71 Irving Place, 71 Irving Pl, New York

It's a civilized café where out-going mocha and croissant lovers voluntarily bus their own tables, slide the bentwood chairs back, and return the house dailies to the wicker basket where in-coming chai and cupcake lovers can find them.  It's a modern café a few short steps from the saloon where O'Henry purportedly wrote his unforgettable tale:  Gift of the Magi.  It's a pricey café where the affluent relish raspberry crunch bars, the comfortable savor red velvet cupcakes, and the well-heeled enjoy rustic pear tarts, chocolate dipped almond macaroons, wild mushroom quiche, strawberry shortcake and apple streusel.  On a road bedazzled with leafy saplings, between East 18^th and 19^th Avenues, "71 Irving Place" (www.irvingfarm.com) offers a delicious array of coffees, teas and specialty drinks, sandwiches, panini and desserts.  It's a menu driven café that boasts a staggering selection of waffles, yogurts, muffins, scones, breads and croissants.  It's a sophisticated café patronized by conservative dressers and sotto voce talkers.  It's a practical café that roasts its own coffee beans on its farm in upstate New York.  It's an urbane café where you can hear a continuous loop of jazz, blues and folk.  It's an affable café for visitors and natives alike.

Review by: albert bliss

Posted: Friday, June 19, 2009