OptionC

Birthday London Cafe Tour

The beauty of taking redundancy is that you suddenly have much more time on your hands than you ordinarily would.  This gives you the opportunity to do many things, including:

• Cleaning
• Tidying
• Cooking
• Washing
• Making the flat pregnant-wife safe (the last month lends itself a little more to clumbsyness)
• Cleaning up after a cat with a delicate stomach

This exciting list could continue ad infinitum but, to balance out all of this enjoyment, I thought that I'd spend a day out visiting cafes that I hadn't been to before either due to opening hours clashing with that nasty little thing called work or just plain laziness.

It also just happened to align with my Birthday.

Many cafes fit into the criteria above but I only have a day so I had to be sensible and plan a little.  After a quick review of a map and some googling, I decided on five or six places that both tracked a pleasing arc from east to west and also happened to follow the Thames, albeit from some distance.

Taylor St Baristas Shed, Shoreditch

Need to Know: TSB Shed

Coffee: Union
Machine: Linea
Grinder:  Anfim Super Caimano, 
Address: 110 Clifton Street,
Shoreditch, EC2A 4HT
Nearest Tube Station: Shoreditch High St
Map me...
Hours: Mon-Fri: 08:00 - 16:00
Site: www.taylor_st.com

Yup, you heard me right, it's a shed.  But a very nice one.  The type a banker would have in his back garden, but without the gold plated walls and the carpet weaved from 500 Euro notes.  What it does have is some nice bench seating inside in front of a dark wooden bar sporting everything you need for the making of espresso based coffee. Which is useful, as it's a cafe.  It also has a range of delicious looking food that is the usual fair of TSB (not the banking institution) locations.   The seating area outside is bespoke and perfect for the lovely media arty types that the shed is aimed at to discuss design and java-script over a flat white.

Friendly, smiley staff and good music make this a great place to visit if you happen to be in this neck of the woods, and if you're not, it's probably even worth a visit to see this unique and funky little place.

Nice touch: great bespoke seating outside

Look Mum No Hands, Old Street

Need to Know: Look Mum No Hands

Coffee: Square Mile Spring Espresso
Machine: Linea
Grinder:  Anfim Super Caimano, 
Address: 49 Old Street, EC1V 9HX
Nearest Tube Station: Old St Map me...
Hours: Mon–Fri: 07:30–22:00,Sat: 09:00–22:00,
Sun: 10:00–22:00
Site: www.lookmumnohands.com

Countrylife Organic Whole.  An interesting way to start but very important as this is the best milk I have tasted in some time. But I digress.

LMNH is primarily a coffee shop.  An internet cafe. Or is it a bike repair shop?  Possibly a art studio? No, a Bar. Who the hell knows: I certainly don't.

What I do know is that it works. It is a nice, big space on Old Street with lots of light and an outside seating area.  There is no doubt that cycling is the main focus but not at the expense of all the other elements.  The coffee is good, the food looks good, and the service was good.  Wifi is provided, with sockets a-plenty, which would be why there were as many laptops as bikes on my visit.

There has always been a strong link between cycling and coffee and the guys who own LMNH are obviously passionate about both. There is also a selection of great beers but the winning goal for me is the fact that they have Kernel beer on the top shelf of the fridge.

I'll come for the coffee, but stay for the Kernel. Great place.

Nice touch: locks for lending to people that bring a bike.

St Ali, Clerkenwell

Need to Know: St. Ali

Coffee: St Ali Espresso:60% brazilian, 40% Guaemalan
Machine: Slayer
Grinder:  Mazzer Robur E, 
Address: 27 Clerkenwell Rd, EC1M 5RN
Nearest Tube Station: Farringdon Map me...
Hours: Mon–Sun: 07:00–18:00
Site: stali.co.uk/uk/

One of the newest arrivals to the coffee scene, I have been here once before but it was on my coffee route so I thought I'd pop in for a quick espresso and a bite to eat.

Whilst it's new to the UK, it's actually an established roastery and cafe/bar in Australia and this shows.  It's very Clerkenwell in it's design - think exposed stainless steel ventilation ducts and brickwork - and a good chunk of money has been spent on the fit out, from the equipment (Uber, Slayer, Synesso, Tanzania, Robur E) to the garden wall next to the double height roaster space at the rear.

The thing is, is that whilst I like the food and the coffee is OK, It just doesn't feel that inviting to me.  It's quite dark and there is limited natural light.  It feels more like a restaurant/bar than anything else.  This is fine. I would definitely come here to eat but I wouldn't come here just for a coffee.

