Uneasy Rhetoric

Downtown Déjeuner:

Jump Start Café ***

1122 11th Street. Based on one visit (for lunch).

Ten bucks easy with tip.

I like Jump Start, even though I drink almost exclusively decaf anymore. Their coffee is always good, without that overroasted quality so pervasive at Starbucks or Java City. As a café they are very nearly a four star operation because of the quality coffee and large selection of pastries. Their downfall? They may be the only small coffee operation around to charge more than Starbucks for their coffee (the pastries however are more sanely priced than SBUX).

But this is a lunch review. Jumpstart is a cafe, so don’t expect a lot of atmosphere or an extensive menu. They have soup. They have panini. They have burgers. Go for the burgers. They are excellent and are served fairly quickly, although I wouldn’t order one if I were in a big hurry.

The burger though, comes by itself. If you want fries with it, and a drink, expect to shell out over ten dollars with a tip.

Three stars for great burgers but prices designed to gouge Capitol staffers. Their outdoor seating area is a great people-watching spot when the weather is warm.