Just a 15-minute walk from Eastern Michigan University’s campus on Michigan Avenue is B-24’s Espresso Bar. If it’s too cold to spend 15 minutes walking, hop on the bus to the College of Business. B-24’s is across the street, and a quick stop to pick up a hot coffee or a sandwich.
I dropped in for some hot chocolate and a breakfast wrap on a crisp autumn morning. With a calm atmosphere and friendly service, it was easily the most relaxing public place I’ve been to all week.
Hot chocolate is a drink that I order when I’m trying out a new place. I do it with some hesitation because hot chocolate is a difficult thing to make well, and it’s often not worth the money I pay for it. A good hot chocolate should be smooth and chocolaty. It should be warm, comforting and filling – thick but not too thick, unless it’s a European style hot chocolate. Above all things, it should be delicious. My hot chocolate at B-24’s, made by EMU student Samantha Edwards, was all of those things.
While taking the order for my drink, Edwards filled me in on the menu options. Coffee features prominently on the menu, and any drinks made with milk are available with either soy or almond milk as well. The coffee itself comes from local sources, such as Roos Roast and Mighty Good Coffee.
Besides coffee and hot chocolate, B-24’s offers a range of breakfast and lunch sandwiches. House-baked pastries, including scones and muffins, were a tempting display as well. Homemade beef chili, perfect for a cold day, was the soup of the day. Being a lacto-ovo vegetarian myself, I ordered a veggie breakfast wrap loaded with eggs, cheese and fresh veggies. Other vegetarian options included a build-your-own sandwich, other breakfast sandwiches and a veggie quiche.
While waiting for my breakfast wrap, Edwards spoke about working at B-24’s.
“It’s a very relaxed environment, and I enjoy the work,” she said. “Making coffee drinks is fun.
Everyone is different, and sometimes I get to experiment.”
I settled down to enjoy my breakfast wrap, which was very eggy and cheesy. Snappy onions and spinach complimented the eggs, and fresh avocado slices provided a creamy, almost surprising accent.
My only complaint was that the tomatoes had already gone out of season, so while they were still fresh, they lacked the flavor of a locally grown tomato ripening in August or September. This is a problem prevalent every year after tomato season ends, so it’s nearly impossible to find a tasty tomato anywhere I go. I’ll take the tomatoes in my breakfast wrap as a sign that it’s time to switch over to ordering everything without tomatoes.
Aside from its food offerings, B-24’s has a strong local focus. Musicians are invited to attend open mic nights on Fridays. Artwork from a rotating list of local artists adorns the walls. A 10 percent discount is offered to EMU students. Next week, if I have a free hour or two, I’ll be back for another hot chocolate.
