. I found it very challenging and I gave up and walked my bike for a while, but it was worth it. The best part about all that uphill riding is that the ride back is all downhill, which is perfect for a full belly. Looks like with bike riding, I can stick to my diet and have my lattes, too!
Cost:
Rail Side Cafe – $15.89 (including $2.07 for tip)
Klatch Coffee -$11.50
Drink of Choice: Rail Side Chai