La Marzocco – Page 2 – From Coffee With Love

September 28, 2023September 28, 2023

Ten Cups of Coffee in London

Earlier this month I was in London and of course the opportunity to check out new cafes was top of my list. I must confess, that I prayed that the weather would be warm, coming form 40C Dubai, but you’ll be glad to know that my prayers were answered, as this September went down as one of the warmest on record, with temperatures hovering over 30C on a few days. However, I’m not sure if it is because of Brexit, I was saddened to see that most coffee shops, even in central London, close between 3:30 and 4pm. For me, this was a travesty, as I love drinking coffee after every meal, even at night, which you won’t find anymore in London – sigh! Nevertheless, I only found one exception and for that, you’ll have to read on.

CUPS 1 AND 2 (Colonna & Smalls 96a Leather Lane, City of London)

Famously run by Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood, former UK barista champion, a few years back but not one that’s shy to push the boundaries on all things coffee – he wrote a book about how water affects your coffee and is about to launch one on the coffee business. His famous coffee shop is in Bath – read here when I visited. But, imagine my delight when I heard that he was opening an outlet in London. So, on the occasion of my birthday, I went here with my wife to try out the newly opened coffee shop and by default my first specialty coffee of my trip. I failed to contain my excitement, opted for a flat white to start, poured by the pleasant barista.

Whilst I was drinking my coffee, I noticed Maxwell had entered and of course we chatted coffee for like 30 minutes from water, and more, naturally. I then ordered a special filter coffee from their menu…. wait for it….

A Panama geisha from the famous coffee estate, Hacienda Esmeralda. Indeed it was sublime, tea like with hints of jasmine. I gave my wife a taste and she retorted, this taste like tea.

The last time I had this priced coffee was when I had a my coffee shop in Cape Town back in 2011 – yes it was tasted like a blue pearl earl grey. So having spoilt myself and spent more money drinking coffee than I ever have in a London coffee shop, it was time to leave after two cups of coffee.

CUP 3 (21 Grams, 155 Northcote road)

As usual, we stayed with my brother in the Clapham area and he told me that there was new coffee shop nearby, so whilst I waited for my wife to get ready, I went exploring to find this new coffee shop. The little chairs outside gave the cafe away and inside it is easy to get confused about where to order from as the barista space is open. In fact, when I went with my wife a second time, she went next to the espresso machine. As it was morning, I opted for another flat white.

I noticed they were using Gentlemen Barista coffee, which features an espresso blend that contains Brazil of course. I guessed that the baristi were speaking Portuguese and I was right, they hailed from Brazil. Also on offer are pastries and cakes.

CUPS 4 AND 5 (Watch House, 2-3 Medici Courtyard, Hanover Square/Bond Street)

Now, having walked around London in 30C, looking for coffee after 4pm, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this newish (to me) Watch House was opened. Yes! I practically rushed in and “said gimme coffee” BUT as you know I don’t have an American accent, LOL! So, rewind, I walked in took in the wonderful architecture (after all the founder of Watch House is an architect) – which I have to say reminded me of some of the lavish cafe interiors I’m used to in Dubai and calmly asked for a batch brew – a kind of filter coffee prepared beforehand.

I was pleasantly surprised upon siping this coffee to detect hints of spearmint. I read the card and saw Nestor Lasso. So intrigued I was with this usual cup, that I asked the barista if I could buy a bag because I didn’t see it on their shelf. He went to the back of the cafe and said that I was in luck but they could only sell me 200g (packed in 100g bags each), so I bought it. Upon my return to Dubai, my coffee geek friend told me that Nestor Lasso is a famous coffee producer and has won awards for his coffee, so it was a great buy then.

A few days later I met a friend and we had two flat whites. I was intrigued to see a long queue pouring out of the cafe – something I haven’t seen in London for a long time.

CUP 6 (Bobo and Wild, 18 Clapham Common south side)

Back to the neighbourhood. If you don’t know now, then I should let you know that my fave meal of the day is breakfast and what better to go with this tan good coffee too. So, gate crashing my brothers brunch tradition, my wife and I went to Bobo and Wild. A popular spot for brunch, run as far as I know by some Australians. I went for a flat white as I was in Aussie land prior to my amazing truffle eggs aka folded eggs. If you know me, then you’d know that I hardly use the word “amazing” unless I really mean it.

