Jeff Dufour, The Examiner
2007-04-17 07:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

Alexandria -

Buzz is a happy marriage of two familiar types of establishment — the neighborhood coffee shop and the storefront bakery.

In November, Neighborhood Restaurant Group, which already operates five restaurants in Northern Virginia, tapped Lisa Scruggs, a veteran of the Occidental, Vidalia and Equinox, not only to oversee the desserts throughout the company, but to create from scratch the menu at this new “dessert lounge.”

The result is a place where you can break all your promises to treat your body better. Caffeine? Check. Alcohol? Check. Butter-laden pastries? Check. Ice cream? Got it. Cheese plate? Roger that.

You might even be tempted, as I was, to pop in one night at 8 p.m. and spend about $30 on a dinner consisting of seven desserts. Life is short, right?

» The Scene:

Floor-to-ceiling windows and white walls make for a pretty basic space, save for the antique baking tools on the walls and a large photo illustration of a pink cake. A small, carpeted play area is offered up for kids to play while their parents wake up with a cappuccino. The downside is that it can sometimes take on a romper room feel, what with all the young families in the area. Perhaps because the place offers free Wi-Fi, patrons are apt to settle in for an hour or more on one of the comfortable couches or chairs.

» The Pour:

Buzz is a veritable temple to the illy line of coffee from Italy, with its logo splashed prominently throughout the place. At least it makes a good cup of joe.

If you prefer depressants to stimulants, Buzz pours 20 dessert wines by the glass. Ranging from $4 to $17, they include ports, sherries, ice wines, Madeiras, Muscatos, Sauternes and other late-harvest wines.

» The Taste:

Scruggs turns out an impressive list of treats, from lemon-poppy muffins to chocolate croissants to a crème brulee that changes daily. Rich, made-to-order cakes come in 4-inch and 8-inch sizes. If there’s a criticism here, it’s that some of the sweets are overwhelming. Take the chocolate mousse cake, iced with a chocolate glaze. I’d defy anyone to have more than three bites of it.

» The Touch:

Service is polite, friendly and patient as you sort through the scores of sweet options available to you. Unlike most coffee shops, they also bus your table when you’re done.

But the real focus here is on the cappuccino machine. The baristas, I’m happy to report, take their time with the aforementioned illy coffee, and turn out well-crafted coffee drinks that put Starbucks to shame.

» Don’t miss:

The house-made chocolate truffles.

» Why you will go:

For the made-to-order cinnamon-dusted doughnuts, available only on weekends from 7 a.m. to noon.

» Why you won’t go:

Because some of Scruggs’ best creations — a chocolate-Guinness cupcake, for example — aren’t available at Buzz, but rather at some of NRG’s other establishments.

BUZZ

901 Slaters Lane, Alexandria

703-600-BUZZ

www.buzzonslaters.com

» Prices: Sweets and pastries: $1.75 to $7.50

» Hours: 6 a.m. to midnight daily

» Bottom line: A bakery-cum-coffeehouse with character.

jdufour@dcexaminer.com