100 Favorite Dishes: Number 79 -- The Aileen Special at Undergrounds Coffeehaus

As a countdown to the Best of Broward Palm Beach 2011, coming in June, Clean Plate Charlie is serving up a hundred of our favorite dishes in South Florida. Send your own nominations to Deirdra.Funcheon@BrowardPalmBeach.com.

No. 79: The Aileen Special from Undergrounds Coffeehaus

aileen special.jpg
By Erin Hilburn
Mystery drink of espresso goodness!

Sure, you could go to Starbucks and order your very safe and boring Venti Vanilla Latte. Charlie prefers to walk on the wild side.

Every coffee shop has their standard drinks, but Undergrounds Coffeehaus is far from standard.
Looking up on the menu board, familiar names catch the eye: Grasshopper, Chai Latte, Americano, etc. Then your gazes falls upon "Aileen Special". Are you feeling adventurous?

Owner Aileen Liptak is behind the counter, with a series of questions:

Would you like your drink hot or cold? (On our last visit, we answered cold; but if you answer hot the question is followed up with small or large.)

Next, she'll ask you what flavors you like, and what's off limits. Some customers don't like coconut or white chocolate, others don't care for mint.

After a back and forth exchange, Aileen turns her back to you and begins work on your drink. At this point, you've given your preferences and dislikes, but anything else is fair game. You try to peek over her shoulder as she reaches for a syrup bottle.

Aileen hands your drink across the counter, and you take a sip. Then it becomes a guessing game: "Aileen, did you put blueberry in this? Is that cinnamon? Maple syrup? Wait a minute...bacon?!?"

Eventually, she'll give you the rundown on everything in your drink. It's never the same twice, but always contains espresso.

The Aileen Special is a one of a kind concoction that leaves us coming back for more every time.

Undergrounds Coffeehaus
2743 E. Oakland Park Blvd.
Wilton Manors, FL 33306



Previous 100 favorite dishes:
No. 80: Insalata Caprese at Fiorentina
No. 81: Angus and Brie Burger from Gilbert's 17th Street Grill
No. 82: Pulled Pork Sliders from Gratify American GastroPub
No. 83: Fagottini al Tartufo Bianco e Nero From Apicius Ristorante e Enoteca
No. 84: Guacamole from Dos Caminos
No. 85: Rock Shrimp from Bahama Mama
No. 86: The Grease Beast at Grease Burger

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Undergrounds Coffeehaus

2743 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Wilton Manors, FL

Category: General

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Jumpwpb
Jumpwpb

Not your average coffee shop, but who wants average? :)

ErinHilburn
ErinHilburn

Thank you both for supporting local business! It's a cause very dear to my heart.

Joe Scott
Joe Scott

I've been a regular for four years, and there's always a new drink to try or people to talk with. South Florida has a limited supply of local run business and an over abundance of corporate clones.

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