I mean wow. Posh eggs, folded on top of sourdough bread and mushrooms topped with Parmesan cloud (okay, shavings). Back to the coffee.

My flat white was their Bobo Blend, a Brazil/Guatemala origin, medium-dark roast, with notes of chocolate, hazelnut and black currant, brewed on a La Marzocco linea. A good choice but I have to admit the egg was the star here.

CUP 7 (The Shed, Clapham South Tube Station)

This shop is second to none if you live in the Clapham South area and need that jolt of specialty coffee caffeine before you head to work. They use Caravan Coffee, brewed on a La Marzocco linea and also stocks pastries and cakes and if needed you can buy coffee bags too.

I went for a flat white – perhaps I should have called this post 7 flat whites (smile). A well prepared coffee with good frothed mil and coffee balance poured by a peasant barista.

CUP 8 (The Hagen Project, 30a Pimlico Road, Chelsea)

On our way from the airport to Clapham, we passed Chelsea and I noticed this little cafe with a Kees Van der Westen machine in the window and thought one day I’ll check this place out. A short history about Chelsea – it’s where the posh and very rich of London live – the end. In any case, I grabbed my opportunity when spending some time with my mum and headed here for my daily dose of specialty coffee and wow! was it special. Initially I wanted one of their coffees as an espressos based drink but then I opted for coffee from Prolog – a famous coffee roastery based in Copenhagen , visited by a one of the most famous chefs in the World, René Redzepi. Upon looking at the bag, Los Hermanos from the La Union municipality of Nariño, Colombia with a name like La Indonesia, I was sold.

What splendid cup of coffee prepared by two very young female baristi on the Hario V60 and served in such a delectable manner, wine glass to highlight the notes with a stone covering the glass carafe. The taste was sublime, with hints of aged berries, subtle acidity and just a good cup of coffee. I think the way it was served added to the suspense and when I went to pay – the bill of GBP10 ($13) took me by surprise but I guess it was worth it.

CUP 9 (Urban Botanica, 30 Windmill Road, off Kennington Road)

In late June, our daughter moved to London toe start law school and after the aches and pains of looking for a property, she found one in Kennington. After scanning the area, she was like “I’ve found a good coffee shop for you to try when you visit”. And she was right. As we entered Urban Botanica, I spotted, yes, wait for it Kees Van der Westen machine – custom made with pink undertones.

So, having missed the opportunity at Hagen, I was presented here with the opportunity to have milk based drink on this famous machine and I opted for a flat white.

Beautifully made, suing Horsham Coffee, where the owner, Stephen used to work before, I highly recommend this place if you are nearby. I promise a longer post on this.

CUP 10 (The Shot, 104 Wigmore Street)

Walking behind Oxford Street with my daughter, I noticed this coffee shop across the road and was intrigued by a branding on the shop front as well as a nearby delivery van, so I thought , why not. So, have you ever been to a coffee shop that has a maitre d – someone who takes your reservation and guides you to your seat – very common for posh restaurants? Well, the Shot has that. Upon entering, the interior is quite dark but the gold encrusted Hario V60 breaks that monotone. The image at the top of this post is from their coffee shop.

I watched over as the baristi, who looked a bit intimidating with their waistcoats and well coiffed beards. We were handed a menu, which featured expensive coffees like Jamaica Blue Mountain, so l ordered a standard espresso

Easy to drink. As far as I can tell this is a new concept and they have another one in Mayfair – of course – another expensive residential community in London, not far from the Kings palace.

April 25, 2023April 25, 2023

Dubai Coffee faves: Milk Bar Dubai

When asked by my friends where we should go to for coffee on a Saturday morning during the Dubai Winter (20-25C), MILK Bar, located in Wasl 51 on Wasl Road near City Walk, easily rolls off my lips.

Located in the newish development of Wasl 51, which hosts a Michelin gourmand restaurant (Orfali Bros) together with a host of trendy cafes and breakfast spots, MILK, fits in with the upmarket feel of new places to hang out in Dubai.

