International Coffee Expo

March 27, 2010

london-court

London Court, Perth CBD

(St George’s Tce end)

London Court is an Elizabethan style arcade, the decorative Hay Street Mall entrance  clock chimes every quarter hour and is a replica of one of the dials in the clock tower that houses Big Ben in London. The St George’s Terrace end of the arcade has the iconic George and the Dragon clock facade, adorning the arcade are statues of  Sir Walter Raleigh and Dick Whitington. It takes one back to Tudor times as you amble down this quaint reminder of times gone by.

Mini Espresso is a recent addition to the thriving Perth CBD cafe scene and is the inspiration of experienced ex Boucla barista Luke Arnold.

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Mini Espresso has a cosy but uncluttered fitout with a three group Wega producing the nectar we all crave for.

The blackboard menu offers a simple but tasty sounding selection for punters looking for a lunchtime bit to eat at very reasonable prices.

Luke presented me with a fine viscous looking espresso crowned with a lovely rich crema, I was hit by an initial fruity zing and velvety  mouthfeel followed by rich chocolate/cocoa notes that lingered on the palate for ages.

On my first vist to Mini I partook in a short mach–it had ideal temperature and was adorned with a splash of finely textured milk and to my joy it produced a most pleasurable and rich caffeine hit leaving a smile on my face and a lovely reminder of the shot lingering on the palate.

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In conjunction with Eat Drink Perth–Fiori Coffee and Mini Espresso have been hosting coffee appreciation sessions offering three distinct coffees including the famous Indian Monkey Coffee, the sessions have been booked out by keen coffee enthusiasts and first timers curious to discover the world of specialty coffee.

Coffee from Kam and crew at Fiori.

Looks like Luke’s on a winner here. Gotta be worth a coupla beanzzzzzzzzz!!

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December 19, 2009

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Located at Northbridge Plaza

Cnr Lake and James St,

Northbridge, Perth WA

Northbridge has another debutante cafe added to its ranks, nestled in the corner of the new Piazza and surrounded by lush lawns and a huge outdoor video screen.

Cnr is run by ex West Perth bean-counter Lu Yao.

The decor is appealing with concrete floors adorned with geometric artwork, in one corner is a large red fire hose reel, the tables and chairs in this section are in matching fire-engine red, front of shop has stylish and very comfortable Spanish tables and chairs with cube seating in the alfresco area.

An overhead projector will be used for entertainment and visual effects and the side wall has some funky pieces of artwork.

A  glass display cabinet showcases their inviting range of cakes, panninis and foccacias.

The breakfast and lunch menu has some tempting dishes on offer, one that caught my eye was the mega-breakfast aptly named “cnr sink”, it literally had everything in it but the kitchen sink!

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The business end of cnr has a three group Synesso with   a mighty Mazzer doing the grinding of the Brazil Blue blend.

Perth has the well-earned nickname “Syn City” due to the growing number of Synesso machines pumping out the nectar of the gods in this fine city.

I have found the coffee consistently good over my threee visits, the espresso was most enjoyable having good body, rich choc/cocoa notes and a lingering clean rich aftertaste.

The latte and flat white that I enjoyed on separate occasions cut through the milk nicely, they were well presented at a good temperature and left me with a smile on my face.

There seems to be a good consistency with their coffee and with the decor and friendly service creating a relaxing way to spend some time over good coffee and food.

Coffee by Five Senses–Brazil Blue blend

Another great little addition to the ever-blossoming Perth coffee scene and I’ve got to award them a bean, keep up the good work cnr.

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