Nice touch: Garden Wall

Wild & Wood, New Oxford Street

Need to Know: Wild & Wood

Coffee: Monmouth Espresso Blend
Machine: La Spaziale
Grinder:  Mazzer, 
Address: New Oxford Street 1 unit 19, WC1 A1BA
Nearest Tube Station: Holborn Map me...
Hours: Mon–Fri: 7:30-5:45, Sat: 10:00-5:30,
Sun: 10:00-3:00
Site: www.wildandwoodcoffee.co.uk

This would be the wild card (I couldn't resist it) of the day.

As soon as you walk in you are reminded of the original Monmouth.  Wooden benches and tables crammed into a small space with wood lined walls with signs indicating that a table sharing policy is in action - and it has to be, as it's small.  It's a very stylish little place with a range of good looking food staring at you from the window display.  There is seating outside and...I have to stop there.

I have just taken a sip of my cappuccino.  It is not good.  The milk is steamed badly, the espresso is thin and bitter. I have a sneaking suspicion that a grind-on-demand policy is not supported here as my aural senses have been filled with the sound of coffee being crushed and left to die for the past 3 or 4 minutes.

Time to leave...the establishment and the cap.

Nice touch: intimate wood-lined 'Nook' area.

Brewed Boy, Rupert Street

Need to Know: Brewed Boy stall

Coffee: Square Mile Spring Espresso
Machine: Bezzera
Grinder:  Anfim Super Caimano, 
Address: Rupert Street, Soho, W1D
Nearest Tube Station: Picadilly Map me...
Hours: Mon–Fri: 08:00–15:00
Site: http://brewedboy.wordpress.com/

A cool little coffee stand that my wife frequented a lot when she was working nearby. Not a lot to say about it, as it's not a shop, apart from good coffee and good service in interesting Soho surroundings.

Nice touch?: surrounded by houses of disrepute

 

And so comes to an end my Birthday Cafe Tour. I had planned for more but, at that point, I had way too much caffeine in my system and was somewhat jittery.  The only thing that could possibly help me out of this situation is a trip to Green & Blue in East Dulwich for the finest wines in London town because, as everyone knows, alcohol counteracts the affect of caffeine...honest.

Starbucks Reserve arrives in the UK

Starbucks was once my 'specialty' coffee.  I enjoyed sitting in the comfortable seats, drinking the large mugs of easy-to-drink milky coffee, and loved the new terminology involved.  I was one of many thousands of people that felt the same way, which lead to Starbucks becoming such a successful corporation.  

I loved it so much that I thought it would be fun to work there.  So I did.  And it was.  I managed stores, troubleshot ones with various operational issues, and opened new locations over my time with the company. 

I started to learn a lot about coffee, and gained invaluable experience about setting up and operating high volume cafés.

But a couple of years in, I started to question what I had actually learnt and started to get a nagging feeling that I may have inadvertently fallen in to the trap of reading only company literature, believing company standards and taking everything at face value.  I also started to question whether I actually liked the coffee at all and whether, if I had to pay for it, that I would still drink it.

Everything tasted the same: dark, bitter, woody and a little burnt.  There is no denying that Starbucks prefers a darker roast, and there was also no denying that that was not my taste.

Thankfully, I had then moved to Brighton and discovered a great little café called Red Roaster that re-ignited my coffee affair.

Many specialty coffee enthusiasts baulk at Starbucks and the drinks that they produce - me included - but we cannot deny the fact that Starbucks was once a great independent café in Seattle, that laid the foundations for the specialty coffee industry that we know and love today. 

Since then, Starbucks has grown exponentially into a global brand, and to do that it had to drive consistency - not so different to what a specialty café strives for today - but on an international scale.  The obsessive drive towards this has ultimately been the Achilles heel of Starbucks.  So I was intrigued when I received an invitation the the UK launch of a new brewing method to be implemented within selected stores, and a new 'rare limited batch' selection of coffees.

Each cup is individually made by a Starbucks barista, and freshly ground single origin coffee beans from smaller farms.  The promotional literature claims that Starbucks' buyers often come across incredible coffees that just aren't produced in the volumes they require - these "rare" beans are only available in limited quantities, at a high price point, and using a new-to-Starbucks method of preparation for filter coffee.

What is this revolutionary brewing method? 

Yes, the humble pour over - but in Starbucks proportions! All the equipment is designed by Starbucks, for Starbucks, and on first impressions they look good. 

What instantly struck me was the size of the pour over cups: they are about twice the size of a Hario V60 (very big), in order to accomodate the volume of coffee required for each mug. They have ribs on the inside, and have only have one small hole for the coffee to filter through.

