Form and Function

Well, hello friends!

Long time no write! The last couple weeks (okay, more than just a couple, more like the last 6 or 7) have been quite a whirlwind. I started medical school at the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM) in Meridian, Idaho (right next to Boise) and Kim started law school at George Mason in Arlington, Virginia both within a couple weeks of each other. Starting our graduate educations and moving so far from each other in such a short time has been quite the eye opening experience, but those are stories for another post.. Today is about coffee, specifically at Form and Function in Downtown Boise.

I walked into Form and Function early on a sunny, hot day in early September with my dad, and we didn’t leave until the afternoon was fading into evening. Over the labor day weekend I spent three days studying, and my dad spent three days reliving his old medical school days by teaching me. We went to multiple coffee shops (coming soon 😉 to fuel my motivation and this one was our first stop of the weekend.

The atmosphere was buzzing from the moment we first walked in. The line at 9am was crazy! We (and by we I mean I) took this to mean that the coffee and food here must be delicious. We sat first to wait for the line to die down, then we dove in. I got a 12oz matcha latte with almond milk and a hint of lavender syrup, as well as their breakfast burrito, and my dad got their “everything” cookie. (My dad doesn’t like coffee or tea so his go to’s are bubbly water and cookies, which I always adore and benefit from).

The matcha was alright, granted I am new to the matcha fandom, it was a bit watery and the lavender wasn’t evident but overall it wasn’t too bitter either. The breakfast burrito is definitely the way to go if you are on the hungrier side, it was quite hefty! It had a fresh taste while also feeling homey, kinda like visiting your family in the country. The “everything” cookie was soft and delightful. My dad and I likely didn’t place every flavor, but there was definitely some peanut butter and oatmeal in there somewhere.

As the morning turned into afternoon the coffee shop crowd died down and we went back up for round 2! The baristas were so sweet both times and super helpful with suggestions. I got the Tanzania flight (yes, a coffee flight!) to help boost my enthusiasm and renew my energy while my dad got a big chocolate chip cookie. The three coffees I got were an espresso, cappuccino, and pour over, much to my excitement. The espresso started with a sweet lead in followed by a full, aftertaste. It wasn’t shockingly bitter and had the right amount of zing. The cappuccino was delicious, just the right boldness of espresso underlying the perfectly frothed milk, to leave you with a buttery bite in the aftertaste. The pour over left a little to be desired, but they often do for me so that may be a personal bias. It had a dilute flavor with a sweet bitterness throughout. The chocolate chip cookie was simply delightful. It was soft and sweet and rich and melted in your mouth. I am delighted to report that this coffee shop is definitely not just about coffee, and our stomachs are all better for it.

This coffee shop had a light, fun atomsphere with lots of indoor (both main floor and upstairs seating) as well as outdoor seating. The black and white theme was refreshing and light, just what I needed on a heavy study day. I may have looked a little haggard from studying but this place couldn’t look more put together. The staff was nothing but funny and kind, able to make anyones day better. Unfortunately the wifi password was not readily available and they could have used some more outlets, but overall this is a great place to socialize and a good place to study if you don’t mind a busier atmosphere.

Coffee: 8/10

Matcha: 5/10

Cookies: 9/10

Breakfast burrito: 9/10

Atmosphere: 8.5/ 10

(and Kayla’s crazy finals espresso look)