The Compassionate Café - ChocoLaté Coffee in the Atlanta-Metro Area

It's morning, and you need your coffee fix. Where should you stop? For residents of Decatur and Atlanta, GA, there is a convenient option: ChocoLaté Coffee.

This independent coffee shop's motto is "Facilitate a strategic awakening!" Placed at two prime locations in the Atlanta-Metro area, ChocoLaté Coffee is one of the most popular caffeine suppliers in the neighborhood. Step inside the place, and you may have some idea why.

First and foremost is the menu; even if you don't happen to live a block away, you can inspect the selections at their website. On the front page, you'll see a simulated version of the menu that sits over the counter in both locations.

The first menu, "For the Purest," is just that: a list of the drinks most likely to satisfy the coffee connoisseurs in the neighborhood. On this list are such selections as the classic cappuccino, Caffe Au Lait, and Caffe Americano (fancy talk for "regular coffee.") Those who frequent Starbucks may be familiar with the terminology, but ChocoLaté is a cut above in many respects.

Starbucks, according to a March 26 article in the Orlando Sentinel, recently added a new 10 cent tax onto the price of a small, regular cup of coffee at Orlando International Airport. Tax included, this makes the new price: $1.92. To some, this may make shops like ChocoLaté Coffee a welcome sight in the neighborhood.

"This is my life; I live here," says Christine Paris, one of the managerial staff at the Shallowford Rd. location in Atlanta. Seeing the same customers every day, she says, "I want to put everything into it." She explains that their drinks are far superior to chains because they use top quality products; all of their pastries and muffins come from local bakers. Also, each shot of espresso or cappucino is made individually. "Starbucks has a little button they push [for several shots]," she says.

Paris also explains that she once taught English for six months in China, and the only coffee shop available was the abovementioned chain. This experience was a major factor in her decision to apply at ChocoLaté Coffee.

In addition to the regular coffees, ChocoLaté carries "Specialty Drinks," such as Dark Chocolate Mocha, White Berry Mocha, and Turtle Tracks Latte (which contains small bits of chocolate.) There are also sugar-free options for those who want to skip the saccharin. If you prefer your drinks on the frozen side, there is the "Icy Cold" menu, including such selections as "Extreme Caramel," "KONA Mocha," and "Rich Chocolate."

Helping add to its atmosphere are the numerous artworks that appear across the walls in both locations. ChocoLaté Coffee makes an effort to support local artists as part of their business ethic.

"It's a really great thing for everyone, because local artists show their art in an environment that fits," says Paris. Currently, the Atlanta location is displaying work by Amelia Netto, whose art commonly uses hand embroidery.

One of the most prominent of Netto's artworks at this location is "In Between the Lines," which depicts hand-painted planes flying over a blended green and yellow background. Stretched across the canvas are fine red and white strings, giving the impression of power lines.

Also displayed at the Atlanta location are selections by June Akers Seese, author of What Waiting Really Means and Is This What Other Women Feel Too? Excerpts from some of these books can be found in frames near the lounging area adjacent to the main counter. Seese is the recipient of a 2002 Yaddo Writer's Fellowship, according to the brief biography displayed inside the shop.

The main differences between the Shallowford Rd. location and the N. Decatur Rd. location are the decor and the clientele. At the Decatur shop, the decoration suggests an 1800s urban feel, with faux lampposts hanging from the walls, and old-fashioned coat hangers in the lounge area. Overall, the eatery area is slightly larger; here, you are likely to see a number of Emory students clacking away at their laptops or studying for final exams. The ambience, however, is about the same in both locations.

If you're looking for some reading material, but haven't brought your own, there is a small bookshelf near one of the seating areas in both shops. "Books are all donated by people who feel like leaving a book here; [it's great] if you're waiting for your blind date," explains Paris. Among the literature on the shelf at the Shallowford location is Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End and Tony Hillerman's Finding Moon.

It may take a certain kind of person to work at ChocoLaté Coffee. "You've gotta be easy to get along with," says Paris. "[It's] a really enjoyable place to work; anyone willing to enjoy their job will fit in here. Happy people do better...it's not like going to work."

So, if you have a moment to spare on your way to the office, ChocoLaté Coffee just may be the spot to drop in. For more information, visit http://www.mychocolatecoffee.com on the Web.