The filters used are equally large: what I did like was the little tab that allowed easy separation of the paper.

 

The jugs are used to collect the coffee, and are also large as they have to hold enough coffee for a Venti (20oz) cup of coffee.  The frame, again, has to be big to hold these apparatus: it's grey, has a built in drip tray, and is heavy.

This then takes us to the kettle.  The first thing that seems to be missing is a lid.  When I asked about the omission I was told that R&D team had decided that it was best not to have one: I guess they didn't see temperature loss as a big issue.  It has four markings on the side indicating the relevant amounts of water for each size of drink that Starbucks offer.

The kettle has a good weight and  is very well balanced in use.  With the addition of a lid, I admit I would take this over a Buono any day of the week.

On to the coffee. The event was designed to highlight Starbucks' new Reserve range: a collection of exclusive coffees available in small batches. Each coffee was paired with a plate of food, provided by Hix of Soho.  The food was superb, but the focus was the coffees on offer:

• Aged Sulawesi Kalosi
• Fairtrade Certified Nicaraguan Corcasan
• El Salvador Pacamara Montecarlos Estate

I am not a huge fan of dark roasts, but I'm always willing to give them a try.  The beans were ground a few hours earlier and it was in low light so I couldn't really see the roast - but I could taste it, and that was about all I could taste.  The flavours described in the corresponding literature were nowhere to be found.  I was amazed to note that the ratio used to brew was roughly 1:11!

The Starbucks employees on hand at the event were obviously passionate about the products, and I couldn't fault them for their enthusiasm, but the coffee was certainly nothing to get excited about.

At the end of the event, I was handed a 'goodie bag' so, to give the coffee a fighting  chance, I went and cupped it at a local specialty café, Notes, Music and Coffee (thanks to @DruzDruz). We also tried it as a pour over with a more suitable ratio and grind. 

The results were not good, and you can probably see why from the photo below. They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  I'll let you choose your own.

Varied bean size, brittle and visibly charred: even an expert coffee taster would struggle to recognise any of the complex flavour profiles boasted by Starbucks. For a 226g bag of coffee retailing at £12.95, I would expect much, much more. 

At one time, Starbucks was an independent café that set the standards and trends that other cafés aspired to. Now it's trying to take inspiration from the very industry it spurned, but with poor quality coffee and standards, it's fallen way short of the mark.

 

Café Review: Prufrock at Leather Lane

I have been a fan of Prufrock at Present for some time.  Not just because it's Gwilym Davies' baby, but because every single drink I have ever had from there has been of great quality: each barista who works there is constantly driving for the best drink that they can produce and they are always happy to make time for light hearted, or more profound coffee conversation.  Admirable stuff.

That doesn't mean to say that there were things that I don't like about it - well two things:

• People buying 'fashionable stuff' getting in the way
• No seating

So hurrah and huzzah for Prufrock at Leather Lane as it plans to address these issues in no small way.  How?

• No clothes of any kind getting in the way (apart from the ones being worn by the staff and customers)
• A colossal amount of space for seating, or standing if you prefer the old Present style.

So, what is this two floor behemoth all about then?

First Impressions

Before I continue any further, I need to point out that the café is still a work in progress (there was a queue outside, they decided to serve some coffee - then they decided that they would stay open in the day and work on the café out of hours). The downstairs isn't open yet and the main café is still in development - but that doesn't matter.  The coffee is as good as ever, and the space feels relaxed and friendly, if somewhat sparse at the moment.

The entrance, in fact the entire café, is well hidden (at least in the week) behind market stalls.  Even knowing its rough wherabouts, I still had a little trouble finding it immediately.  I'm sure this will change as some signage is displayed and it gets better known outside the coffee community but, until then, the below makeshift open sign will have to suffice.

As you enter, the first thing that hits you is the large bar area: it's basically a big square, larger than some London cafés in their entirety.  Facing you is the brew bar, sporting  a range of brewing paraphernalia (more on this later).  To the right, you see the espresso end of the stick.  The plan is that space behind the bar will be used more effectively but, until then, it's a large square space to make coffee and play the organ.

Details

White plastic, figure-hugging, ribbed designer chairs, white tables, and railway-sleeper (correction: ex-groyne) benches provide somewhere to park yourself. These are complemented by some high stools for those who want to watch the action at the brew bar.

Prufrock escorts the coffee beans to their final resting place in the usual way when it comes to espresso - high quality machines, grinders, etc. but has also added a few nice little surprises to set it out from the crowd when it comes to filter.

