Stephanie Hofmann
Cargo Coffee east, 750 E. Washington Ave., occupies a big, airy space on the ground floor of the Constellation apartments. Tables always seem to be occupied by plenty of people working on laptops, and there are a couple of meeting-friendly larger tables, but the space never seems crowded or hectic. It’s often as serene as a meditation class.
Big maps that illustrate geopolitical boundaries of previous eras decorate the shop, including a large wall mural in which the Soviet Union prominently still exists. That’s a useful backdrop for Cargo’s house Atomic Beans, a dark roast guaranteed to wake you up. But if you are having special difficulty coming to terms with the day, order up a “To Boldly Joe.” It’s not listed on the menu, though the wall board does state, “We will make any drink.” This one, dreamed up to honor the passing of actor Leonard Nimoy, is the house Atomic brew with a shot (or shots) of espresso — basically a Trekkie version of a red-eye. Are names as important as beans? Well, no. But somehow, “To Boldly Joe” seems a more inspiring message for the day than focusing on the bloodshot, irritated state of one’s eyeballs. Highly illogical.
