Seattle's Best Coffee

Familiar, Sort Of

Sometimes I'm hungry and can't really decide where to go because I just want to eat something and sit down for a while, but there are so many options. (This is, of course, only in a city of reasonable size.) Anyway, the plan was to go to a boulangerie I really like, but they were closed for a private party. Change of plans. I kept passing up places for reasons like too expensive, too crowded, not healthy, blah blah blah... About ready to give up and find the nearest convenience store for some 'tachi-gui,' I saw big posters showing pasta in front of the Seattle's Best, and thought, meh, it's not crowded, and I'm sooo hungry! I don't know if I've even been to a Seattle's Best in the states, honestly. It's sort of like a Starbucks with a different color scheme, less annoying music, and not as crowded. Still expensive for coffee, but the coffee was way better quality than Starbucks, so maybe well warranted. Why isn't Seattle's Best as popular or crowded? Marketing? Fewer locations? So back to pasta. Salmon pasta looked good for my brain function to return to normal, but then I saw a little smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich option. Yes, that one, carbs and omega 3 fatty acids please. Their lunch orders come with potential add-ons, like 200 yen for a small coffee, which I got. There are other add-ons, like a small croissant, or a salad, as well. Sandwiches are premade, but pasta is made to order and a good portion, although more expensive (600 yen and up). It was just what I needed and I got to sit and relax a little, organize my thoughts. It started to rain a little and the shop got a little more busy, but there was never a lack of seating while I was there. It was after the lunch hour on a weekday, so this location could get crowded at peak times. Well staffed and kept clean. Not what I had planned on, but a good option, even for a meal.