First, a Trifecta. they are playing with this at the moment (not unlike Tapped & Packed did some time ago) and I'm sure that if they get consistent, good quality results it will stay as a quick filter offering.

They also have the now-essential Siamese twins of the specialty coffee world: the Uber boiler & Mahlkoneig Tanzania grinder, for the filter coffee offering.

They are currently concentrating only on syphon brews, but gas heaters weren't enough for the guys at Prufrock.  Oh no. The only way forward was Beam Heaters! Two of 'em!  Syphons produce great coffee and great theatre but this is only enhanced by the lovely glowing light and wide contact area of the first beam heaters I've seen in the city.

Other noteworthy items?  A mix of retail is spattered around the shop on various shelving units (ask any of the baristas what the shelves, and bar, were in a previous life) ranging from whole bean Square Mile coffee to brewers and grinders.

 

Drinks

What can I say.  The drinks, as to be expected, were delicous.  I had various drinks made by various baristas and my base-line drink - the cappuccino - was a winner: great taste, great consistency and the perfect drinking heat. 

I didn't try a syphon or anything from the Trifecta as I was caffeined out (maybe next visit?) and the teas (Postcard) are still officially unavailable but, if you ask nicely, you never know...

If you're struggling to decide what to drink, and you see Gwilym on the bar, be sure to ask him for a 'Classic' Cappuccino.

Need to Know: Prufrock Café, Leather Lane

Coffee: Square Mile Coffee
Machine: Nuova Simonelli 2010 WBC Edition
Grinder: Mazzer Robur E, Anfim Super Caimano,
Mahlkoenig Tanzania 
Address: 23-25 Leather Lane,
London EC1N 7TE
Nearest Tube Station: Farringdon Map me...
Hours: Mon-Fri: 08:00 - 17:00. TBC
Sat: 10:00 - 16:00. TBC
Site: www.prufrockcoffee.com

Food

At the time of writing, a few different cakes are on offer although this will change as the shop goes from half to fully open!

Customer Service

Customer service seems to have become a hot topic for specialty cafés over the past 6 months and I'm not quite sure why as it's so rudimentary to any retail business of quality.

If I receive bad customer service chances are I will not return to an establishment.  Also, it will have a negative effect on the enjoyment/taste of the product I purchase.  Conversely, if I receive great customer service and a sub-standard product I may well give the place another chance and, possibly (although I need to test this a little more scientifically), the service will physiologically influence positively the way a perceived a product to taste.

In the case of Prufrock, the product was great and the service was superb.  And I'm not talking about just for me.  Every customer who stepped through the door was treated like a friend and each question or query was given time and consideration.  Where advice was asked it was given in a non-condescending way and everyone was made welcome.  This is how service should be.

Conclusion

This is a great place, and with so much more potential to develop further.  Moving forward we will see lever machines in action (instead of languishing in the window display), cupping sessions (on ex-Penny University counters), training for new (and used) baristas, machine repairs and much more.

We may even learn the secret of the magic levitating window pour over...

 

 

Café Review - Toronto: Dark Horse Espresso Bar

The newest of three locations, Dark Horse on Queens St W is a pretty cool coffee house attracting a trendy crowd (obviously made slightly less trendy by my visit). The question is, was it dark just in name, or also in espresso?

First Impressions

From the outside, it's a nice square corner unit with some great branding - distinct design (Intelligentsia, anyone?), but not in your face - just small decals in the centre of the windows. I liked the choice of seating here: a bank of seats against the wall, some individual tables, high stools at the window and a big communal table.  The latter can really polarise opinion: I really like the idea of sharing a table and sparking up conversations with people you don't know; whilst some of my friends feel that they want their own space, and feel uncomfortable when sharing (all only-children - coincidence)?  Either way, Dark Horse caters for all preferences.  This theme even spreads to the food and espresso, but more on that later.

The bar looked solid and impressive with the logo dominating, and the retail stand at the end hinted to the espresso options that were on offer: this was a no-filter establishment with the focus purely on espresso (which may have been given away by the name on the window).

Details

A killer machine, courtesy of Keys Van Der Westen, a couple of Robur E's and an Anfim on the side. Nice. I also quite liked the interior design - the retro 50's chairs and the bright artwork on the walls - but the feature that really stood out for me was the stamped tin ceiling: shiny, silver, unique.

The Baristas were helpful and happy to answer direct questions, but they didn't seem to want to talk in too much detail. The girl on the machine seemed a little curt/aloof - unusual for coffee-focused cafes.

