Location
1341 Pascal St. N, St. Paul
GOOGLE MAP • YELP • WEBSITE
Ratings
| Location: | ★★★★ |
| Atmosphere: | ★★★★★ |
| Coffee: | ★★★½ |
| Food: | ★★★★★ |
| Service: | ★★★★ |
| Vibe: | ★★★★ |
| Overall: | ★★★★½ |
Pros
Nice location, great food and atmosphere, large patio, great for kids.
Cons
Coffee is not quite as good as everything else.
Review
Yesterday I took my daughter to Como Zoo for a few hours. On the way there, driving down Midway Parkway, I spotted an intriguing building half a block north on Pascal St. The side of the building, in graffiti style, announced espresso, ice cream and other such delights. Immediately I knew that would be the location of my next coffee review. But I didn’t even know the name of the business.
No matter. A quick check of Google Maps informed me that it was Java Train Cafe, and upon spotting a graffiti image of John Coltrane on its website, I was very excited to check it out. Now, granted, these preliminary experiences may have biased me in favor of Java Train just as similar experiences biased me against Lori’s in my last review. So, proceed with caution; I may like this place more than it deserves.
Java Train is located in a charming area of St. Paul, directly in the center of Midway Parkway between the state fairgrounds and Como Park. It’s a convenient location to anyone in St. Paul north of 94, and relatively easy to get to even from my house in south Minneapolis. (It is by my personal and somewhat idiosyncratic choice that I took such a meandering route to get here, but if you’re interested in a “back way”: I recommend Cleveland Avenue, which becomes Transfer Road, which becomes Pierce Butler Route and intersects Snelling Avenue just north of Hamline University and just south of the fairgrounds.)
I knew from Java Train’s website that this was a kid-friendly location, but I was not prepared for the cool, train-themed play areas both inside and out. Both the interior space and the outdoor patio are spacious enough to accommodate lots of kids (and adults!) without feeling crowded. The building is old but has been carefully renovated, retaining the original hardwood floors. The high ceilings and large windows create an open and inviting space.
In addition to the usual assortment of espresso and drip coffee beverages, Java Train offers an extensive food menu (with daily specials — today all Greek items are half price) as well as hand-dipped ice cream. I ordered my usual cappuccino and a curry chicken salad sandwich.
The cappuccino was slightly disappointing, but perhaps only because everything leading up to it had set my expectations unduly high. It is not bad in any way, just… ordinary.
The food, however, is much better. The fresh curry chicken salad is delicious, and it was served with a large (perhaps too large) helping of BBQ kettle-cooked potato chips and a small cup of cole slaw.
The service was fast and friendly, both in taking our order and delivering it promptly to our table.
My only complaint so far is the gnat that has been hovering over our table since the moment we sat down. But I don’t think I can slight the establishment for the unavoidable presence of one of Minnesota’s abundant insect inhabitants. OK, there’s also the fact that from where I’m currently sitting, the only accessible electrical outlet is in the middle of the floor a few feet away. Thank goodness for Apple’s MagSafe power adapter… and a full battery.
Overall, I am extremely satisfied with my experience at Java Train, and given its location — not close to my home, but near an area I visit often, both for work and recreation — and its kid-friendly atmosphere, I’m almost certain it will become a regular destination.
P.S.: 1337.
