February 22, 2010

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Mayfair Lane, West Perth

(behind the Commonwealth Bank)

Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-3pm

Hidden away off Mayfair Lane in a heritage-listed old stable with rough-hewn and caulked timber floors, rustic brickwork,  stainless steel benches with two very shiny three group Wega espresso machines. A large communal table is the centrepiece of the inside area, adorning the walls of this area are some striking photographic artwork which the artists have for sale. The umbrella-shaded alfresco area has a long shelf with stools running down the side  creating a pleasant setting for a lunchtime break.

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Coffee is the focus with Garrett (he also runs Blink in Fremantle) with whom I had a lengthy discussion about coffee, he has a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry, a sign on the wall tells customers they are welcome to bring their lunches to enjoy with his coffee, a small selection of biscuits and slices are the only food on offer. Coffee is served in takeaway cups, an honour system exists whereby if you have the correct change you just drop it in the chute located in the countertop. I love the layout whereby clients can interact with the barista and share the coffeemaking process instead of standing in front of a counter.

There was a steady flow of eager clients calling in for their daily nectar of the gods so I joined them and ordered a flat white. My flatty was an ideal temperature capped with silky smooth microfoam and a lovely golden brown rim of crema, the blend cut through the milk giving a most pleasurable taste experience and a lingering choc/caramel aftertaste.

Two very well dressed business executives arrived and decided they would have traditional short machs today. I watched as they savoured the viscous liquid in the cups and departed with a huge smile on their faces.

Coffee by Crema Roasters, Kalamunda

I love the rustic ambiance and relaxed style Garrett has created and the passion he displays for what he is doing, sure to be a popular destination! Worth  a couple of beanz

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Trevor Green
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Posted in 2 Beans, Beverages, Business Meetings, Family Friendly, Western Australia | 5 Comments »



January 17, 2010

126 Union Street, Brunswick VIC.
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One of the hardest things to keep a track of in MCR is new cafe’s popping up in obscure places, so when my buddy and industry oracle Nathan Wakeford from Somage Fine Foods suggested we meet at a new place, I jumped at the chance. Face time with Nathan and a new cafe, I love it.

I arrived at Miss Marmalade (just 2 days old on my visit on Friday), and was greeted by what seemed ‘very friendly’ and enthusiastic staff (I didn’t know they had just opened). The place is immaculate, clean and laid out with an obvious attention to detail. There was even a tradesman still doing his thing while I was there, but it didn’t detract from the operations of the cafe.

I had a meet, a meal and held off my coffee until after a stupendous steak sandwich (nearly registered MelbourneSandwichReview.com), and then ordered up my double shot espresso. I was delighted at receiving a well presented, and simple coffee. What hit my lips was a smooth nectar that complimented my meal perfectly. Strong, and bold, with definite chocolaty taste.

Great job guys, welcome to MCR and a solid 2 beans.
(why Miss Marmalade?)

Coffee: 5 Senses
Barista:TBA
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Peter Christo
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January 10, 2010

Address: 1a Bluff Rd, Black Rock VIC.
Ph: +61 39589 1991
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It seems that every time I promise myself to slow down, the rhythm of life goes up a beat, especially now that MCR has taken over my life, thanks to y‘all (I mean that in the nicest way). I have been trying to shed some unwanted pounds by enduring a few regular circuits down near the rotunda at the end of Bay Rd in Sandringham. It’s a picturesque spot, but I have yet to find a worthy coffee spot there to end my session with (correct me if I am wrong).

At the end of this particular session, I opted to zoom up the road a few k’s to try and find a worthy play in Black Rock, and found myself in Odo, a rather trendy looking place on the very end corner of Bluff Rd.
Seems that it is popular with the bike riders as well as the intelligentsia of BR. Papers out, deep and possibly philosophical discussions, and from what I can tell, kiddie friendly!

All good signs, and behind the counter two men, who seems to be deeply in caffeine land, taking orders and pumping then La Marzocco to its limits. I was dripping with sweat, when I ordered the Long Mac, and then proceeded to gather intel.

