Retro Cafe -- 413 Brunswick St Fitzroy 3065

Being a great fan of Brunswick street, I decided to try out Retro. My scepticism did grow though as I noticed the coffex barriers enclosing the outside tables. Not a good start already.

The coffee was nice, nothing special. The environment was great, very 70’s – consistent to the name and theme. The chairs and tables looked like the ones my parents would have used 30 years ago!

Unfortunately, no bean for this one. As nice as the place is, the coffee wasn’t satisfying.

Posted by: Steve Papa

Henry's Food Shop - 1415 Malvern Rd Malvern 3144

Just recently, I have become inspired by my friends to seek a great Mocha. This occurrence was brought upon from the fact that it is so hard to find a good one out in cafes. Throughout my search, I could not find one that even came close to the standard I was searching for.

However, Henry’s became an exception. During my girlfriends lunch break, we decided to cross the road and take it to the test. The mocha was great, nice mix of coffee and chocolate, with a nice froth. The barista proved to be quite friendly and hospitable to all customers.

I must give it a one bean. The crema needed a bit more, but it’s taste was awesome!

Written by: Steve Papa

Eureka Coffee's Retail Store and Espresso Bar - 332 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North

My 15-month-old daughter and I ventured out of the normal zone of coffeeness in the Melbourne CBD and accepted an invite to check out the coffee at Eureka in Nth Fitzroy. I mentioned Eureka in another review and it was suggested that my comments were not indicative of the quality of coffee I should expect from them. We’ll no doubt, the Eureka Coffee Shop serves up a killer brew. I tried the Long Macchiato and a Latte (Soy). Certainly the service was great and it was a groovy environment for the sophisticated coffee drinkers in that part of town. No doubt a 2 beaner!!

It still laves me wondering though, how much of the quality coffee experience is the bean, the way its roasted, the way its prepared by the barista, and the love in the heart of he said barista?




Seriously High Pattern Rating (SHPR)


PS: That blue thing on the right is my daughters play mobile phone, honest!!

Elizabeth St Espresso

This is a nook of coffee that is clearly loved and respected by the clientele. They serve illy with real passion in the midst of what has to be the rougher part of Melb. I liked the coffee, and the genuinely pleasant interaction with the barista.
I'll be back. Possible 2 beaner here. Thanks Jacqui for the tip.

Peter Christo

Cafe Di Lusso - 818 Glenferrie Rd. Hawthorn.

Seriously, do coffee shops need more frescos? Café Di Lusso. OK Coffee, groovy Fresco!!!

About Starbucks - for the record (a retrospective review).

Ok,… “there’s been a lot of talk… maybe, maybe too much talk” (sic U2),… about my looking down on Starbucks as a credible coffee source. For the record, I have zero issues against Starbucks as a business, and as a source of coffee. I lived in San Francisco for 10 months between 96 & 97 and man I lived in the Polk Street Starbucks. There made great(ish) coffee, and the service was awesome, and the staff were as Trump says “terrific”! I have many memories of sitting in this great store (pic below) and writing, or reading Jack Kerouac’s “On The Road”.




Here in Melbourne, and most of the SE Asian places I have tried their coffee, they have nowhere near the passion I found in SFO. It’s very sterile. The quality is lost somewhere over the Pacific perhaps.

The other place I hung occasionally was Peets Coffee, a few doors down. They had great coffee, but the service was kinda sterile (at the time).

So, yes, I don’t rave about Starbucks here in Melbourne. They have done little to impress me... However, for many of MCR’s readers, it’s about having a place to sit and chat, with your kids or whoever. Starbuck does this quite well.

Enough about the franchises,… lets get back to drinking coffee!!

Mariani's

I haven't been drinking a lot of coffee of late, hence I've been a little quite. Maybe I've been put off by recent experiences?

Yesterday, I did get a chance to grab a a coffee at Mariani's in Ivanhoe. It's located on the high side of the Upper Heidelberg Road, not too far from Town Hall. The coffee was nothing to rave about (the latte was too 'watery' for my taste), but the Yo-Yo that accompanied it was to die-for and the service was exceptional. They do quite a bit of gourmet food, which is really well presented and looked delicious. I'm going to give them another chance with the coffee.

The Pound

My dear friend JJ introduced me to one of her favourite hangs today in South Yarra. We did a coffee at ‘The Pound’, a shop a 5/566 Chapel, South Yarra. It’s at the end of a small street, and maxes out in the groovy stakes I have to say. The coffee is “Gravity” which was a delight…….. My gut feel is however, that the passion these guys have for their place and the coffee they serve is what makes it for me. The temp was great, it was as smooth and creamy a coffee I’ve had in a while. Maybe the centre of the universe is not Collins Street? Maybe, just maybe, it’s in South Yarra. Well deserved 2 beaner….

