Columbus Café & Co (Pl. De La Gare)
Click right to take a look around…
The woman behind the counter was so unbothered—a normal ponytail in a scrunchie, one long strand escaping following her glasses to grip the side of her head. This energy, this I live for. It’s got the typical Columbus wall coloring of electrified mustard and cups in the palate of your grandfather’s sweater collection, but upon closer look you’ll discover there’s a bit more...the cafe appears to have been built ON TOP OF a bit of sidewalk. That’s the only explanation for the suspiciously familiar tiling (albeit smaller squares), varying only by an inner design of some densely packed pebbles not straying from the tiles’ edges. If this flooring is somehow a design choice rather than an infrastructural remnant, then my conviction is that the cakey stone support wall somehow inspired the decision. (See Extra Notes for something special.) My confidence comes from a very specific component though. No, not the turquoise washboard counter wall or the familiar zigzaggy decorative pillows—what proves that the floor was there first are the the faux oxidizing ironwork pendant lamps over the counter. They look as though they could be straight out of Aquaman’s study, which admittedly might not seem to make sense. But, didn’t I mention that this is a chain? Someone selected what they thought could most closely allude to a city footpath from the company catalogue. For those bothered by this disharmony, outdoor chairs and tables mean there’s always the real thing.
SCROLL DOWN
SCROLL DOWN
For More
〰️
For More 〰️
Drink: Small Con Panna
But they also sell a viennois. I’m so confused…but, I've also committed to trying the whole menu, one store at a time. Con panna it is. As far as my thoughts beyond misunderstanding, the cup was WAY too hot. Even if the whipped cream deterred you from taking it out of the shop, the scorching cup made it impossible. What makes it worse is that the whipped cream is so insulating. Even thought I created a hole for the liquid to pass through, it still came out another side and burned my chin. If you are going to sit for a time with a friend—and you just want something small—this drink is perfect. I think that the coffee remained so hot BECAUSE the heat was kept in by the whipped cream. Really, it should have come in a ceramic piece because of the heat. This mechanical failure forced the drink to stumble. All else unconsidered, I did find the flavor enjoyable.
••
Price: Small Con Panna=2.5€
Hours: Monday–Saturday {7:30–19}; Sunday {9–18}
Extra Notes:
Photo credit: Restaurant Guru
So, um, I got a little nutty on this one. That floor, the fixtures, everything made me curious about WHAT was here before. I did some investigating...this cafe must have opened some time 2019–2020. Google Maps has it pictured August 2020 while in July 2019 the space was occupied by a brasserie, Cafe de la Borie. The floor was the same but the support wall THE SUPPORT WALL was altered! The opposing strip of slathered stones appears to have also to been added for symmetry. I’m a filthy dork, and I apologize for nothing.