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The Peninsula offers little in the way of great espresso. This is supposedly one of the better examples, but it's no reason to leave town. They have two main seating areas. One is dominated by their coffee bar, jars of their own roasted coffee for retail sale (and way too many of them flavored coffees), and a bit of stool seating with some tall café tables by the windows in front. In the other room is their deli. In front are a couple of tiny outdoor sidewalk tables. As if the flavored coffees weren't cheesy enough, this spot plays a lot of KKSF saxophone music - suitable for any Bay Area dentist's office. Using a three-group La Spaziale 3000 at the bar, they pull shots with a semi-thin, even, pale crema. It's made from a classic, middle-America over-roasted blend, leaving the cup (filled a bit high) with a cross of flavors between ashiness and some harsher tobacco. San Francisco espresso circa 1984. It's no wonder why Starbucks rules the suburbs.
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