NVM Review

By Warren Rojas

Frou-frou java might be fine for daylight hours, but the weekend’s last hurrah calls for something special.

Enter Buzz’s affogato—a still-steaming shot of spot-brewed espresso cascaded over homemade ice cream (vanilla imbues spicy-sweetness, chocolate dissolves into a mocha-like experience). Add caramel-frosted banana bread (so durn good) or a 9:30 Club cupcake (a chocolate triple-threat) for the sweetest ending ever.

By Warren Rojas

Having made in-roads with the late-night (Vermilion) and fine-dining (Tallula) crowds, the Neighborhood Restaurant Group now wants to corner the breakfast market with Buzz, a bakery lounge specializing in sweet nothings that are really something.

Their post-modern coffeehouse is thoroughly outfitted with cushy sofas and recliners, free Wi-Fi for roving techies and vintage toy ovens for the kids to play with. They offer a full battery of Illy-based caffeinated beverages from full espresso on down to the clever “why bother?” (decaf, non-fat, sugar-free vanilla latte), plus traditional espresso, cappuccino and even hot chocolate.

And then there are the baked goods.

Brioche packed with crumbled bacon, scrambled eggs and melted cheese is a mondo muffin concealing a built-in breakfast. Homemade cinnamon rolls are lightly glazed, golden ringlets filled with chewy cinnamon. A hearty maple sausage and cheese biscuit injects traditional buttermilk with savory-sweet sausage. A ham and cheese scone envelops the titular sandwich fillers in semi-sweet dough. Or sample any of the wonderful muffins, including pineapple-coconut (sweet hits you first while the coconut seems to linger) and strawberry (bright as a morning breeze), or fruit-filled scones (oat-currant has a welcome grit, orange-cranberry delivers a citrus kick).