Illy shop Brussels

by **Raf** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 5:04 pm

By the way, I tried the illy bar at the Ortsstraat today. It's pretty small (not to say cramped). Espresso kit is the usual automatic illy grinder with the 5 kg aluminium containers, and - surprising - a three group FAEMA lever machine. I ordered a ristretto, K ordered espresso. To my dismay, they were both made with the same puck, although the extraction was a bit different: I think he took mine away and pumped the piston again for K's espresso. The quality of the shot: the crema looked good, a deep brown colour, but I think this is because all the gear is still so new. No rancid oils in grinder or machine. The crema was a bit thin, no sugar stayed on top. Taste was okay, but not very pronounced. All in all, good points for effort. Bad points for using illy beans (I know I'm being difficult, yes). Will have to evaluate again in a month or two, when the initial enthusiasm wears off, and when the machines have seen some abuse.

by **Belgik** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 8:49 am

My wife and I went over to the Brussels Illy place (before the movies), she had a "caffe latte" and I a ristretto. They were made on that big Faema lever machine. Both were excellent, the milk foam for the latte was perfectly done, and my ristretto was very concentrated, syruplike in texture, with good crema, the best I have ever had in Belgum. I must say I have been, to date, incapable of getting even near that level of quality at home, which doesn't do my ego any good.
The film we went to see, "Three burials" (of Tommy Lee James) was excellent, in part because of the scenery of the South-West Texas area (I used to live in that general area when I was 13-14 years old). A protrayal of, amongst other things, a desert gas-station intersection town "café" with waitress life, the coffee being continuously refilled, of the type you can see right through the whole pot, in the best Sara Lee and Folger tradition. Mythical and depressing.

by **Raf** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 2:51 pm

Disaster waiting to happen, the sequel. Went back to the illy shop today, ordered ristretto and was served a sort of drink with barely a trace of white crema at the edges of the cup. The taste was standard illy stuff (which is: quite fruity and sour). I had sort of anticipated this: after two or three weeks their machines are building up rancid stuff, and the quality of the coffee goes down the drain.

by **CakeBoy** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 6:47 pm

How on earth do they get away with not cleaning properly and serving such dross at high prices? The whole scenario is shocking .... they may as well use vending machines with pods. Bah! :twisted:

by **Steve** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 9:45 pm

Were the Illy Lady's there from the podcast

by **Bertie_Doe** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 9:14 pm

Steve wrote

Were the Illy Lady's there from the podcast

Quoting Shakespeare won't shock us, but your new Avatar has - what happened to the bubble gum machine?
Quentin

by **jameso** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:42 am

And such a lovely light roast, we all have to agree.

by **Steve** » Mon Dec 19, 2005 11:36 am

The avatar is my new christmas present

And the roast to remind me keep it light

by **HughF** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 1:43 pm

I assumed that it was a photo of the Henry Moore sculpture you've just acquired - nice respray job...

Cheers,

Hugh

by **CakeBoy** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 2:34 pm

HughF wrote:I assumed that it was a photo of the Henry Moore scuplture you've just acquired - nice respray job...

Cheers,

Hugh

LOL Shhhhhhhh they still don't know he has it :wink:

. Should have slipped one out of the Art Gallery Ontario, they have loads there! :roll:

Illy shop Brussels

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