A barista may toss two pulls of espresso before he charms the perfect third, but the girl on her laptop waiting for it would care less to scoff. So goes the casual class of Eddie Hwang's (NoMi) new park-side cafe in Uptown, where direct-trade Intelligentsia coffee and teas get paired with in-house roasted meats, local sourced baked goods (Le Sucre) and other dedicated labors best savored behind the scenes.

Hwang doesn't necessarily hide his ambitions, either. The kitchen is exposed for a reason, with clear views of mint and parsley getting chopped into chimichurri for spread on lamb and toasted Romano polenta sandwiches, or fresh Yukon potatoes getting diced into bacon-sprinkled leek soup.

But to make it your soul purpose for visiting is missing the point, as at the end of the day, it's a neighborhood coffeehouse with exceptional food as a bonus.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Gavin Paul