Cafe Reviews

by **kingseven** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 8:17 pm

I've decided to start doing cafe reviews on the blog, starting with those in and around London.

The first two are now up - and surprisingly enough it is Flat White and Monmouth.

I plan to do the next two when I am next in the middle of London. Not sure when, but I will just edit this post when I add them - if that is ok with the wise board elders?

by **EspressoSquirrel** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:26 pm

very nice, i will certainly keep and eye out for your future reviews, as you picked my two regular haunts to start with. yes i'm one of the guys that sit sweating in the heat of flat white throughout the summer.
oh and great photos as always, i love your banner images.
i wouldn't quite describe them as reviews, more as mini tours, although i'm glad you didn't try and add a rating.. on something so subjective

by **bruceb** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:44 pm

Jim I'm confused by the line: Watching the shots today they were running quite quick, close to 40 seconds with quite a lot of blonding (Monmouth).

by **kingseven** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:53 pm

The fast flow meant that quite a lot of liquid was brewed in about 40 seconds, it wasn't a slow, tight pull. Would've probably been a 20 seconds shot if it had stopped at around 2floz as a double. It just seemed to keep running.

by **Gouezeri** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:43 pm

Hey Jim, you gonna take requests?
If so, let us know what you think of cafe vergnano on Charing X rd, I've never had the courage to walk in when I know that MonM and FW are just around the corner. From memory there's a clipping in the window saying they won cafe of the year in Time Out.

by **bruceb** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:45 pm

Ahhhhh...strange. I also recently had a double at a "renowned coffee shop" and there must have been 100ml of liquid in the cappucino cup. I tried it, but it tasted roughly like a "normal" US drip coffee, albeit clean and from fresh beans. The pleasant young lady tamped vigorously, but the shot took less than 10 seconds. Maybe she forgot to grind the beans.

by **bainesy** » Fri Nov 03, 2006 12:24 am

gouezeri wrote:Hey Jim, you gonna take requests?
If so, let us know what you think of cafe vergnano on Charing X rd, I've never had the courage to walk in when I know that MonM and FW are just around the corner. From memory there's a clipping in the window saying they won cafe of the year in Time Out.

I happened to go there today, for the first time. Their first good move is their huge Elektra Verticale (er...I love Elektras - form over function for me - every time :wink:

). They're using, I guess, standard Vergnano beans, and the coffee was good (high praise, I stress, for a cafe), but not great (and not as good as the home-roasted I had at a tmc-er an hour later... thanks Maurice!). They give you a nice trendy black tray with your espresso and water.

Miles above most. Not as good as Flat White, or Monmouth.

by **kingseven** » Sat Nov 04, 2006 7:24 pm

They are next on the list along with Bullet, and Bar Italia - not sure when I am in town next though....

by **kingseven** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 8:00 pm

Two more - Bar Italia and Caffe Vergnano

Sadly not as positive as the first two.

by **Gouezeri** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:04 pm

I just realised this could be a lot of fun :twisted:

Hey Jim, you must check out the coffee in the McDonalds near the corner of Tott Ct Rd and Oxford St :twisted:

Let's see how long our namby pamby media wh$re lasts :lol:

Edit: More seriously, whatabout Snow and Rock, or whatever that place is called, as they renovated a while back. Have to think up a few more serious suggestions before any more wickedness

by **Paragon** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:21 pm

....I liked the brownie in Snow and Rock.... :roll:

by **kingseven** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:23 pm

As much as I'd like to encourage your feelings of grandeur and puppetry Vergnano was on the list for a while, as has Bullet in the Snow and Rock. However, I am curious for further recommendations. Whilst I only write up one visit I tend to visit a few times before hand in order to have a fairer opinion of the place.

Chances of me visiting McD's for a coffee are minimal I am afraid.

by **Gouezeri** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:28 pm

But they've got Black and Whites and they grind to order donchaknow... :lol:

You limiting yourself to espresso bars, or anywhere that claims to serve a decent espresso?

by **kingseven** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:37 pm

Anywhere that is serious about the coffee, not a restaurant where I have to eat there first or anything.

by **Paragon** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 10:58 pm

.....

.there's this Shell/Sainsbury's tank station at Roehampton Lane where you don't have to eat or drink anything......the coffe-automat is self-service.... :lol:

I see people pushing these buttons quite seriously... :mrgreen:

*I'm on codeine and antibiotics at the same time - so, I'm excused for my behaviour. Right?

*

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