As you enter, you are greeted on your left with a ladder (quirky) and an L-shaped serving and brewing bar, dominated with a La Marzocco Strada . As you walk further into the shop, a host of delectable cakes, pastries and sweets present themselves like they are saying, “don’t look, just order” – it reminds me of my display cabinet at my coffee shop in Cape Town back in 2011, which was based on the strategy, “people fall in love with beauty first”. Now, if you make the mistake of walking into MILK without sitting first, the temptation to order a cake or something sweet will be unbearable because they not only look great, they taste nice too. This is based on previous experience. Cheesecake below…

You’d be more impressed to know that MILK also bake their cakes and of course, as with everything in Dubai, you can order it home for that special occasion too.

But that’s not just it. Let’s talk about their food too.

I’ve been here with my family and friends too for breakfast many times. Not only do they have an exciting and not overly complicated breakfast menu, their prices are good value for money too. As someone who loves coffee and food too, especially breakfast, I confess that I must have tried at least four different items on their breakfast menu, from béchamel spinach poached eggs, Turkish eggs, pancakes and my current fave, the cornbread eggs benedict, below.

Although Milk actually opened a few years ago, I didn’t go until September 2021, when after having breakfast at a popular breakfast spot nearby, I went to MILK afterwards to get a cortado. First time, below;

Although they haven’t necessarily committed to just one coffee roaster, you’ll find that their coffee preparation is up to par. So, at the moment they are sourcing their espresso based beans from Grandmother roastery (one of my faves) and the filter blend using April from Copenhagen. I usually visit in the mornings and so opt for their espresso milk based drinks… or should I say, their cortado.

Taste profiles tend to be chocolate with hints of almonds, hazelnuts and milk chocolate. Favouring a more intense taste, I rarely order their cappuccino or flat white, but my fellow coffee nerd, Naveed, usually orders them.

A few months ago they underwent a renovation, which from what I could see, expanded the seating area and now gives you a window view into the kitchen. See video below.

Why go?

Good breakfast, relaxed seating, delectable cakes, friendly staff and off course coffee that won’t disappoint. Need I say more? Check them out.

Sweet endings!

February 25, 2023February 26, 2023

London Coffee stop over, January 2023

Last month I was in London again, partly because our daughter graduated from her masters in sustainable development – proud parents, praise God. Naturally, the graduation was one day but of course I took advantage of staying in freezing London for at least 6 days before heading back to Dubai to spend time with family and friends and drink good coffee of course.

Brickwood Cafe, 21 Battersea Rise, Clapham

I stopped in here for my first coffee of my trip to meet with my sister briefly as she was about to fly back to the States, so I ordered a corn bread benedict and a flat white. Brickwood still use Ozone Coffee, so you know it’s going to satisfy not just your caffeine thirst but your taste buds too. I’ve been here a few times as it’s just around the corner from where I stay in London.

The Gentlemen Baristas, 162 Piccadilly, Green Park

After an early start, where I had to meet a client, I opted to meet my wife and daughter at this cafe, where I’ve been before. As you enter, it is quite busy but what I liked was the Italian style greeting by one of the staff, who took our order due to the long lunch time queue and served us as we seated by the window. I opted for a cappuccino and my daughter for an Americano – her new go to for coffee. Their coffee is more on the dark roasted side, so expect dark chocolate notes with milk based coffee. Prego.

Arome Bakery, 27 Duke Street – opposite Selfridges – West End

Hanging out with my daughter, a keen foodie, I gracefully accompanied her to a Japanese bakery on her list. Sadly most of the delicious pastries and cakes that grace their instagram feed had sold out, so whilst she opted for a Japanese chicken savoury croissant, I noted that they had a three group La Marzocco Linea at the back, asked them about their coffee and ordered a cortado. The Japanese tend to favour a darker roast for espresso based coffee so I knew it would be give me a milk chocolate vibe, which it did. Good for pastry and coffee.