Drinks

As mentioned earlier, the policy on espresso is also interesting. When I enquired about what beans  they used, I was told 49th Epic and Detour Dark: it varies depending on the day/drink. I wanted to ask a few more questions - why is it not fixed (one for espresso, one for milk drinks), Why don't you give the customer the choice? - but I got the feeling that it was the end of question time.

In the end, I tried the Detour Dark and, no surprise here, it was dark. To quote the Detour website: Italian style. In retrospect, I should have just had an espresso, but my baseline drink is a cap or a flat white. So I asked for a flat white, but ended up with a cap as, in the majority of places, they didn't know what it was (let's be honest, at most places it ends up being the same anyway - in fact, does anyone actually have a definitive answer)?

Need to Know: Mercury Espresso Bar

Coffee: 49th Parallel - Epic, Detour - Dark Horse Espresso
Machine: KVDW - Mirage Veloce
Grinder: Robur E x2
Address: 684 Queen Street West,
Toronto, ON, M6J 1ES, 647 352 3512
Nearest Streetcar Stop: Queen Street
West at Tecumseth Street. Map me...
Hours: Mon-Fri: 07:00 - 19:00.
Sat-Sun: 08:00 - 19:00.
Site: www.darkhorseespresso.com

 

I'll be straight here. The drink was not great. Nor was my wife's latte. Nor was my friend's cap. You see, it's just dark and bitter and that's all you get. I did see several people come in and order their espressos (as I was people watching at the bar) and all put sugar in to the cup: not a good sign in my book.

Food

A quick nod to the food. It looked like the usual selection of delicious treats and, like the seating and the espresso, choice was the byword. There were regular, vegan, gluten free, and every other type of cake you could find. So we were cruel and thought we'd try the gluten free scone for the ultimate test - if they could get this right, all would be forgiven. But they didn't. So it's not.

Conclusion

Real dark espresso (traditional or Italian, as many call it) has its place: in Italy and with lots of sugar. But, for me, it's just a bit lazy - you have the opportunity to bring the best out of coffee in the roast and you're choosing not to when you blacken it. Of course, Black Horse didn't roast it, but they did work with the roaster to get to this house blend and that, when they have that input, is a bit of a disappointment.

For the second time in two Toronto cafés, I find myself saying I like the café, but the coffee doesn't live up to the design and space.

On a final note, I'm not sure where the name originally came from but...

Café Review - Toronto: Mercury Espresso Bar

I have visited Toronto on a several occasions, but Mercury was a café that I hadn't previously come across.  The 'internet' promised me that this was a must-visit so, due to geography, this would be our first Toronto destination.  I visited with my wife, already a quality coffee convert, and one of our best friends whom I hoped to convert from the heady heights of Tim Horton's by experiencing that pivotal coffee moment. 

First Impressions

Mercury occupies a corner unit with fetching orange brickwork and, even under the grey skies of Toronto, it looked pretty good.  It has a few seats outside (for when it's not -10)  and plenty of seating inside - wooden tables and chairs, some stools at the window for people watching, the obligatory always in-demand single sofa - and lots of light, all contributing to quite a relaxed little indi-feeling café.

When we visited, there was a real mix of customers and, praise be, when I looked up at the menu behind the bar (chalkboard, of course) I was excited to see that it wasn't just an espresso establishment: it had a selection of filter coffee and brewing methods.

Need to Know: Mercury Espresso Bar

Coffee: George Howell Terroir Coffee Co.,
Intelligentsia
Machine: Synesso
Grinder: Mahlkonig K30 Twin
Address: 915 Queen Street East,
Toronto, ON, M4M 1J4, 647 435 4779
Nearest Streetcar Stop: Queen Street East at
Logan Avenue. Map me...
Hours: Mon-Fri: 06:30 - 20:00.
Sat: 07:30 - 20:00. Sun: 08:00 - 20:00.
Site: www.mercuryespresso.com

Details

I made my way to the bar with the aim of ordering a filter to share (softly, softly - it was going to be a long coffee day), and an apple cider for my wife.  Mercury has a limited filter offering but matches the brewing method to each coffee on the menu - this can be a good move as you expect the brewing method to have been selected and tested to bring out the best in the coffee.  The barista working the bar, as well as having an impressive 'tash, seemed to be pretty experienced and to know what he was talking about, so I felt a little safer in ordering a filter.

The baristas were talkative and friendly so the remaining, and some might argue, most important test, was the quality of the beverages.

