I usually try to avoid this place because it can get super busy.   I don’t mind all the people as much as the high risk of getting killed in the parking lot.  It’s a tiny parking lot that must accomadate Blockbusters, Starbucks, Subway, some gaming and cell phone place, AND a Wamu.  It’s just too much.  But I know that late mornings through the afternoon are pretty mellow.  So, here I am.  It’s a Starbucks, so there’s free Wi-fi.  There are a lot of tables and a comfy lounge area in the middle.  The decor, well, it’s Starbucks.  They’re pretty much all the same.  The few times I’ve been here the staff has been really cool.

Seems like a good amount of electrical outlets.  As always, there could be more.  There’s not much more to say.  It’s Starbucks.  If you don’t know what Starbucks is like, you’ve been living a sheltered life.  I can only say that this location is good during off hours.  However, if you are looking for a lively, crowded atmosphere, this is definitely good in the evenings.

I love this cafe for multiple reasons.  First is the atmosphere.  It’s comfortable, cozy and  clean.  It’s famliy run and the owner is often out talking to her customers.  The staff is friendly.  The whole place is very approachable.  I also like to coffee and espresso.  I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor and quality.  The gelato is awesome.  They also serve paninis, which I have yet to try.  I like that it has nice, shaded outdoor seating.

The downside is that there is no wi-fi.  But, even worse, they do not allow the public to use the electrical outlets.  Maybe they don’t want all the high school kids in the area inundating the place.

Other than that, this place is a gem.  Great for hanging out and reading, taking a break from shopping or if you just want some gelato.   What amazes me is how crowded the Starbucks in the same plaza ALWAYS is.  Why not just leave the masses and come support Capriccio?

The downfall with this branch is that their pastry selection is very limited. I was shocked to see snacks that you normally find in a vending machine or a 7-11. For example, they had that little prepackaged square carrot cake thingy. I can’t remember the brand name, but if you saw it you would recognize it. If you want a bagel, they sell one wrapped in plastic. Same with the salad. I seriously think they stock up at 7-11. Certainly not typical Peet’s fare. I’m guessing Peet’s is a franchise organization.

I ended up having a bran muffin, which was in line with Peet’s normal selection. It was a low-fat berry-bran thing. It was pretty yummy. They had a few muffin selections. I saw some croissants in there as well. I also had a plain cup of joe. Good.

This place is spacious, for sure. There is a nice outdoor seating area, complete with couches and lounge chairs. Indoor seating is nice too. There is free wi-fi. One big problem is lack of outlets. There was only one accessible inside that I could find. Luckily there was no one sitting there. There were plenty of outlets by the windows, along the ceiling! I don’t think you could safely plug into one of these. You’d have to stand on a chair, or maybe even a table. I think it could get ugly!

After I had been there a while, some others with laptops came in. One guy kept eying me and I know he wasn’t flirting. He was wondering if I’d ever vacate the only seat with an outlet! At that point, I was ready to get up anyway. But I can’t deny part of me just felt guilty for using the outlet. And, this outlet only services one table. It’s way too isolated to accommodate two users at two tables.

Staff is nice and helpful.

Anyway, Coffee Bean does offer free wi-fi.  Please keep in mind that I have a Sprint internet card, so I don’t use wi-fi.  As far as I can see, there are only 2 outlets in the seating area.  One is by the window and one is at this little mini bar with stools.  At the moment, their are a couple of guys sitting at the table by the window.  I could easily ask them if they could plug  my cord in for me.  And it would reach to the next empty table without a problem.  But I opt for the bar area.  I like it.  I do have a view of life behind the counter.  But the baristas mostly work on the other end of the store, so I don’t have to see and hear every little thing that they do.

One problem is the wicker bar seat.  Coffee Bean has this problem with their outdoor chairs as well.  This only bugs me because I hate sitting on these with shorts on only to leave an hour later with semi-permanent grid marks on my thighs.

This place is relatively quiet.  Sometimes on the weekends it gets a little busy.  But it’s not a huge local hangout.  Music is not particularly loud or annoying (at least today!).

Coffee and tea selection is pretty good.  Most of you should know that.  If you’ve made it through life thus far without every having stepped foot in a Coffee Bean, then you probably wouldn’t be on this website.  Pastries are a little disappointing.  I like to eat something that won’t take 60 minutes on the treadmill to work off.  But if you’re in the mood for pastries, scones, muffins, bagels or cake, this is a good place.  Some Coffee Beans have these rockin reduced fat chocolate chip twists.  This one does not have them.