Coffee was Gravity, a decent contributor in the caffeine world. While it took a while to produce (it was busy), the shots finally hit my cup, and I heard one of them yell out that it was ready.

I took my first sip with some hesitation as I stepped out into the street, fearing a tongue burn, but no. The sweet bitterness hit my pallet on the walk and the aroma wafted into my nose with delight. I could taste the crème, while never having actually seen it. I was happy, and by that stage less sweaty after my run. Obo is definitely a contender for Top 100/2011, and a solid 2 beaner for now.

Great job guys!

Coffee: Gravity

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Peter Christo
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December 26, 2009

Shop 6/19-21 Wellington Pde

Williamstown   VIC   3016

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Boxing day breakfast with the family, always a bit of a gamble, anyone there, will they, won’t they? Oh what the hey, time to whip out the iPhone and head out west to look for some serious caffeination over the bridge, especially after all the requests from everyone: Your wish is my command!

It’s always a bit of pot luck heading out west….that damn bridge, so unpredictable, so lucky today the roads were empty, looking for some holiday joy, a feed for the troops and some quality caffeination!!

This one’s a bit of a tongue in cheek recommendation, as you all know BeanScene is also  my coffee magazine, so I was curious to check out a cafe named in homage to the nation’s number 1 coffee magazine!

Not only was it absolutely packed, the staff were extremely friendly and even the owner Brett, came out to say g’day after he recognised me! Ordering coffee and breakfast was easy, the menu simple yet enticing, the barista was poetry in motion to watch!

Although his extraction for my espresso was a tad longer than I preferred, maybe I should have ordered a ristretto, the flavours were smooth, the aroma intoxicating, the  mouthfeel thick and viscous. My cafe latte was a well prepared and combined beverage that was presented in a delicate way that really was pure bliss. The milk and coffee uniting perfectly in my cup to create a beverage that I was proud to call the Devils Cup.

Truly BeanScene was the place to be seen  and I was more than happy to have made the trek out west to check it out.

Plenty of beans to be seen at BeanScene and two BIG ones from the CaFFiend!

Well done! Go down and see for yourself, tell ‘em the CaFFiend sent ya!! Keep on Caffeining on!!

Coffee: Green Bean Espresso

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Steve Agi
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December 11, 2009

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32 Market Street,

Fremantle

After hearing so many good reports about Hush I journeyed down to our port city  with my dear old mum in tow for a spot of lunch.

We ordered a foccacia filled with tender chicken strips, semi-dried tomatoes, brie and an avocado dressing, they were delicious and luckily I had to finish off mum’s for her.

The blackboard menu had some interesting offerings including all day breakfast and could be easily read without having to leave our table.

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The decor was relaxing with timber floors and comfortable seating. Synesso is the caffeine extractor of choice with Mazzer grinders, one of the Mazzers holds their single origin bean which changes weekly offering their clientele taste experiences from all corners of the globe.

My espresso arrived in an ACF demi cup temperature perfect and looked amazing, it had a crisp acidity, good body, smooth and rich, a total treat to my taste buds leaving a delightful and lingering aftertaste.

After we enjoyed our foccacias my flat white was delivered by one of the friendly staff, it had   silky smooth milk and was  adorned with a  dainty rosetta. Temperature spot-on with the blend cutting through the milk leaving a pleasant choc/cocoa mouthfeel that lasted for ages. These guys really care about their coffee and its shows in the cup.

Coffee by Five Senses

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(Mark Chandler, WA Barista Champion 2 years in a row standing at counter)

Fremantle has finally got a cafe serving great coffee at a consistent standard and has lived up to all of the good things I have heard from other worshippiers of the humble bean.

