With crazy busy summertime schedules and a coffee shop with a limited savory menu, a last minute fun-sized group of only Dining Divas, with special guest Olivia Frazer from the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, gathered to enjoy an intimate lunch at Jump Start Cafe in late June. Upon entering, the car themed coffee shop charmed the quartet with its decor — especially the up-cycled booth made from the same model of the owner, Sandy’s, first car. Originally intended as a waiting area for the neighboring Autotorium garage, Sandy's interior design expertise has transformed the space into a cozy, chic coffeehouse with a lovely variety of drink and dining options.
To start, Linda ordered the carrot cake chai, iced, of course, and the chicken bacon ranch wrap. Some of her praise included words like “scrumptious”, flavorful”, and the incredibly flattering “not enough.” She described the wrap as having an almost chicken salad texture that was well stuffed and incredibly creamy.
The newbie, Olivia, also got a carrot cake chai, but served hot, despite it being summer, as she never drinks coffee or tea cold! A lover of chai, she felt the beverage was fragrant and had a delicate balance of flavors between the carrot and spices. Her Mediterranean quiche was light and a perfect dish for summer.
Kay got a Turbocharge, which is Jump Start’s signature pistachio and mocha latte, that was rich in flavor with just a hint of velvety pistachio. Her breakfast sandwich was flaky and noted to possess the heavenly combination of a crunchy and creamy texture. She observed that it could be enjoyed both with or without hot sauce.
Our leader Jo tried the Aromatorium, a lavender and honey latte, that was a great recommendation from the barista due to not being overly sweet. Not normally a fan of lavender flavoring due to its potency, Jo was pleasantly surprised to have loved her drink. For her main dish, she selected a spinach quiche that was “light” and “fluffy” with the egg delectably melted into the crust.
With lush greenery and abundant natural light, Jump Start was the ideal environment for an intimate lunch with great company. Its playful touches like jumper cables attached to the menu board or golden monkey lamp hanging from the ceiling curate an environment of palpable mirth. Greater Lafayette has an abundance of coffee shops all with their own specialties to offer, and Jump Start is no exception as it provides such whimsy to an ordinary weekday. Creative drinks, great food, a fun theme – what more could you possibly ask for? Be sure to stop by Jump Start Cafe and spark some joy!