Something Shocking

I came across the following photo recently depicting a vision of utter horror to any coffee loving Melbournian. This innocent little boy, we’ll call him Evan (given that’s his name) is being exposed to the absolute antithesis of what we celebrate here at MCR. This angelic child, has so much to look forward to, yet, has more than likely been scarred for life now with that, branded, paper cupped poor excuse for a real coffee. Words do not flow well today for me. This child had so much to offer,… now look. Please, someone help!



PS:Note, it was brought to my attention recently that ya'll haven't been able to post comments. This has now been rectified, so I invite you to 'have your say' at MCR.

Food Inc WiFi review

Went to Food Inc today at the bottom of Melbourne Central tower. The coffee is generally quite good, but what I checked with a buddy of mine, Darren, was the WiFi access. All in all quite usable, quick enough to look at the stock market bloodbath. The only problem I have with Food Inc is, well two things, the speed of service when you are ordering at the counter, and the crappy music the play, which doesn’t assist in doing a bit of business. Hopefully they get the message and make the appropriate changes. For the life of me, I don’t see why other coffee shop owners don’t offer WiFi access also.

Gloria Jean's - Northlands

Against my better judgement, I followed Wife into the Collins Bookstore in Northlands Shopping Centre which has a Gloria Jean's franchise in it. I ordered a latte with Hazelnut syrup, which turned out to be THE worst coffee I've ever had. Poor temparature, too milky, too much syrup and to top it all off, served in a paper cup! Despite being a sit down cafe, in their wisdom GJ's will only serve in a ceramic mug if the order is a 'large'. I vow from this moment forward to NEVER have another coffee from a franchise outlet ... it always ends up ugly.

Clown Coffee at the Ca$ino

What is it about breakfast areas in hotels that results in crap coffee? My beautiful wife pampered me last weekend at the decadent Crown Casino hotel. We actually had a great time. When it came to breaky at the Conservatory, I was reminded of the filtered coffee that infests these places. Its true also for seminars, business breakfasts. Why is it impossible to deliver a latte to me, mid power breakfast? We were forced to cleanse out pallets with a latte at Café Greco in the Casino complex later. It was ‘nice’ and a much better brew that the Clown Coffee supplied earlier, but I would not say great.

It was a glorious morning though, sipping latte on the banks of the Yarra, with the Melbourne skyline before us. That would have to be the last balmy day for the year… surely. Melbourne cold, miserable weather,.. here she comes…

Degraves Espresso

This place is total bohemian luxury. It's where you would write poetry, or a song. The coffee is descent, and the service, we'll, young girls.. I love them, I do, but sometimes they are away with the fairies... Its a tight squeeze, but certainly a must for a Melbourne latte... Givem a go. too dark for a pic off my treo though...

Hell's Kitchen

Funky, retro, all those things, but Hell’s Kitchen, upstairs in Centre Way Walk, down from AIX, is a great escape from the ‘normal’ coffee scene of Melbourne. It’s for the Don’s Party lovers among us. I eat or coffee there, and I feel like Graham Kennedy is gonna walk in any minute. If you don’t know what I mean, I’m getting old, or you are too young, take your pick. Lovely Coffee; great service; and a unique ambiance.

Fast Hit at Laurent - The Walk Archade

Fast hit on Laurent in Little Collins Street and the walk arcade yesterday. It was a long-time coming. I nearly forgot how killer their bowl of café latte was, along with the almond croissant was immense. So much happiness! two beans!!




Heaven!!

Coffee? - You can bank on it!

Interesting post by Johnnie Moore. In this post he describes stumbling on a cafe with a difference in New York - it's a retail operation of ING! ...

"They can serve you coffee and cake and/or can get you a mortgage. Customers can surf the net, sip their coffee and - if they like - do some banking. . . ."

VERY Interesting concept. Whilst I'm personally not a big fan of the corporate coffee franchises (Starbucks et. al.), these guys seem to have hit the nail on the head -- they understand that coffee is an experience -- and this concept is central to their marketing strategy!

Half Moon Cafe - Church Street (see also post note)

Did a breaky and coffee at Half Moon café in Church street Brighton, right on the train tracks. This place has been a favourite of mine for years. The coffee is damn descent, and I believe my old business partners little daughter Jasmine enjoyed the Baby Chino immensely. Truly they give good coffee,… its fast, and friendly, its kiddie friendly and best of all, in the cold winter months ahead, it’s a cosy little place.
A solid one beaner.






On a separate note; I was the recipient of a special, and quite impetuous gift from a bastard of a mate of mine. “A guide to buying, brewing and enjoying coffee” INDEED!! What do you think I am?… you know, just for the heck of it, I’m gonna bloody read it!!