Eat Out. Intelligentsia.

Overheard on a busy Saturday afternoon, in line at Intelligentsia Silverlake:
Boy 1: "So what's the big deal about this Intelligentsia place anyway? Why is everyone so crazy about it?"
Girl: "Oh, you'll see."
Boy 2: "Yeah, it's basically like crack."

That's one way to put it. The popular coffeehouse opened here just a mere three years ago, but quickly became a hip mainstay, later expanding to Venice on the Westside, and in the near future--the north in Pasadena.

So what's the big deal, right? I wouldn't quite liken it to an addictive substance, but the coffee here is excellent. The baristas here certainly know their coffee and tea, and are willing to spew off a billion different adjectives for any chosen variety. I tend to opt for the mocha or the cappuccino, simply because I can't resist the creaminess of their froths. They're also never too sweet (the mocha obviously being made from real chocolate) and are pretty decently priced, in terms of artisan coffee. And this time, I splurged ($2.75) on an irresistible caramel shortbread cookie with chocolate filling...do I even need to say it was worth it? Because it totally was. Leslie got the chai, pictured at top above.

The Sunset Junction was especially buzzing this afternoon, and Intelligentsia was no exception. It can be difficult at times to find a seat, but the outside seating space is still strangely nice and cozy, perfect for a day out catching up with friends. And who wants to go to Starbucks again, right? Pretend you're a coffee connoisseur and impress your friends with your hip taste--maybe you'll even get a little addicted.

Intelligentsia in Silverlake is located at 3922 W. Sunset Blvd.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: theBEAT