2kf in Mona Vale

Whenever i am in Mona Vale I always pop into 2kf. This tiny little hole in the wall cafe was reputedly named for a painting of "two kilted friends". Size however has no bearing on the business of 2kf.

Walking up to 2kf you find 5 tables outside with assorted chairs and stools to sip your brew and once inside you can either sit on a small bench looking onto the street and passers by or there is a small bench seat running the length of the cafe, which is only around 5 meters, with tables and a chair on each.

Getting to the counter to place my order is sometimes a feat as they are always busy and being a small cafe they always seem full. Once I place my order I step back, take a seat and watch the multiple baristas get to work. I love this little place as it always has on funky music that makes the place seem to buzz. The staff are always friendly if not sometimes distracted talking to a friend which then just makes the place seem even more friendly.

I get my coffee only after a short time and it looks great. Rosetta on top, and looking how a latte should look. I take one sip and it reminds me why I always come back. Great temperature, smooth texture, bold taste with full body and a lovely sweet aftertaste. Their coffee makes you want to savor it but at the same time drink it quickly as it is so good. So long as 2kf in Mona Vale keeps making the Campos coffee this well I shall always pop in whenever i am in the area. Thankfully that means tomorrow.




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Taste in Surry Hills

Walking into Taste on Foveaux st in Surry Hills you could mistake it for a sandwich bar. Along the counter there are glass displey fridges for making sandwiches and a display cabinet with salads and pastas. They have a well sized indoor seating area and a smaller courtyard out the back. Taste does make excellent sandwiches, pastas and salads but thats not why I went there.

I, as always, went there for the coffee. On the front window there is a large sign showing they serve Campos coffee. This makes me excited as I know that campos beans are always really well roasted and fresh so we are part way to a great coffee. I get to the counter and order an espresso to sit in and a 3/4 latte to takeaway.

I take my number and sit down on a great wooden table with a bunch of little stools just in front of the espresso machine. It is here I await my espresso. After a couple of minutes (longer then I thought it would take judging by how many people are in the cafe) I get my espresso. The cup has been heated, possibly with hot water, but it is so hot I can not actually pick it up. I find it a little silly.

After a minute I take my first sip and the shot is actually cooler then the cup itself. My espresso tastes full bodied, mildly sweet and a bit bitter which is just the way I like it. Once again Campos has not disappointed. By the time I finish my espresso my latte is ready. I grab my takeaway and walk out to my car.

I take the first sip of my 3/4 latte as I drive off and it has a great temperature, mildly sweet and is full flavoured. I was not surprised after the espresso that my latte was also great but sometimes the machine and barista may make a great shot but not know what they are doing with their milk. The barista at Taste does know what he is doing and that is why I would suggest going there next time you are in Surry hills.

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Good coffee, So hard???

So I got up this morning, walked over to the beach to check out the surf, decided it was too small and then went back to the house to make a coffee.
As I was making my coffee I was wondering why is it so hard for some people to make a good coffee. I was using a Breville Fresca, not my Sunbeam cafe series which is at home, with beans that are more then 2 weeks old. I still made a great extraction, smooth textured milk, poured a pattern and enjoyed every sip.

Yes I have had over 8 years coffee making experience and at least 4 of them being a head barista.
Yes I am very passionate about my coffee and keep learning more and more to make an even better coffee every time.
Yes there is no pressure when you are making it at home but do baristas in a cafe setting with a commercial espresso machine, commercial grinder and fresh beans have any excuse?

The amount of training and resources around is amazing and if you have the right drive and thirst, pardon the pun, you can learn so much in a relatively small amount of time. So why do some people not make great coffee? I believe it is comes down to laziness, lack of passion, dirty coffee machines, inferior product or not enough training. Sometimes all of the above.

So when you are heading out to get your next coffee, stop and ask the barista a few questions about the coffee. Make sure he or she knows what they are talking about, that the coffee machine is relatively clean and they know what coffee they are using. Make sure you head to a cafe where there is a passion for coffee and nine times out of ten you will score a lovely coffee.

