30 Criterion Street

Hobart  Tasmania  7000

As The CaFFiend, I’m ALWAYS interested in new places, this one comes to us from first time reviewer and obvious wordsmith, John Nicholas K, a weary traveller who seems to have discovered a coffee haven on the Apple Isle.

Enjoy…..and keep on Caffeining on……

I have a small confession to make. I have never quite understood what might compel someone to travel big distances to seek a coffee experience that will probably end up sitting somewhere between the subjectively-variable yet perfectly-acceptable realms of Good and Great. Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate a good coffee. I really do. And I appreciate a great coffee even more. But with all the possibilities of life’s experiences and demands, and given the truism that life is too short, going too much out of my way to actively chase-down Coffee Perfection has never seemed time-sensible to me.  This may seem a strange way to open my first (and maybe only) cafe contribution to this site. However, sharing this mindset is, I think, helpful and perhaps even necessary if only as context to what follows with relation to a small café in downtown Hobart called Villino Espresso. At the very least, it should beg the question: what café experience then, compels someone like me to write something like this, or anything at all?

I will start with a clarification. This will not be a review in the expected sense. There will be no sentences starting with ‘From the cup…’ or ‘On the lip…’. There will be no references to tones, shiny fabrics, earth, fruits, aromatic woods or any kind of ‘note’.  The reasoning is two-fold.  Firstly, and most pertinently, I do not feel qualified to so poetically describe it. And secondly, because a part of me has always felt uneasy with taking such lusciously baroque descriptions too seriously – whether they be found in art, wine or anything else.  Instead, I will touch on a couple of relatively simple things I found in this small Hobart café :  a person’s obvious commitment to service and product excellence, and humility in the face of success. No coincidence, in my mind, that the end-result just happens to be a truly fantastic cup of coffee, and many loyal customers.

It is undoubtedly testament to the character of the man, that in his café’s simple website  I could find only a singular first-name reference to himself. Yet, Richard, owner of the award-winning Tasmanian café Villino Espresso, has much to be proud of – and the accolades to prove it. The occasion was my wife’s 40th birthday, a milestone to fans of age-related clichés for sure, and a chance to become re-acquainted with Tasmania’s natural beauty for a few days of escape with her and the kids. The exceptional planner and gourmet-scout that she is, Villino Espresso was methodically shortlisted prior to our Melbourne departure based on rave customer reviews – and some non-descript award like “Café of the Year 2008” (‘non-descript’? – I jest) to back them up. The selection was independently rubber-stamped by sheer happenstance by a good friend well-versed in matters caffeine. The deal was done. The visit was a must.

Villino Espresso is located at 30 Criterion St in Hobart which is to say (relative to where one might be staying in Hobart) close to everywhere. The café itself is small, but exceedingly tasteful; the décor is white with wood and a very cool feature wall of coffee-brown shagadelic wallpaper. The website explains: “Villino is Italian for a “small home with a yard”. This reflects not only the layout, but also the warm and welcoming homely atmosphere that you experience the moment you walk through the door”.  The description is accurate. Just a few tables inside, and fewer tables outside ; with that alluring scent of fresh-roasted beans coming out to literally greet you at the street.  Upon meeting Richard, it does not take long to recognize the qualities of the man that are the direct inputs to his café’s success in the relatively short time period he has been running it since leaving the IT industry.  I don’t know whether it is more the obvious attentiveness that goes into making each cup, that signature curve-in-the-back when an artisan works his thing, or the exactness which has him reject anything that the machine might arbitrarily do that he is not totally happy with, especially in the early hours of the morning. There are no short-cuts tolerated here. Or maybe, it is more his affable character:  generous, seriously informed yet down to earth, and intent on treating each customer with individual, personalized attention. It is, of course, all of these things. True class, after all, is always understated and never self-referential.

We were privileged to taste a fantastically strong yet smooth café-latte, replete with very nice art. The smoothness meant that we needed to add less sugar than normal.  Understand why good coffee needs less sugar; for the same reason that bad chocolate needs more. But the highlight from Richard was an offered double-ristretto, now that the machine had hummed through its first few cups as he explains. Two joined 15ml half-shots of essence of bean, served with interesting and informative conversation with Richard himself on matters coffee. Admittedly the double-ristretto had a particularly wonderful colour and thick texture. And the aftertaste…. that contented lingering; had me not chancing to lose it too early with alternate tastes – like say, brunch – until it well subsided from my mouth!

Villino Espresso’s motto is itself a reflection to the understated simplicity and directness that reflects their whole approach.  It is declared in chalk, on the wall in the street, before you enter.

It is at once mission statement and declaration of customer expectation:  ‘Fresh coffee. Made well.  Consistently’. Beautifully simple and to the point. 

Congratulations Richard and team!

 3 Beans

Coffee : Rio