Franklin Street Caffe -- 4/5

It was a cold and rainy weekend afternoon. I'd just come from seeing The Social Network (super-good, by the way, once you get over the idea of making a biopic about someone still in his 20s) at the movie theater in Redwood City, since for some reason there's no multiplex in Palo Alto proper, and I realized that I had 45 minutes to wait for the next southbound train. What's a girl to do? Head for the nearest funky cafe/diner in sight and hammer out some Anthro 115A reading, of course! I think Jared Diamond was involved...

1. Food -- n/a Ok, I'm gonna be straight with you. I didn't actually have anything to eat when I was there. "What the eff is up with that?" you might ask. "Why would you write a review about a place you've never actually eaten at?" Um, good question. Mostly because everything else about it was fantastic, including the delicious single, non-fat latte with heaps of cinnamon and a packet of Splenda (thanks, teen body issues). Normally I take my coffee black, or at least I don't add anything to my espresso drinks, but something about the weather that day made sweetness a necessity. Anyways, the coffee was delicious and my overall experience was so happy that I felt the need to review, and then go back for actual food the next time I'm in Redwood City. (Let me just say this: they serve breakfast all day. WIN.)
2. Service -- 5/5 The fellas behind the counter were super sweet, and there was less than a minute between latte order and delivery. To be fair, I was the only person in line, but still.
3. Price -- 5/5 Oh my gosh! Reasonable prices! Toto, I don't think we're in Palo Alto anymore... Latte was $2.25 (exactly what  happened to be in my wallet at the time....that stupid $10 movie ticket practically broke me), which we all know is an improvement on the Starbucksian extortion we've become accustomed to. A full breakfast runs around $8, lunch (sandwiches & burgers, small pizzas, pasta, salads) anywhere from $4-9, and a couple more protein-rich entrees and large pizzas run in the $10-13 range. Check out their full menu here.
4. Location and Setting -- 4/5 It's literally right on the train tracks. Like, 10 feet from the platform. It's perfect if you're waiting for a train and don't want to lose track of time and miss it (because they only roll around every hour), and it's in the same shopping center as a Safeway, CVS/Pharmacy, other cafes, salons, etc. It's also about a minute walk from downtown Redwood City -- movie theater, library, Broadway, it's great. They have indoor and outdoor seating options, it's very clean, and they love their 80s classics. That might be the first time I've ever heard "Separate Ways" in a restaurant, and it made me so happy.
5. Good for... waiting for the train. Relaxing, escaping the glitter of downtown Palo Alto, and eating breakfast all day.

But yeah. Next time I'll actually eat something and get back to you on that front. My hopes are high!