Showing posts with label Square Mile Coffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Square Mile Coffee. Show all posts

Friday, October 08, 2010

CC: Dose

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject:
Dose
Location visited: London, UK
Free WiFi ? : no
Rating:
6+ [
see key]




Making my way through the bustling streets of London made me cherish the less crowded areas when I found them. One nice walk in particular was near the Museum of London on my way to a coffee operation called Dose.

Dose first gripped my attention from a video documentary of a coffee crawl (who was in this video or where you can view it, I failed to write it down). What attracted me was their use of guest coffees (aside from their usual roaster of Square Mile) as well as the ambitious push to be "the best coffee in London."

The cafe exists as a simple yet sharp white building with two windows flanking the main entry. Inside, the space is small with efficient seating to either side and a snazzy magnet letter menu.

I started with an espresso from Square Mile (not sure which blend), a short pull with great crema that displayed lemon candy, bitter cocoa, hints of cherry, nutmeg, rum and seltzer. After (smiling and) washing that down with a glass of water, I moved onto an aeropressed Ethiopian Yirgacheffe full wash (also SM)
. The coffee delivered blackberry and blueberry preserves, wheat grass, grape, a little vanilla and a body similar to french press. Both coffees were delicious and in my euphoria, I forgot to check the tea.

In a nutshell, Dose provided a good dose of great London coffee. While I wouldn't be qualified to designate their rank in London's coffee scene, they are certainly somewhere at the top. Give them a shot for sure.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

CC: Bea's of Bloomsbury

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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: London, UK
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating:
6+ [
see key]



Afternoon tea is something I wish America embraced. Around 2 PM every weekday, I would love to stop working, break out the tea (or coffee) apparatus (not to mention tiny sandwiches) and simply relax. Some may argue that we have "coffee breaks" but that's like saying that AstroTurf feels like Kentucky Bluegrass.

Wanting to roll in the proverbial grass, I did my utmost to fit a true afternoon tea into my recent London exploits. I did a good chunk of research and after sorting through my options, the cafe that looked most smashing was a placed called Bea's of Bloomsbury. According to their website, they were not only Square Mile's first customer (hip hip for tea AND espresso) but they also offer one of the best (and most affordable) tea times in all London. Check and mate.

Bea's gets a lot of traffic so I actually was blown away when I found an open interior table on a sunny Sunday afternoon. The cafe has a gorgeous layout with black and lavender walls, an open kitchen in the rear and a fluidity that makes the space seem twice as large. I ordered up a Square Mile espresso (an espresso only place) and a pot of lemon verbena tea. The espresso was pulled short by trained hands, producing a bright coffee with notes of tart cocoa, grapefruit, fig, mint, almond and nutmeg. The tea was steeped well, had a balanced lemony flavor (like lemon grass) and a subtle natural sweetness. Both the espresso and tea provided exemplary experiences.

It should be noted that Bea's does some amazing things with food and bakery items (if you get a meringue, pace yourself because they are huge). All around Bea's met all of my high expectations for a good British tea time experience. You should go.


Monday, July 19, 2010

CC: Penny University

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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: London, UK
Free WiFi ? : no
Rating:
6+ [
see key]



Unique ideas often come with unique possibilities. When Square Mile Coffee opened up new kind of coffee venue, one centered on the coffee like a Porsche in a showroom, it definitely made for a new concept. Instead of patrons coming to a cafe for a quick cup-to-go or to sit and utilize the WIFI, this venue would expertly showcase coffee much like a Magic Bullet commercial (just replace the corny "1...2....3" sales pitch with pure coffee nerd-dom).

This new type of coffee display was dubbed the Penny University, situated in a small retail space in Shoreditch where the furniture was minimal and the coffee is all infused sans-espresso machine (i.e. they filter, siphon...just not espresso). Upon my visit, the place was brimming much more like a cocktail party, with the patrons energetically engaging the baristas in coffee banter (versus the typical keep-to-yourself environment of a cafe).

After studying my options, I caught a barista's attention and ordered a filtered cup (brewed in a Hario) of La Linda Tolima from Colombia. It was made with great care and then with additional grace, was presented in a perfectly-sized glass carafe with a ceramic cup. I noted some nice chocolate flavors, a little caramel apple, some grass, cashew and a bit of cream. The coffee proved deliciously balanced and well-infused.

As for other coffee options, they do different brew methods and also offer a plethora of coffee merchandise (including whole beans) but as I mentioned, they don't do espresso.

Yet as with most rarities, the Penny University will be disappearing as of July 30, 2010. As hinted in the press release, it seems this concept may resurface elsewhere but the current incarnation will definitely expire in but a few days. I simply thank my fortunes that within the limited window of their 3 month existence, I was able to sample the spectacle.

Thus, keep an eye peeled for Square Mile Coffee happenings and in the meantime, try out one of the many cafes in London brewing or pulling shots of Square Mile.

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

CC: Flat White

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject:
Flat White
Location visited: London, UK
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating:
6+ [
see key]



How my mouth has watered to try out the coffee of London. To my blessed fortune, I found myself heading there for an extended layover just a few weeks ago and in the months preparing, I made sure to plot an appropriate course of coffee visits (as well as some normal UK tourism).

London has been transforming over the years as a city known for high tea to a city leaping to new heights in coffee quality. Superb operations haven been popping up, World Barista Champions haven taken up residence (and business ventures) within the city and other numerous events have made London a city up and up in coffee development. Much like the San Francisco Bay area and NYC, London is making strides in coffee wonders.

But one unique aspect to the London coffee story that I haven't seen in the States is the influx of Australian and Kiwi (New Zealand) coffee establishments. Operated by skilled baristas, their presence has brought the culture of the flat white to the UK. Appropriately, the Kiwi cafe called Flat White on Berwick St was one of my stops in my short time in London.

Meandering through London town on a Sunday morning, Flat White was one of the few places open. After an English breakfast at the Mediterranean Cafe next store (not a fan of the baked beans personally), I made my way over to Flat White. The cafe is a small venue, with two benches outside and tables bordering the white-and-red interior walls, all with a cozy and chic feel.

The coffee served is from Square Mile Coffee, one of London's premiere coffee roasters gaining recognition not only on their side of the pond, but also all over the US. Flat White sticks to an espresso-based menu, not serving any other method of coffee extraction (no filter, press or siphon).

Given the lack of non-espresso based coffee options, I stuck to simply ordering an espresso, as I usually don't evaluate milk-based drinks since the combo adds more complexity to the evaluation equation (though I'm confident in my ability to decipher quality with my capps). The short-pulled espresso teeming with mahogany-colored crema gave off sweet lemon, sugar, butter, a bit of cinnamon, a hint of caramel, pineapple and held a smooth body with little to no bite. To say the least I thought it was delicious. I believe their tea was assorted free leaf.

Given the difference in culture, I found the espresso still the same lovely beverage I love back home. If you happen to be in the area, definitely give Flat White your patronage.