Drinks

What was my coffee of choice, I hear you ask?  I went for an Intelligentsia Ethiopia Yergacheffe DAMA Co-op that was being made with a syphon.  I love Yergacheffe, and I thought it would be a great gateway coffee for my friend. But, as ever, even if you have great beans, the brewing has to be spot on.  I'd like to say that I am experienced enough to be able to tell you what the exact cause of the problem with any given coffee is but I'm not - so, unfortunately, I can't tell you why the coffee was not up to scratch.  What I can say is that it was bitter on the palate and continued to be that way even whilst cooling.  I could get some hints of what the coffee should show like: vanilla & cocoa with soft lemon acidity, but it was overpowered by the bitterness.

This meant that the majority of the coffee lay un-drunk as we left but, as I went up to pay, it was mentioned that the usual grinder wasn't working and they had fallen back on to a previous one while waiting for it to be fixed.  My advice? If you can't get it right with the backup grinder then take it off the menu.

On a brighter note, the apple cider was great and perfect for the cold weather.

I didn't try the espresso, so I can't give any opinion. That being said, I did try Terroir espresso at other cafés and it's a pretty dark roast.

Conclusion

Despite the coffee, I found myself liking Mercury.  It's relaxed, quite understated and has a nice layout.  I'd go back and pay another visit, but I'd be sampling the espresso.

The biggest disappointment was not the quality of the coffee, but the fact that when I raised the issue, I was told it was an expected characteristic.  If this was given to someone trying a quality coffee for the first time, it would surely have them running back to Tim's for a drip coffee quicker than you can say double-double.

Canadian Coffee Tour (also known as my Christmas Holiday)

I'll admit it.

I like to hijack the family holidays with a good chunk of coffee house visiting, squeezing them in wherever possible.  I am lucky that I have such an understanding wife and, in all honesty, she enjoys the visits nearly as much as me.

You see, I love coffee (he says, stating the obvious) - but that isn't the only attraction.  Visiting a caffeinated establishment is so much more: it gives you an insight into the local area, the people, the culture and, of course, whether or not the barista can pull a shot, pour a great pour-over, or excel in the dark art of the syphon.

This particular trip held a little more significance for me though as, with my wife now only five months away from a twelve month sabbatical, we draw ever nearer to an extended trip to her motherland - more specifically Calgary, Alberta.  Research is now more important than ever if we are to one day open a bloody brilliant café and bakery.

We started with a week in Toronto and the moved on to Calgary with no plans apart from relaxing, catching up with friends and family, and drinking lots and lots of coffee (and possibly some alcohol).

From the lows of the North American penchant for excessively dark roasts to the highs of Phil and Sebastian, the next few posts will chart many of the cafés we visited over our trip - and hopefully point you in the right direction of a great espresso, or filter, if you find yourself in those foreign parts.

St. David Coffee House, Forest Hill - The latest addition to the 'Square Mile' Collective

 

There are some things that I have come to expect from a new London(ish) café.

• Slate bar
• Exposed brick work
• Designer 'naked' light bulbs
• Black exterior
• Young, Uber-cool Co-eek (coffee geek) behind the counter - sporting either some sort of trilby/stylised facial hair/asymmetric barnet/new romantic makeup
• Synesso
• Square Mile Coffee

 

Call me revolutionary but, whilst I love all of these things, sometimes you want a change from the norm.

Enter stage left: St. David Coffee House. 

Believe it or not, it actually fulfils only one of these requirements.  Yes, I said one. Only one. And if you don't know which one then you haven't read the title.

Out with the minimalist industrial design and two fingers to the achingly-cool artiste baristas. In with the 60's/70's inspired retro-chic, and intimate and comfortable surroundings.

 

 

First Impressions

 Located in Forest Hill (Southeast London), only thirty seconds walk from the station, this beautifully presented cafe instantly has curb appeal. (Okay, I sound like an estate agent, but it's all true). Although it's close to the main road, it is actually set on a raised pavement which means that there are a couple of seats outside next to the railing.  It's made all the prettier by the greenery out front and some flower baskets over the railings.

Details

 As you enter, you are presented with a mixture of comfortable wooden chairs and solid tables, my favourite of which is a long table that runs the full length of a sash window which opens fully - ideal for when the weather is good.

Whitewash walls are decorated with retro mirrors, old books, pictures and general 'stuff', the majority of which can be purchased if any particular item takes your fancy.  Lisa and Dan (the owners) recently renovated their house in Dulwich, and Lisa saw this as an opportunity to disperse some of her more unique objet d'art.

The bar is located at the rear along with lots of artisanal goodies that tempt you to part with a little more cash. 

Another really cool feature is that they stock a selection of used books: some of which are for sale and some that you can just swap with a book that you have finished. Whilst this isn't a new idea it's one that I, as a coffee house bohemian, appreciate.