Keep up the good work Daniel, Michael and team — well worth a couple of beanzzzzzzzzzzz

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Trevor Green
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December 6, 2009

Seven: am
155 Bay St
Port Melbourne   VIC  3207
Sounds like a great time to be up and about, especially this beautiful time of year. Sounds like the perfect time to head bayside for a bit of a squiz at this latest addition to this constantly growing Cafe Scene, that is just so exciting, so dynamic, so vibrant, so Melbourne!
This one was a hot tip from a good friend, who was really keen for me to go down and check it out, which I did and was pleasantly surprised. The place was really clean, the staff extremely friendly, the menu for breakfast and lunch, simple yet engaging, the price was right.
I ordered a ristretto and was relieved to watch the extraction, a deliciously golden nectar oozing into the cup, pure bliss. As I sat down at the counter and watched, the aroma wafted with a hint of chocolate on the nose sending me into a caffeine fuelled frenzy, anticipating, expectant salivating like Pavlov’s dog!
My palate was totally satiated, this was the bomb, really the place to BE!
Following it up with a cafe latte, I watched as the barista went into the motions of turning milk into silk, it was pure poetry!
Effortlessly he created a beverage with skilful precision which combined a perfect 30ml extraction with the warmed milk, pure velvet on the palate, perfectly setting the tone for the day, I mean nothing sets it off like a great coffee to kick off the A.M, do I hear an amen, brothers and sisters???
This is definitely another caffeine HOTSHOT destination, a BIG 2 beans and 2 Thumbs up here, one of Bay St’s finest…..
Go down and say g’day to Jason, tell him the CaFFiend sent you and EAT, DRINK: BE!!!
Coffee: SUPREME

155 Bay St

Port Melbourne   VIC  3207

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Sounds like a great time to be up and about, especially this beautiful time of year. Sounds like the perfect time to head bayside for a bit of a squiz at this latest addition to this constantly growing Cafe Scene, that is just so exciting, so dynamic, so vibrant, so Melbourne!

This one was a hot tip from a good friend, who was really keen for me to go down and check it out, which I did and was pleasantly surprised. The place was really clean, the staff extremely friendly, the menu for breakfast and lunch, simple yet engaging, the price was right.

I ordered a ristretto and was relieved to watch the extraction, a deliciously golden nectar oozing into the cup, pure bliss. As I sat down at the counter and watched, the aroma wafted with a hint of chocolate on the nose sending me into a caffeine fuelled frenzy, anticipating, expectant salivating like Pavlov’s dog!

My palate was totally satiated, this was the bomb, really the place to BE!

Following it up with a cafe latte, I watched as the barista went into the motions of turning milk into silk, it was pure poetry!

Effortlessly he created a beverage with skilful precision which combined a perfect 30ml extraction with the warmed milk, pure velvet on the palate, perfectly setting the tone for the day, I mean nothing sets it off like a great coffee to kick off the A.M, do I hear an amen, brothers and sisters???

This is definitely another caffeine HOTSHOT destination, a BIG 2 beans and 2 Thumbs up here, one of Bay St’s finest…..

Go down and say g’day to Jason, tell him the CaFFiend sent you and EAT, DRINK: BE!!!

Coffee: SUPREME

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Steve Agi
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November 29, 2009

8 Rankins Lane

Melbourne   VIC   3000

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Well let me just say that this place epitomises what it means to live in Melbourne and exactly what I mean when I keep talking about  this dynamic and vibrant cafe culture. Just off little Bourke St near the corner of Elizabeth, it is nothing more than an abandoned and derelict looking warehouse which has been converted into, wait for it…..an art gallery. As you walk in you will notice the caravan which is front and centre as well as some amazing works of art which adorn the walls, all for your aesthetic pleasure. Visually its quite impressive and definitely worth a look, but the CaFFiend is here for the coffee, it’s all about the coffee!!!

I grab a glass of water, order a ristretto and take a seat, feeling quite relaxed and content that the barista will do the fine beans at his disposal justice. As I watch him extract the nectar of the Gods I cannot help but feel a sense of satisfaction and joy that its all going according to plan, the grinding, the dosing, the tamping, the extraction a pleasure to watch, liquid gold!

