This Starbucks overlooks the east side of the Moscone Center and 3rd St. traffic, in the pedestrian alleyway of the "Moscone Center Garage Mall." A stereotypical Starbucks, with dueling Verismo machines pumping out borderline shots of espresso in the foreign ceramic cup when asked for. A half dozen indoor café tables with chairs. It has a thinner layer of pale-to-medium brown crema. At first it tastes like diluted, slightly ashy espresso made from somewhat stale, ok quality, overroasted beans. But then the flavor turns drier, more ashy, and more "foul" as you drink it. There isn't a hint of sweetness anywhere in the cup. Either Starbucks is getting worse or I am become less tolerant of their empty quality aspirations over time.
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