Located on the corner of Cretin and Marshall in Saint Paul, the new Black Coffee and Waffle Bar softly opened this summer to the joy of waffle lovers everywhere. This is the second location for the waffle café, which originated on Como Avenue in Minneapolis. The “soft opening” is stated on signs throughout the store that ask patrons for patience as the store gets fully up, running and adapted to the new neighborhood. The location is well-marked and easy enough to get to, less than a ten minute ride on the 63, a short bike ride down Marshall or an easy 30 minute walk. This was motivation enough for nine hungry orientation leaders with a hankering for waffles to venture down towards the Mississippi to give Black Coffee and Waffle Bar a try.

Between the nine of us we ordered the Naughty Waffle (strawberries, bananas, blueberries, almond butter, granola and whipped cream – $8.50), the Muddsucker (powdered sugar, cinnamon, raw sugar, honey and whipped cream – $6.75), the Fat Andrew (peanut butter, powdered sugar, cinnamon, bananas and whipped cream – $7.75), the Strawberry Cheesecake (cheesecake, strawberries, graham crackers and whipped cream – $8.00) and the One Bad Pig (ham and swiss – $9.00).

It took a while to get our waffles, which came out in batches, but this could be attributed to the newness of the bar and may well be resolved once they are fully settled. The waffles, with the exception of the One Bad Pig, were intricately laden with their toppings, which led to much picture taking. Perhaps it was the simple nature of ham and cheese, but a slab of ham and swiss on a waffle just does not make for a spectacular photo.

In terms of taste, the waffles themselves were quite good. I personally like the outside of a waffle to be a little on the crispy side, so I was slightly disappointed when this was not the case. Still, the waffle had a great texture to it and was overall satisfactory. My waffle, the One Bag Pig, made up for not being aesthetically pleasing with the fantastic ham loaded on top of it. The ham was juicy, thick and paired surprisingly well with the waffle, making for a very filling meal.

While all the different waffles were enjoyed mightily by their respective consumers, the one that stood out from the rest was the Naughty Waffle. Heaped high with fresh fruit over a layer of almond butter and granola, and topped with a generous serving of whipped cream, it was the perfect mix of sweet and salty. It was also incredibly filling and was only finished with the help of some very willing volunteers.

Overall, Black Coffee and Waffle Bar was pleasing, if not a little overpriced. Considering waffles are an incredibly easy-to-make food and the majority of the toppings are readily available in most supermarkets, paying $9.00 felt a little excessive. Also, with the exception of the One Bag Big, all the waffles are sweet, something vegetarians looking for a savory dinner should take into consideration. It is possible that the menu will grow as Black Coffee and Waffle Bar adapts to the new neighborhood, but for the time being a waffle may be best split amongst two as a dessert.

Black Coffee and Waffle Bar is located at 2180 Marshall Ave, St. Paul.