Bayou Bakery - Courthouse, VA

Bayou Bakery is a Courthouse cafe with a big Twitter presence. They are always reaching out to their followers asking them to come in for a cup of coffee and some baked goods, so I did. A few of my own followers have tweeted at me telling me how much they love Bayou Bakery, so before I ever went, my expectations were high.

In my head I had pictured a small and cozy cafe tucked away in an old street corner. Much to my dismay, when I came up from the Courthouse metro stop I found an industrial looking business lunch spot. I didn't let the facade turn me away, after all, I have heard great reviews.

Inside was slightly better. They tried to make it warm and welcoming, though I don't think they quite pulled it off. I was disappointed that it wasn't what I had imagined, but at 2 o'clock on a Sunday it was packed so there had to be something I was missing.

I went right up to the counter to order a cappuccino and a red velvet cupcake. After finding a table, I sat and sipped my cappuccino only to be disappointed yet again. It tasted more like coffee than a cappuccino, and weak coffee at that. It was watery and bland with little flavor. I usually complain that cafes serve coffee too hot and I burn my tongue before I can even taste it, but at Bayou, the cappuccino was even a bit too cold for me.

The cupcake, on the other hand, was delicious! At least by comparison. The cake was dense, but could have been a tad more moist, and the frosting needed to be more creamcheesy and less sugary. I will admit I am being a bit harsh on the cupcake, since I did eat the whole thing and loved every minute of it.

The thing that bothered me most about Bayou Bakery wasn't the weak coffee or industrial space, it was the smell. Walking in, it smelt like I was entering a tin can, or my third grade lunch room. It was bad, especially for an establishment that is trying to get people to stay and eat.

I would definitely qualify Bayou as more of a work-week lunch spot rather than a weekend bakery. Even the little things, like the hot sauce on the table, took away from the feeling you are looking for when you sit and sip a cappuccino on a cold February afternoon.

I will give them one thing, they certainly know how to market their goods, even if what you get isn't as good as what you were led to believe.