Daily Buzz - The Coffee Guide Blog » Cafe Reviews

GRIND

The Coffee Guide... — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 07:00:53 +0000

The problem with remakes is that all too often they’re not as good as the original. So you can understand the trepidation when Grind announced a refurbishment of their founding cafe. What would be the fate of one of Sydney’s best?

The baristas are quick to point out that the renovations were more cosmetic than structural: the floorboards are newly polished, the walls are a fresher shade of cream -but aside from that (and some more kitchen space out back), the heritage building is relatively unchanged. The consistently good coffee and the staff’s passion remain in place.

A cameo 20-years-aged Colombian possesses a woody aroma, dense body, mild acidity and burnt-caramel flavour -truly something to savour. The house blend is just as exciting, with buttery tones and a sweet aftertaste. Later at night, Turkish and the Japanese siphon coffees are served: think rich, deep in flavour, and smooth on the palate. All up, the Grind remake delivers a quality show -the kind you’d buy in box set.

AUCTION ROOMS

The Coffee Guide... — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 07:00:39 +0000

This former auction house on Errol Street has been stripped back to bare brick and transformed into one of the freshest, brightest, most inviting coffee venues you’re likely to visit. Melbourne architects Six Degrees have a talent for combining the rustic with the resolutely modern, and this place is no exception. There’s an abandoned-factory feel, as walls have been knocked out and nature is just starting to take over. Sunlight streams in through a long strip of skylights onto unvarnished, honey-toned floorboards; a wall of glass looks over a courtyard shaded by olive trees; and at the centre of the room, a slick island bar is a hive of activity.

And yet, despite all this fuss over the architecture, coffee is undeniably king here. They roast their own, and a rotating single-origin special is always on offer, along with the wonderfully multicultural blend of four beans, sourced from Ethiopia, Sumatra, Guatemala and El Salvador. This makes for a wonderfully creamy, chocolate espresso which leaves a delightfully rich, stewed-fruit aftertaste. Sold!

THE LITTLE MARIONETTE

The Coffee Guide... — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 04:06:26 +0000

If there’s a better use of ten square metres in this town, we want to know about it. With just three small tables, more puppeteers lounge across the road in Gladstone Park than could ever fit in the cafe – testimony either to the laziness of Balmainers or the “gotta sit down” kick of the coffee.

So we join the takeaway queue of Balmain’s beautiful (the bold ask for a seat). A small menu of breakfasty dishes is somewhat upstaged by pastries from Adriano Zumbo – that nower than now patissier who’s dazzling Sydney’s sweet-teeth.

Despite this star billing, the coffee steals the spotlight. If there’s any early tartness, it’s deluged by rich, thick chocolate – think those coated coffee beans – an intense hit that rounds on the palate for a long aftertaste of hazelnuts and heaven. The macchiato is smooth, enveloping, and your legs slacken and collapse as you stagger into Gladstone Park.