Poe the Gnome Visits Café Kubal

By Joe Cunningham, Internet Marketing Manager
05/01/2013

Poe and I have long loved Café Kubal, Syracuse’s best local coffee shop (and perhaps best, period).  We’ve been converts from “Starbuckism” for some time now.  So when we met Poe’s big fan Christina Trout (who we are big fans of because of her social media magic for Kubal, and who is a big Poe fan as well) at the latest Social Media Breakfast, we had to invite ourselves over to for a visit.  And of course, we had to accept.

First Things First

It had already been a long day at the office.  Between meetings, deadlines, and new projects, Poe and I (and of course when I say we, I mean I) were pretty wiped out.  It was 4 o’clock so lunch was like 5 hours past already and God knows when dinner was going to be (well, I knew, but for dramatic effect).  So we had to try a chai latte (gave up coffee, personal reasons) and since the first thing I said to the barista (Brian “with an ‘i,’ easy name” was his name, real cool guy) was “I’m so hungry,” there was no going back.

Poe and I sat down to the best chai latte we’ve ever had and a Baja chicken wrap without attracting the attention of at least one of the many customers hanging out at the Salina Street location.  (“What is that guy doing with that gnome?”)  Yeah.

Poe with Barista SarahThey’re Goanna Put Me In The Movies

Christina was so awesome to have warned the baristas we were coming.  I met with Sarah Lafferty, a really cool lady who showed Poe how to make a cappuccino.  We discussed the finer points of Italian spelling, American pronunciation, and how I was told to go “late afternoon” because they really get slammed at midday – which is good!  Buy local folks!  (That was my big plug.  Okay, done.)

Both Brian and Sarah were really cool about me running around with my iPhone taking pictures of Poe being a goon.  He also wanted to hang with a group of guys chillin’ on their Macs, so after the usual awkward explanation, I got a shot.  I had to stop him from stealing out of the tip jar (bad gnome!) which we did contribute to because they were awesome (and he did spill sugar everywhere); but other than that, he did a fine job of promoting the café.  (“Fine job, Poe.” [The gnome smiled back, sarcastically.])

All in all, it was definitely the best part of our day.  We love the ambience of the place: the retro, old-school, newly finished “chill out here” feeling right in the heart of the city – clean, and full of great stuff (can’t think of coffee right now, withdrawls!).  And I always wondered how they made the (it’s called a “Rosetta”) leaf on the cappuccinos.  I wasn’t really paying attention during Seth Rogan’s The Green Hornet.  Neither was Poe.  (“Nothing Poe!”)  (Watch the Vine video we made by clicking here.)

Poe Chillin at Cafe KubalStop By, Give It A Try

(“Poe, shut up, that was a good title.”)

I do recommend Kubal to any and every Syracusan or out-of-towner.  Their coffee and techniques are old-school and you can taste the natural difference.  And they’re local: buy local, support local: local, local, local.  And it’s just a cool place to stop in, write a blog or two, do some homework (a.k.a. check out Facebook), do work, write your screenplay (ha, ha, ha).  It’s just a great café, modeled after the best in New York City.  It makes you want to sit in the corner and write poetry.  Okay, it makes me want to do that.

Poe and I have scheduled all our informal meetings at Kubal for the near future.  Bring your friends or your coworkers (or your enemies) – any excuse to walk down to the coolest coffee shop around.  And the baristas are really cool.  Did I mention the coffee is great?  Enough said.

We loved it!

A special thanks to Christina Trout (@iTingTrout) who Poe dedicates this blog to.  You make us all really hungry (and thirsty) at Cowley.  Job well done.

Follow Cafe Kubal on Facebook!

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