Other articles by Cathalena E. Burch:

Season full of can't-misses Funny you don't know him: He's huge ... in the Netherlands Comic makes math add up in her books Angelina's hasn't found its niche yet Phil Vassar's new music reflects trials and tribulations of his life Two Sashas combine for Bach Society finale Crow makes 2,700 backup singers happy Comic's out, loud and hilarious Review: Sheryl Crow makes 2,700 backup singers in Tucson happy Young man is old-school

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The folks at Black Rose Caffe have the perfect recipe for waking up:

Add two generous shots of freshly brewed, hot, dark, rich espresso to a scoop of cold, creamy vanilla-bean ice cream.

Allow the ice cream to melt. Stir gently. Sip slowly.

Beneath the layer of silky, just slightly sweet ice cream emerges the coffee's smoky tones and heady character that releases a cobweb-clearing caffeine kick.

Black Rose owner Mariha Kakis calls it an Espresso Float ($3.10); we call it heaven in a cup of joe.

Coffee is at the center of almost everything Kakis and company do at the Black Rose, from the house cup of java ($1.70-$1.95) to the rich, slightly bitter tiramisu ($4).

They blend three shots of espresso into a deadly decadent shake called the AzaDio Mocha Shake ($4.45) whose intent is to tantalize your sweet tooth as much as your caffeine crave. Flashes of the full-bodied coffee with amber undertones peek out from the thick shake that sports ice cream and a lovely spot of whipped cream.

Dessert also is the intention behind the Black Magick Mocha ($3.60-$3.90), which boasts a faint, barely noticeable trace of chocolate beneath a brew of smoky coffee, whipped light and airy with cream and served, at our request, over ice.

Black Rose is tucked into an ultra-hip space painted red and accented with black and faux bricks. There are black couches and metal tables and chairs where you can open your laptop and tap into the WiFi while you sip coffee or nibble on sandwiches and salads like the aptly named Triple Goddess ($6.25).

The salad uses a bed of fresh spinach to support chunks of feta cheese flecked with crunchy chopped walnuts, thin deli turkey and formerly frozen small strawberries, all united in a symphony of textures and flavors beneath a slightly sweet strawberry vinaigrette.

Skip the Bum Wrap ($6.50) sandwich — there wasn't enough spicy mustard slathered on the tortilla to breathe life into what amounted to a skimpy, ordinary roast beef and Provolone sandwich — and dive into a May Pole sandwich ($6.50). This one combines a juicy and generous grilled chicken breast with smoky ham, thin slices of Cheddar cheese and a wonderful ranch dressing between a pillowy soft Kaiser roll.

The breakfast menu is hit-and-miss. We sampled the Sage ($4.25) turkey sausage and Cheddar cheese biscuit sandwiches, which were dry and flavorless; and the delightful and not-too-sweet Deme's Delite ($4.25), a big toasted croissant filled with formerly frozen strawberries, pineapple chunks, peaches and grapes drizzled with caramel and topped with whipped cream.

Other desserts range from cookies and ice cream to pastries, cheesecake and pies (50 cents to $4), most made off the premises. We were especially fond of a lemon-chiffon-style cake on one Sunday that was airy and light, subtly sweetened and tart with the taste of fresh lemons.