Kafi Cafe, 20 Cleveland Street, West End

Last summer I stopped at their pop-up shop at Lush on Oxford Street and decided this time to visit their actually coffee shop, which is quite quaint (attractively unusual) and small that you could easily walk past it. Hanging out with my brother on yet another sub-zero day in London, we ordered a cortado for me and a flat white for him. Kafi brew espresso on a La Marzocco Strada and use HasBean coffees – one of the OGs of specialty coffee in the UK so you won’t be disappointed. They have a strong vegan feel and some small bites, so stop here to grab coffee as sitting will be difficult – they literally have space for about 6 people inside and bench outside (good for the summer and spring I guess).

Rosslyn Coffee, 118 London Wall, City of London

So, I’ve saved the best for last. I first heard of Rosslyn a few years back and made a coffee geek inspired journey to their first coffee shop a few years back – read here. Recently voted best independent coffee shop in Europe, they now have three shops, centred in the City of London – i.e. where all the top banks, law firms, hedge funds are located. So, if you are having a high powered meeting and trying to cut a deal in a friendly good coffee setting, try their branch at Moorgate Station or London Wall. My daughter and I ordered a Long Black and Flat White respectively.

For milk based it was deffo milk chocolate with hints of hazelnuts. I went over to the head barista, Miles, and after highlighting my coffee geekiness, he took me around the back to show me their newish La Marzocco KB90 and their work flow. The most intrigue g thing for me and for him too, was the Uber Milk machine, which can now froth milk to a very high barista standard automatically, lessen the work flow when they have a huge influx of customers at peak times – they already have like 2/3 baristi. I was glad for the tour, walked around a bit, shot a video and left.

There you have it, a quick tour guide of some new places to drink coffee when you’re out and about in London. Please share any new places in the comments below.

February 14, 2023February 14, 2023

I was at the World of Coffee Dubai 2023

I can’t think of a wonderful way to start 2023 than attending a full-blown coffee event in my city, Dubai. This was the second edition of the World of Coffee (WOC) event in Dubai but there was no comparison to the 2022 edition, as the 2023 was on a much bigger scale.. perhaps about 6-7 times the size. Kudos to Khalid Mulla (president of SCA UAE) and the top brass of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), whose president Yannis Apostolopoulos, attended too.

However, it wasn’t just about the size of the venue but the buzz too, created by coffee geeks, like moi who crave learning, talking and speaking about coffee but to be usurped in an environment where you got to witness coffee professionals who work hard to ensure you enjoy your daily brew wherever you are in the World, share their passion and love for the bean. So, what else?

We had the latest tech on display from the espresso machine kings like La Marzocco, Victoria Arduino, Synesso, Slayer, Rocket and more –

We had other equipment highlighting the latest tech to roast, sort, filter brew and store coffee – we had coffee from coffee roasters not just from the GCC region but from India (Subko, Blue Tokai), Australia (Stitch Coffee) and Denmark (April) too.

We had the inventor of Cafec showing us how to brew coffee on his invention differently from what I had seen previously.

There were also talks on all aspects of coffee and I got to meet famous coffee podcaster, Lee Safar too. Dubai powerhouse, DMCC had a large booth showcasing their service offerings from a business perspective and their head, Saeed gave Naveed and I lovely gifts.

What else?

We had award winning coffee growers, coffee art, young baristi serving coffee from Panama, other coffee growing regions showcasing their coffee, UK and European coffee specialist – a special evening hosted by Garfield of Mokha 1450, where I met former WBC champ, Stephen Morrissey – I wrote about him here in 2008…

The list goes on and I met too many people that I won’t list so as not to offend anyone, BUT it was all about coffee, coffee, coffee – the title of my Instagram post that went viral. However, a major first was the UAE National Barista Championship, which was won by Mariam Erin, now of Cosmic Garden Coffee. I wrote about about her here when she was the UAE coffee brewers champ.

Organised across three days, I went twice with fellow coffee nerd, Naveed (blogger) and met other coffee geeks too – pic at the top.

Leaving my palate free for both days I ensured that I often started with an espresso-based milk drink – after all there were tons of people offering to make you free coffee using the Victoria Arduino Eagle One (I guess they sponsored the event). On my first day, I have to confess I lost count on how many coffees I tried – having been coffee fatigued on day One, I promised not to be drowned in coffee again on day Two but although I know I was a bit more reserved, I still lost count.

