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Comment by technothrasher | Hacker News Reader

Last time I was in Oregon I tried to go into a coffee place and get a cup of coffee. Now, I'm admittedly not a big fancy coffee guy, usually drinking whatever Dunkin Donuts or McDonald's swill I can get, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out what the hell I was supposed to order. It was all fancy names on the menu and nothing that was just "coffee". I finally just said, "I want, like, normal, I don't know, East Coast coffee." The guy rolled his eyes, but obviously understood me, because he gave me coffee that tasted normal and was just fine and dandy.

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If you went into a wood oven Neapolitan pizza place, huffed over the menu when you couldn't find "meat lovers" and then finally said "I want, like, normal, I don't know, East Coast pizza" you'd probably get an eye roll too. But, if you just say you're not familiar with whats on the menu, ask what's good and has meat on it, they'd probably be happy to help you find something you like. It's often about how you say something.

it's a small point but "official" Neapolitan pizza (or should I say pizza Napoletano) is not available with meat on it

You can just ask for a “small coffee”, you don’t have to turn it into a weird territorial thing. Most places will have normal drip coffee ready to go.

In the rare case somewhere only does made-to-order, you want an Americano. It’ll be fast and good and what you want.

An Americano is a normal cup of coffee with a large amount of water added. It's like a medium-strong tea. I was under the impression it was called that as some sort of disparagement of the US. Is this actually what is regularly consumed there?

an Americano, in Italy and in the US, is an espresso with water added to dilute it to the strength of "a cup of coffee".

An Americano is a normal cup of ESPRESSO with water added. It's a common drink in north american cafes and is similar to a "long black" in Australia and other places. Supposedly it's called that because GIs in Italy during WWII would get it/do it because they wanted a larger cup of coffee.

Most coffee in the North America is drip which has a similar strength to an Americano. If you go to a Dunkin' Donuts, Tim Hortons, McDonald's, most cafes and ask for just a coffee they will give you drip.

Where I come from, and Americano is the only quick and easy way to get decaf; a pour-over takes to long, and an Americano with cream is just perfect in the afternoon.

Presumably the eye-roll was about the manner with which you asked, conveying confusion or distress about the menu, and not the drip coffee order; coffee places are happy to serve you a drip coffee (it's easy for them).

I don't think Blue Bottle does--only pour over. For cold brew, I think they sell drip.

I don't patronize Blue Bottle all that often, but I do recall their locations in LA selling ready to drink batch-brewed drip coffee.

Just ask for a coffee. They won't roll your eyes at that. At least, that's never happened to me and that's my typical order at a boutique coffee shop. They're not going to make fun of you for not being a coffee expert. You'll end up with a nice drip coffee of whatever the house recommends.

He rolled his eyes because of your insinuation that their coffee was abnormal.

Sometimes you want the drug, not the drink. In these situations it is annoying to have to pretend to care about what feels like overly researched excuses for addiction.

You gotta get outside the Portland metro area. Then you'll find normal coffee.

Relevant clip from The Sopranos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLyn_feOptg

I never look at coffee menus. They’re all obnoxious. Just walk in an say “I want a medium coffee”.

"Large drip"

They always figure it out.

Go to a McDonald's next time. Would you ask for the Applebee special at a fancy steakhouse?

In fact, mid range "fancy" resteraunts often have a "boyfriend special" cheapo burger and fries, with nothing fancy or special about it, for when you don't have the taste, or wallet, for overproduced, overpriced "we cut this normal food into weird shapes" meals.

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