Five Watt Coffee...6 Stars on the Wascally Wabbit!!!!

John couldn't find the place he wanted to go, so Plan B kicked in.

Five Watt Coffee in converted industrial buildings on E. Hennepin has pretty tight parking.  Either there's already been parking disputes or the landlord is proactive---there are assigned/signed spaces for each of the tenants.   Don't try to find parking at a busy time.

This is industrial decor top to bottom.  Partially exposed walls, uneven concrete floor, exposed everything.  But big southern exposure windows bring a nice glow (but might be killers in the summer).  Lots of counter seats, a few small tables and one very large table that can be shared by many.  The

typical computer zombies that inhabit all coffeehouses were present in abundance.   Luckily, we caught a table as 2 guys were packing up to leave.

Order at the counter from stained paper menus.....a very short selection of food, a big selection of beverage options.

Hunger gnawing at us since we couldn't find the other place John was looking for, we quickly picked two menu items in hopes of getting food before turning into old people slumped on the floor.  We added two beverages and grabbed the only table that was going to be available in this decade.

Cold press came up immediately in a tall Libby classic faceted glass; John's mocha took a little longer....served in a giant rounded white cup.....a little too much for the old guy to carry without spilling : (    But the staff was quick with a mop and a wet floor sign...problem solved.

The cook prepared the food and then brought it to our table.   We were thinking 'average experience' as we awaited the bites that were going to keep us upright.   We were very pleasantly surprised!   

The 'wascally wabbit' was 'weally dewicious'.  At Marianne's, Anne made the most consistent, tidy sandwiches on the planet.   The 'wascally wabbit' would be good competition for Anne.   It had finely shredded carrot (like 'weally' finely shredded), pickles, cream cheese spread,

arugula.....everything was layered into a sandwich artform---layers of veggies and cream cheese spread--both beautiful and, amazingly, perfectly held together so that not even a little shred of veggie fell out of the sandwich when you ate it.   Much of the credit also goes to the perfectly toasted rye---finally, another place on earth where the bread has flavor.   That darn 'wascal' scored a 6 on a five point scale. [ John complimented the cook, admitting that he was smiling at the sandwich...it was so delicious]

The gochujang dog followed along after the speedy 'wascal' making a complete contrast in our lunch.   The dog was piled high with sriracha slaw (I didn't really get the gochujang essence here---more of a creamy, sriracha-spiced slaw--very tasty with some

kick, but not gochujang).   The dog barked---'use a fork!'  (which we did).   Good slaw, a decent dog (although it was a little salty)....but the best part--the throwback bun.    

I'm going to date myself now - and I don't know how I remember these details of things from the 1960's when I was surely only 1 or 2 years old.   But for St. Paulites, maybe some of you remember WT Grant department store in downtown St. Paul.   In the back corner was the little grill that served big beautiful hot dogs on a New England style bun (the kind you use for lobster rolls--if I could eat a lobster roll).   The 'bun' is essentially like folded white bread with a square bottom that can be grilled (like the tastiest of grilled cheese sandwiches) but also stands up dutifully holding, in the case, a pile of ingredients.  The WT Grant throwback to my childhood was a nice memory---a grilled bun surrounding a decent dog that you uncovered with your fork.  Delightful.

Overall, we'd give Five Watt 4 out of 5 stars.   The 'wascal' was a 6, the dog was a 3.5, the mocha was good but lukewarm, so dock some points there.  The cold brew, different from most & in a lighter style, probably a 3.5.   

Certainly worth a visit (with a small car in an off-peak time--but they're open from sun-up to sun-down, so this should be possible).