March 19, 2010

It seems MCR is developing a human intelligence network that is highly effective in identifying great (Melbourne Quality) coffee in places you would not expect. After posting my Starbucks confession, Trev from WA identified The Corridor as a place worth visiting. It’s funny, before reading the suggestion, I did dinner with a friend here and had to meet him at Times Square, less than 5 min from my hotel.

I waited for about 30 mins and wandered about the place and actually spotted The Corridor, and made a mental note to check it out anyway. It could have gone either way I guess.

After breakfast this morning, one of my coffee compatriots Errol, agreed to join me for a coffee, and so off we went. This was the type of placed you might find in Melbourne, and quite a contrast to the polished hallways of the malls here like IFC. The experience generally caters to highly affluent people, but this was great, it was a place where anyone could go. They roast their own (how about that!!) and the barista was a lovely and highly skilled young man called Mabo(?).

The first 3 beans in Hong Kong, this will be hard to beat. Check out the vid! Oh! and by the way… free wifi!!! what else can u ask for?



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Peter Christo
Posted in 3 Beans, Business Meetings, Family Friendly, Hong Kong, Wifi | 5 Comments »



March 17, 2010

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Please don’t attack,.. you see, right outside my hotel (the Excelsior, in Causeway Bay) is a Starbucks. I have been walking past it for five days, effectively ignoring it but today, having planned to work (on other stuff) in my room, I found myself needing the surrounds of a cafe. This was the best I could do.

The reality is that the coffee culture here in HK is very polished Like Laurant in melb) and in some places ok, and others appalling. Starbucks is actually a good baseline.

It reminds me of my time in San Francisco in 97 when there was no other coffee place to go to than Startbucks or Peets up the road (which I failed to appreciate at the time).

Its your standard SB affair, the lads behind the counter looked at me like I was on drugs when I asked where the coffee of the day was from. We finally got, South America, so I left it at that.

I ordered a double shot espresso, which is the closest I can get to a good macchiatto here. They served up black water in a mug! I sent it back and asked that they just give me straight 2 x shots with NO water.

Finally I got a small cup with the good stuff in it, and good is what it was. There was a crema on it, it was mild in terms of coffee, perhaps a bit watery and I sense old, without anything too much to offer after you drink it, but I was satisfied. It was better than nothing and alone in my room.

I would come back, but no beans.

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Peter Christo
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March 16, 2010

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Well hello Hong Kong,.. I have to say: I love this town! The people are friendly and the systems work very well. Including their rail way (MTR) and their e-currency in the Octopus card (please who ever set this up, help the guys at Myki).

But, what of the coffee? I hear you say! It’s interesting; if you plan to head to HK for work or holiday for more than a few days, I think you will be pleasantly surprised, but of course it’s not Melbourne. I have been here since Friday last week for work.

I start to review the cafes scene in earnest today, but here is what I have seen so far:

The Excelsior Hotel, where I am staying: I am lucky to be served up my double shot espresso by the girls in the exec lounge which is half decent. It’s a hotel after all where we mostly expect filtered coffee, but these guys have a machine and they know how to use it. The first few days it was damn nice, good crema, but it was from an automatic machine.

Next I tried Caffe Vergnano (a local brew from what I can see), a café near the central train station (train station, I love to say it!!) in the IFC shopping complex. I was pleasantly delighted by the range of coffee, mind you the terminology was slightly different, and the efficient service.

A tall strapping young man was at the helm of the coffee machine and he seemed to know what he was doing. My friend/guide and co-coffee lover Jac and I downed two Long Macc’s which were in fact short maccs. No matter, mine was excellently drawn, I found the coffee a bit bitter, but some people like that. The crema was a deep tan and the taste lingered long after we had ditched the cups.

Our first 1 beaner.

I have noticed that much of the action in coffee happens inside malls, so don’t expect too many back alleys, but they are here. Ok, I am off on another coffee adventure! More to come…

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Peter Christo
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