WOC was held in the venue of all Dubai venues, the World Trade Centre, which was apt for one of the first major events of the year. You could easily get lost and in fact there were few people I had wanted to meet and some booths that I wanted to visit that I found out were there after the event, but such is life.

Nevertheless, it was good to hang out with Naveed, talk coffee and then veer off to learn more about coffee from other specialists. It got me thinking about how far the coffee industry has gotten in the last 10-15 years since I fell in love with it. Back then, the focus was on the God Shot of expresso brilliance – talk about filter coffee let alone single origin was completely alien as filter methods like the aeropress or Hario V60 were not either invented or ignored – it was all about espresso and batch brew machines.

Now in 2023, even I was completely blown away by the type of coffee equipment not just for commercial outfits but for the home too. There are now so many options that I must confess, would be very overwhelming for a newbie or even someone that wants to start. Perhaps next year they could hold on the first day, a guide to brewing coffee at home, where the manufacturers display some of the items to break you in gently into brewing coffee based of course on your budget.

Other topics worth venturing in may be to do with sustainability – where climate change will affect how coffee is grown and eventually coffee farmers and all those that depend on it, for their livelihoods. I’m really passionate about this and plan to get involved somehow, so anyone reading this that has ideas, please send me a message.

As I sign off, I was touched by how some visitors to Dubai and the GCC in general were amazed by the quality of coffee on offer in the region. Again, I recall coming to Dubai many times before I moved here in 2020 and it wasn’t until Raw Coffee started about 10 years back did specialty coffee start its momentum – to see it get adopted so quickly and to see how people have become passionate about it, obviously brings a smile to my face and a warm comfort for my palate as I’ve always wanted to live a in a coffee focused city.

So, don’t wait until WOC 2024, visit Dubai not just for the sun, beaches, shopping and amazing buildings, but for the coffee too.

Ciao!

August 28, 2022August 30, 2022

9 places to drink coffee in London in 2022

Last month I had the pleasure of my palate and my inquisitiveness to visit London and naturally took the opportunity to visit as many cafes as I could, whilst visiting some tried and tested ones too in the process. Despite having scorching temperatures with the hottest day ever recorded in London at 40C, I wasn’t discouraged on drinking my coffee hot nevertheless. One proviso – I was in around the West End a lot, so most of these cafes are near Oxford Street. So here we go.

Omotesando, 8 Newman Street, off Oxford Street (new)

Famous in Japan and not with an outlet in London, Omotesando has a very Japanese minimalist design. As you enter you are greeted with their loge in a kind of lobby space before you turn right into the cafe, decorated with wood and clean lines, decked with a La Marzocco Strada espresso machine. The coffee is more on the darkly roasted style, so probably best with milk, which is what I had – a flat white.

Hints of chocolate and caramel if my taste buds memory serves me well.

Workshop, St Christopher’s Place, off Oxford Street (classic)

I’ve been here many times since they opened several years ago and on this very hot day – it was 38C, I knew I needed “hot” coffee after wandering the streets of London looking for a birthday card for my mum (hint: it is now very difficult to buy a physical birthday card in London). I opted for a filter cup using Ethiopian beans as I wanted something fruity to refuel my body before my search. To be honest the barista wasn’t very attentive – perhaps he was suffering from the heat but luckily I knew that the coffee would be roasted and their non-committed method – using the toddy, wouldn’t extract too much effort in preparing my delicious tasting coffee.

Blank Street, Charlotte Street, off Oxford Street (new)

A taste of Brooklyn, NYC in London is how I would start this report. In short, Blank Street are quite famous in New York and have landed in London in a big way, with plans to open a few shops – they have a few in London already and I later found out that my son’s friend works for them. I was drawn to the colours of the brand I must confess and upon entering and not spotting a manual espresso machine I was about to leave, when the very friendly barista offered to serve me. After sharing that I was thinking of not ordering because of my snobbish preference for manually brewed coffee, he convinced me to try an espresso on their unique automatic machine for FREE – how could I say no.

I must confess this is probably the best looking and tasting espresso I have had on an automatic machine. I’m guessing they manually pour their milk and they have a few healthy options on their menu to tempt the trendy healthy types to make this their main to-go.