Le Monde Cafe Surry Hills

As I walked up Foveaux st in Surry Hills looking for Le Monde the first thing that made me realize there was a cafe was the few tables outside overlooking the street. A grand looking tree shades the outdoor seating comfortably and would be a great spot to sit with a coffee if you are ever in the area.

I stepped into the cafe and the first thing that greets you eyes are 2 shelves behind the counter of coffee making and cafe memorabilia. That was a good thing as I did stand in line for a little while so I had something to keep me occupied. The first thing that caught my nose was the smell of cooking, not coffee, and whatever they were making smelled delicious. Standing in line I decided to look around and could not find any type of sign or coffee bag to say what type of coffee they used.

I finally got to next to order but did not receive any recognition from the 3 people behind the counter, yes they were making coffee and one taking orders, however I find a simple nod or hello goes a long way. I made my order of my customary 3/4 latte to the guy at the counter who simply didn't seem happy to be there. No matter I thought, I just hope my coffee is good.

Now with the ordering out of the way I could stand back and look around a little. There was a bench near the front door covered in magazines and reading material so people waiting for takeaway coffees could keep occupied and I really thought it a great idea. The rest of the cafe was filled with wooden tables and chairs that looked comfy to sit in. The interior is mostly wood and seemed very warm, fashionable and trendy. Great for business meetings, sitting and chatting with a friend or sitting by yourself with your laptop.

"3/4 latte" the guy calls from behind the counter. Yes, my coffee is ready. I pick up the plain cup, no help with what brand of coffee it is, and walk out of the cafe. Walking down the street I pop the lid off and see no pattern. I always like to see a little effort put into the pour so I know the barista is a total coffee nut like me. I take my first sip and it is a touch warmer then I like however it was the right temperature. It was very smooth and had a nice taste but no real body to it and honestly left me a little disappointed.

The further I got into the coffee the easier it was to drink but I craved more flavour and more of a lingering aftertaste so you do not have to keep drinking to keep the flavour in your mouth. I think Le Monde was a great cafe and from what I could tell their food looked and smelled great. I will have to go back at some stage and stay to see if their sit in coffee (that after a little googling I finally found that Le Monde served Allpress coffee) is better then their takeaway.

*A further note on this blog post. Continuing to show the lack of signage and information also available on the internet about what brand of coffee used at Le Monde I have been advised they use 5 senses. I contacted 5 senses via twitter and they have confirmed.

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Pablo & Rusty's Gordon

I finally pull up outside Pablo & Rusty's in Gordon after a few laps around the block. First thing on a Monday morning all that is on my mind is caffeine and what better way to fulfill my needs then a great coffee. I pull out my coffee card from my glovebox, step out of my car and walk down St Johns avenue.

I only have to wait a minute in the line even though there are 5 people ahead of me. My turn to give my order and thankfully I always find the staff here friendly and professional yet fun. I order a 3/4 full latte, I'm trying to drink a little less milk not trying to be a snob, pay my 3 bucks and get my card stamped.

I sit down on a little wooden stool which is at a table sharing a wall with 3 others and take in the surrounds. A long wooden table dominates the smallish interior with 2 comfy looking couches by the front window. A few tables and chairs are also outside under umbrellas looking toward Gordon train station.

After a few minutes, not too long at all, I receive my coffee and head to my car. The small black takeaway cup with the Pablo & Rusty's logo on it is not too hot to hold which is always a good sign of my latte not being scalding inside. I pop back into my car and take my first sip, it goes down very smoothly. The temperature is good and the flavour has full body and a nice lingering taste. The coffee was great from first to last sip and so far it has been this way with every Pablo & Rusty's coffee I have had.

I highly recommend Pablo & Rusty's Gordon and will continue to go back whenever I am in the area. You should too. Visit http://www.pabloandrustys.com.au/ if you want to know exactly where they are.





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