Caffè Chiave — Restaurant in Oakland

So I have yet to try my breakfast burrito... (which simultaneously arrived as I am writing ) and hopefully it will be delicious. But everything about my 10 minutes here so far has been pretty disappointing. I have been to the Cafe Trieste in North Beach and in Monterey and both are great!

The women behind this counter is exceptionally slow, and seems like it could possibly be because she's new? Otherwise she is just not a multitasker. The barista is atrocious. Given I have worked in coffee very in depth for 5 years and am admittedly a total coffee snob.

This guy doesn't call order numbers, or anything at all outside of his own ear shot. Making things super awkward and confusing when you walk up to the line of unmarked drinks. By then most of the terribly and sadly constructed foam has withered away on most of them, because they've been sitting so long. ...because he doesn't clearly call them out. You don't have to scream, but at least be considerate and speak clearly and loudly enough over the busy conversation in the room please.

Anyway the guy who brought be my burrito looked pissed and bothered which doesn't help. As I scorch my mouth on this burnt au lait, I almost want to give benefit of the doubt that it has just been a bad morning. Otherwise there is far too much careless and inadequate service coming from this...

Stopped in here while waiting for my girlfriend who had an appointment at the nearby Kaiser. I walked past a lot of places to get here and I am glad I did.

The inside felt cozy and comfortable, the kind of place you want to get a coffee & a pastry, sit down with a book and waste a few hours. It is going to take time to prepare your drink, longer than the big chains but you can't rush a good coffee you know.

They had a nice selection of pastries that all looked good but I was here for lunch. I grabbed a menu which had a lot of options available. Pasta, pizza, breakfast foods, sandwiches and panini's. I ordered a double latte and the turkey and bacon panini. After getting my latte I headed out to the back patio to await my food.

I didn't need to wait long for the food to come out. It had a nice little salad on the side that I wasn't expecting, some pickles and some peppers. The panini was excellent, the bread nice and crunchy and just enough of the aioli so that it wasn't overpowering. The very simple salad made an excellent side for this panini. Just some leafy greens and dressing. The latte was was great, really hit the spot. Overall a very satisfying experience. If I lived in Oakland I might consider making this a regular stop but alas I do...

Had an infuriating run-in with lady behind counter on 4/17 (Easter!) sometime 1-1:40pm. Arrived at unattended counter and stood alone waiting for at least a minute. Noticed that cashier was off by front window hidden behind equipment chitchatting with another staff. I had paced away from the register and was about to call out when she started walking toward the counter just as other customers came in. As she came into view from behind equipment I started to speak to order. I was not being impolite. She stared at me and mumbled she didn’t know who was next. I said I was but she kept moving toward the cash register to help one of the others that had just walked up after me. I said I had actually been waiting alone before these other customers walked in but she ignored me. A bit puzzled and feeling insulted, and against my better judgment, I cursed and stormed off. I’m still puzzling as to why she had instantly decided that I must have been lying about being there ahead of the others at the counter. I’m old enough to have been a patron of Caffe Trieste in SF, which I believe is Chiave’s mothership. The run-in left me with a very sour taste for their coffee which I’ll never be looking for again at...