 

Need to Know: St David Coffee House

Coffee: Square Mile Coffee  
Machine: Rancilio Classe 10 S
Grinder: Anfim Milano 
Address:  5 David's Road, London SE23 3EP 
Nearest Train Station: Forest Hill Map me...
Hours: Mon-Fri: 08:00 - 18:00.  Sat: 09:00 - 17:00.
Sun: 09:30 - 15:30
Site: Coming soon...maybe...

Although St David has only been open for just under two weeks, it's already got a bit of a following, as this area has been sadly lacking a quality coffee drinking establishment for...well, ever (the nearest of alternative being Browns of Brockley).

I have manged to visit twice since opening, and what I really like about them is that they are focused on the quality of their offering - when they ask you if you enjoyed their coffee, they want an honest answer. 

With that sort of attitude things will just get better and better.

 

Drinks

They have the usual range of espresso based drinks (see below), all containing a double shot: it would be great to see them move into filter coffee at some time as they already sell the beans and have a lovely little bar that would suit pour over and aeropress perfectly (see second photo).

Additionally, they actually ask you if you want chocolate on your cappuccino and don't just assume.  On both visits that I have made, I have had a cappuccino - but on the second visit I also sampled a machiatto, a flat white and a couple of espressos:  I can happllly confirm that all of the drinks were made well and consistently. 

They also sell a range of Suki teas and quality soft drinks.

 Food

A selection of lovely foods scatter the counter - cakes, pastries, sausage rolls, slices of watermelon, etc - and we enjoyed a vanilla madeline that complemented the caramel of the espresso perfectly.

Conclusion

It's great to have a new location in Southeast London that serves quality coffee in an unexpected environment: one that you are immediately at ease in and don't feel that you require a PhD in cool to be seen in.  It takes some of the best beans and support from Square Mile, and wraps it up in a relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere.

Another worthy addition to the coffee map...

 

 

 

Disclaimer:  This review was in no way influenced by the bag of delicious leftover pastries that Lisa and Dan gave us to take home at the end of the day when they were closing up shop.  Well, maybe just a little.

 

French coffee: from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the barrel

On a recent wine-based visit to Bordeaux, I thought I'd set myself the challenge of finding a good coffee (of any description) somewhere in the Southwest of France.  As you can imagine, there were many contenders for the title of 'Worst Coffee in the Sud-Ouest' but, by far and away, in the seaside town of Arcachon, we found the coffee equivalent of white spirit.

If Stuart Allen was to update the The Devils Cup, this would surely take pride of place on the cover as, if the Devil does indeed drink espresso, this would be his favoured tipple.  The French Coffee Shop is a crime against all that is good in coffee and, even worse, it's a franchise so can be found at several locations over France.

After searching long and hard for a half-decent cup we decided to spend a few days in the Pyrenees to take in the scenery.  As we were driving through some of the most beautiful locations that France has to offer, we ventured higher into the mountains and, after a short walk even higher, we came across the last hostel before you hike into the Pyrenees.  It was a stunning location and, in our most pigeon French, we asked if we could have something to eat.  Unfortunately, they weren't serving food but they did say we could have a coffee.  I accepted with very little hope in my heart.

Whilst sitting in a veranda overlooking the mountains we were served two cups of coffee in glass cups.  I sniffed and wasn't immediately repulsed: was that light floral tones?  Intrigued, I lifted the glass to my lips and tasted the coffee.  I placed the cup back on the table and looked over at my wife.  We both started to smile but we didn't need to say anything.  At the edge of the Pyrenees, as close as you can come to Spain without hiking, we had found a great cup.

I decided that I would not try to find out what the coffee was - in fact I like not knowing - it was enough just to sit, take in the views and enjoy the best cup of coffee in the Southwest of France.

You know you've had too many flat whites when...

  Coffee advertising genius, courtesy of Brandmeester's.

World Barista Championship 2010

 

Okay, so it may have taken a while, but at last I have had some time to put up some of my photos from a recent event that some of you may be aware of...

I wanted to be involved as much as possible in the World Barista Championship, so I booked three days off work and answered the call for Barista Buddies from Square Mile.  When I received the mail from Anette saying that I had been buddied with the Guatemalan (Raul Rodas) and El Salvador (Alejandro Mendez) champions, I was just a little excited - two buddies from coffee producing countries!

The WBC event started for me on the Sunday before, when we met up with Raul for a coffee tour around East London.  Raul had WBC sensory judge Rouki Delrue and Nuova Simonelli and all-round legend Gianni Casaliggi in tow.  We started off at Taylor Street Baristas (New St), then headed over to Nude Espresso, Prufrock, (picking up WBC technical judge Ian Clark along the way), and finally Penny University.  

