Cait's Plate: Conwell Coffee Hall...Can we just toast to this aesthetic toast?

Conwell Coffee Hall, located at 6 Hanover Street, is a coffee shop and eatery in Life and Trust, a performing arts center. 

photo credit: Cait Malilay

From the moment I walked through the revolving door and up those steps, I was immersed back in time to the 1920s.

I was greeted by a large art deco painting.

photo credit: Cait Malilay

I take a look at the menu and see the typical cafe assortment of coffee and teas, but wait...there's a whole section labeled "TOASTS?"

Count me in!

Being a California native, of course I'm going to order the avocado toast. 

My mom orders the crab toast.

Now...the beverage of choice.

Since it's afternoon, we decide to go with something light, a cappuccino. 

We are given a number and to our left, we see the seating area. 

In the back there's leather couches and coffee tables.

Spread out are rows of tables, so we see that we are going to be sitting pretty close knit with other groups.

When we're trying to find a spot to sit, a gentleman sees us and removes his bag from the seat next to him and across from that seat, it is empty. 

We take our seat and thank him.

I look around and see that there is a lot of natural light coming in from the large windows with vintage curtains to our right.

It's a little bit dim inside and the ceilings are really high.

There are several people on their laptops, most likely telecommuters and regulars.

Others are catching up with coworkers and friends. 

There's two sitting right next to us to our right. 

We ask one of the servers for water, but we are told that there is water where we can help ourselves and fill a glass bottle. 

For two toasts and a cappuccino to come to a little over $40, one would expect to be served water.

At the same time, I think to myself, how we have our independence and do not have to wait for our server to return to ask for most basic necessities.

We can get all the water we want and need without being charged.

Our server comes with the cappuccino and asks if there is anything else we are waiting on.

photo credit: Cait Malilay

Not only are we served a cappucino with my initial "C" with the words "the taste of success" inside the letter, but we get a cookie too!

I dip the cookie in the frothy drink, take a bite and then a sip.

Now that tastes like success.

Shortly after, the server returns with our two toasts.

I was awestruck by the design of the two toasts.

photo credit: Cait Malilay

Atop of the very green and beautiful arugula sprouts were freshly sliced avocados sprinkled with chili flakes.

A little lemon slice to squirt on top of it, should the preserved lemon chermoula not be enough.

photo credit: Cait Malilay

Now, the crab toast looks straight out of a Barbie movie!

The word "radish" has such an unpleasing sound when pronounced, but who knew it could be so aesthetic!

photo credit: Cait Malilay

Tucked below the beautiful radishes are jumbo lump crab dressed in tarragon and lemon.

I take a bite of my avocado toast and it is delicious.

I was impressed by not only the presentation, but the taste.

The arugula sprouts were so fresh and there was not one wilted leaf.

It was pure perfection, a little meadow of green.

For a moment, I felt like I was in that Olivia Wilde movie "Don't Worry, Darling," before everything goes awry.

The bread was perfect as well, not too hard.

Though I ate it with my hands, guests are given utensils, which I probably should have used because embarrassingly my avocados slipped off of my bread and went to the table.

As I soaked in the ambience and delicious food, I couldn't help, but wonder, what's the story behind this coffee hall?

The website advertises Life and Trust as "a historic bank."

The coffee shop and eatery honors a J.G. Conwell, one of Life and Trust's most influential CEOs and chairmen.

"Conwell was also a noted philanthropist and influential patron of the arts in New York City," according to the website, where he served on the board of directors for a variety of New York cultural institutions, and he funded a "number of groundbreaking scientific discoveries."

Before becoming the biggest banker on Wall Street, Conwell made his fortune making cough syrup.

If you don't do a bit of research, you may fall for the story, which I'll be honest I initially did until I came across this Vulture article.

Though the story behind this cafe and eatery may be fictional, I still highly recommend this place. 

The service was fast, and the food was great.

The prices may be on the high end, but you can't be surprised with its location being in the heart of the financial district near Wall Street.

I was hoping to get at least two slices of toast for that price, yet I can't complain because it was pretty filling, the presentation was impeccable and the ambience takes you back in time. 

I'll definitely come back to try their French toast and maybe even watch one of their shows put on by Emersive Productions.