This is their story, the data points they obsessively collected, and the somewhat blurred photographs they brought back. At each one, we'd place identical orders, and record the total price, the time it took the staff to deliver the goods, volume of product poured, subjective notes about the coffee itself, the ambiance, the patrons, and so on. Equipped with palmtop computers, a clandestine stopwatch, various Sunday papers, and money, we set out on our epic journey of ever-increasing alertitude.
Nobody does it faster.
The coffee at Sweetwaters was good, without aftertaste. The caps were properly creamy, and we didn't find grounds or sediment in the cups. We gave them high marks for the product. There were no small children and no one who was blatantly a tourist. Sweetwaters' side room is usually quiet, as it was on this particular morning.