 

Caffeine pumping through our blood, we met up with Andrew at his Bank location of Taylor Street Baristas.  He'd graciously offered to let Raul spend some time behind the machines while the cafe was closed, and - along with the Nicaraguan support team - we took over the place. 

We have a special place in our hearts for Taylor Street - the second location was in a travel shop across the street from our flat back when we lived in Brighton, and we came to rely on their revolutionary coffees (and sheltered their sandwich board a few nights when they'd left it out).   Andrew was incredibly helpful letting Raul pull shots behind the machines - and provided the Country Life milk for him throughout the competition.

I met up with Alejandro and his trainer Federico before the event and then again at the 'meet and greet' at Purl, a new and very stylish cocktail bar near Baker Street Underground.

Gwillym Davies and Alejandro Mendez from El Salvador

The Cafe Culture show itself, as you might expect, contained quite a lot of crap for the mainstream coffee industry at large (generic food, drink and equipment stalls) but there were a few real standouts.

• 1) WBC Brew Bar: A great range of coffees prepared by great baristas, including guest appearances by many of the champions

A slightly busy Brew Bar

 

• 2) Union Brew Bar: Various delicious coffees and brew methods to play with to your hearts content

Tom (I think!) from Union - very tolerant of my skills (or lack thereof)

 

• 3) La Marzocco: The official launch of the new Strada espresso machines

The Strada - Gives the barista complete control of the water pressure throughout the extraction

Lovely looking espresso

 

• 4) Nuova Simonelli: Great coffee and great guys, even after watching Italy go out of the World Cup on my MacBook (thanks for not destroying it)
• 5) Kees Van Der Westen: beautifully machined machines

A thing of beauty

6) Marco: For the Uber Boiler alone…

The Uber Boiler: Form and functionality - I will have one in my cafe, oh yes...

7) Collezione Enrico Maltoni - gorgeously restored espresso machines

Apparently, no photos allowed. Lucky I didn't see the sign until after taking the photo

 

• 8) Any stall that I could snag free food from when I was reaching caffeine overload

---

This year, the competition was split into round one on day one & two, and the semi-finals & finals on day three, meaning that the top six would have to compete three times! 

After two days of competition the final twelve were announced:

Stefanos Domatiotis - Greece
Colin Harmon - Ireland
Ana Lucia Lardizabal de Hawit - Hoduras
Raul Rodas - Guatemala
Soren Stiller Markussen - Denmark
Fabrizio Sencion - Mexico
Yara Castanho - Brazil
Scottie Callaghan - Australia
Michael Phillips - USA
Alejandro Mendez - El Salvador
Thomas Schweiger - Germany
Kyle Straw - Canada

Back row from L-R: Greece, Ireland, Honduras, Guatemala, Denmark, Mexico, Brazil
Front row from L-R: Australia, USA, El Salvador, Germany, Canada

On day three, we set up our supporters area and prepared for what would prove to be a killer day!  The semis were up in the morning and all of our boys had done great job in getting to the final twelve.

Reserved for Guatemala, El Salvador, and Canada (my wife is Canadian) supporters only

Kyle Straw (Canadian entry) prepping for the finals whilst sporting a Dennis the Menace top

 
Alejandro vs the grinders - Go Alejandro!

After a great performance by all, the final six were announced and Raul was in the mix - let the finals commence!

 

Colin Harmon (Ireland) mid-shot

Michael Phillips (USA): Set-up and ready to go

Raul Rodas (Guatemala) looking good

 
James Hoffman ordering an espresso from Raul

The finals were exciting and exhausting - and that was just from a spectator point of view.  The final judgment had arrived... and James was so excited he nearly burst into song... 

 

 

And then the final three were announced...

The Top Three! Centre L-R: Raul Rodas (Guatemala), Scottie Callaghan (Australia) & Michael Phillips (USA)

And then there were two - Raul & Mike.  The suspense is killing me!

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2010 World Barista Champion is MICHAEL PHILLIPS!

 Michael was the deserved winner and it was great to be part of an event such as this. I will definitely be going to this event next year - it's in Columbia!

Raul, Alejandro and their support teams are some of the nicest people you could meet and, after several months with a growing passion for coffee, I find this to be true for the majority of people in the industry.

 

Raul's brother (Roberto) & the Guatemala Coffee Team

 

 

 

Me and Team Guatemala

The El Salvador Collective: Alejandro, Federico & me

 Roll on WBC 2011!