Plenty of eye candy on offer, with some amazing pieces of art adorning the walls, to really get all of the senses excited, it really is very ambient and quite interesting to wander about sipping a divine brew and taking in some culture……

My ristretto is a rich, thick and caramelly drop that is very complex on the palate, rich dark chocolate flavours, a deep berry infusion throughout the journey with an amazing lemon zest right at the end.

Divine!

My wife is totally absorbed in her cafe latte, which I take a sip of, to get a bit of a feel of how these guys perform with milk and true to form and expectation, it is pure Goldilocks!! Perfect temperature, taste and texture, a  beautiful amalgam of exquisitely extracted espresso with magnificently mild-lukewarm milk, to create a divine Devils Cup that would impress even the most refined palate.

2 BIG Beans for the team at BROOD BOX and a strong recommendation to head on down and check it out, truly a quintessential part of Melbourne’s very unique and totally amazing Cafe Scene.

Till next time, keep on caffeining on………….. The CaFFiend!!!

Coffee: St Ali

BROOD BOX: Speciality Coffee
8 Rankins Lane
Melbourne   VIC   3000
Well let me just say that this place epitomises what it means to live in Melbourne and exactly what I mean when I keep talking about  this dynamic and vibrant cafe culture. Just off little Bourke St near the corner of Elizabeth, it is nothing more than an abandoned and derelict looking warehouse which has been converted into, wait for it…..an art gallery. As you walk in you will notice the caravan which is front and centre as well as some amazing works of art which adorn the walls, all for your aesthetic pleasure. Visually its quite impressive and definitely worth a look, but the CaFFiend is here for the coffee, it’s all about the coffee!!!
I grab a glass of water, order a ristretto and take a seat, feeling quite relaxed and content that the barista will do the fine beans at his disposal justice. As I watch him extract the nectar of the Gods I cannot help but feel a sense of satisfaction and joy that its all going according to plan, the grinding, the dosing, the tamping, the extraction a pleasure to watch, liquid gold!
Plenty of eye candy on offer, with some amazing pieces of art adorning the walls, to really get all of the senses excited, it really is very ambient and quite interesting to wander about sipping a divine brew and taking in some culture……
My ristretto is a rich, thick and caramelly drop that is very complex on the palate, rich dark chocolate flavours, a deep berry infusion throughout the journey with an amazing lemon zest right at the end.
Divine!
My wife is totally absorbed in her cafe latte, which I take a sip of, to get a bit of a feel of how these guys perform with milk and true to form and expectation, it is pure Goldilocks!! Perfect temperature, taste and texture, a  beautiful amalgam of exquisitely extracted espresso with magnificently mild-lukewarm milk, to create a divine Devils Cup that would impress even the most refined palate.
2 BIG Beans for the team at BROOD BOX and a strong recommendation to head on down and check it out, truly a quintessential part of Melbourne’s very unique and totally amazing Cafe Scene.
Till next time, keep on caffeining on………….. The CaFFiend!!!
Coffee: St Ali
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Steve Agi
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November 26, 2009

Address: 95 Victoria Ave, Albert Park 3206

I used to live in Richardson Street, so I knew this area well back in the days of singledome and sleep filled nights (no kids). Provincia used to be called Vera, and for a time back then it was heaven on earth, early on a summer Saturday morning, slightly hung over, enjoying a coffee and big breaky pressed up against the open windows. Well, the new team, and new name has taken this place back to its original glory (or better!). I have had the pleasure of having breakfast there two Sundays in a row now and I have to say the service is exceptional, the coffee damn fine, and creamy, and the ambiance second to none.

Coffee arrives fast and I am delighted consistently with a smooth yet strong coffee to propel me to coffee nirvana. The lattes are frothy and have a lovely lingering aftertaste. A contender for the 2011 top 100 guide no doubt!

Love your work guys, thankyou, 2 Big beans and welcome to the club.

Coffee: ITALCAFFE

Cafe-Provincia

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Peter Christo
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