Kaffeine, Great Titchfield Street, off Oxford Street (classic)

A classic mainstay on the London specialty coffee scene, Kaffeine won best European coffee shop during their honeymoon years. Nevertheless , they still serve Squaremile coffee and prepare coffee properly. Again. it was a very busy hot day – this was the 40C day and we no air conditioner in cafes in London generally, the staff were a bit frazzled, making me a bit nervous when I placed my order for a cortado.

Glad that the heat and the business of the cafe didn’t disappoint and I’m glad that I satisfied my coffee craving that day here.

Kiss the Hippo, Canal Square, near Kings Cross (new)

Moving away from the West End now as our daughter wanted to show us another “happening” enclave in London, Canal Square in Kings Cross is an enclave of restaurants, a food market serving exotic foods and the future home of FaceBook HQ, London. On our way to discovering, I spotted this little pop-up cafe and instantly noticed the name, which I have known for a few years now. I went for a cortado – it was 37C

Nice and creamy with hints of milk chocolate and recommended if you are visiting Kings Cross, which also has Caravan – see next post.

Caravan, Granary Square, (classic)

I must confess, I didn’t have coffee here as I had just had coffee at kiss the hippo but nevertheless having coffee here will not disappoint. They have a huge space which incorporates a roastery (the inspiration for many coffee shops in London and beyond) a full restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. We had brunch and then I went in to look around and bought two bags of coffee (see previous post for my experience ).

Highly recommended for specialty coffee and dining, plus they have a great online store (I ordered many times when I lived in Europe).

Lantana, 13 Charlotte Street, off Goodge Street and near Oxford Street (classic)

Another one of London’s mainstay in the speciality coffee scene but one I never visited due to logistical reasons. They are famous for their breakfast and brunches and of course Aussie style coffees. This was literally my last experience on speciality coffee in London on my trip. As it was a nice summer’s day, we sat outside but inside is very cosy and I can imagine queues forming on a cold and windy day, as I had initially wanted to come here for breakfast but that’s another story. I decided to order a coffee and cake.

I must confess I sent my first cortado back as I didn’t like the infusion between the milk and espresso, but the second one was worth the fussiness.

Kafi Cafe inside LUSH, Oxford Street (new)

I heard about this cafe when scrolling through HasBean instagram feed and was shocked to know that there was actually speciality coffee shop on Oxford Street itself (the rents are crazy). In short, HasBean is one of the most respected coffee roasters in England, haling from the very northern part, Huddersfield so I was excited to taste their coffees after several years (I used to order online several years ago). Located on the first floor of LUSH – a very smelly soap shop – you will be greeted at the top of the stirs with an array of coffee to your left and a lime green Black Eagle espresso machine. I ordered a cortado as usual (this is the main coffee I order if I’m craving milk based but want a higher proportion of coffee in the afternoon).

Nice cup of coffee using Ethiopian beans with hints of fruit and caramel. Kafi actually have a bigger shop located a few minutes away at 20 Cleveland Street. Highly recommended.

Grind at Soho, 19 Beak Street, off Carnaby Street (classic)

I’ve been here many times when I’ve been in the area craving specialty coffee and so this time was the same. Again I went for a cortado or as it a short cortado

The barista wasn’t the friendliest – I’m not sure if Brexit and the service based industry is doing well with grumpy baristi and n general service staff. I digress but back to the coffee. Yes it was nice and once the barista saw that I was enjoying it, she was a bit more receptive, asking what I thought. Luckily for me I prioritise substance over fluffiness.

In summary, you will be spoilt for choice when you visit London, which host tons of specialty coffee shops. They may not be the friendliest, as I have become accustomed to very friendly baristi customer service in cafes in Dubai but they will be passionate about preparing your cup of coffee – just don’t film them without permission nor expect to chat with them about the coffee and more.

January 23, 2022January 24, 2022

Drinking Coffee in Riyadh

Yes, you read that right and before you get the geography books, Riyadh is the capital city of Saudi Arabia (aka KSA). About a year ago, I started a job there as a Director of a Think Tank, which I did for 9 months – now why wouldn’t you take a job entitled Director of Think and where you are asked to think about how to change the world leveraging AI and robotics to solve healthcare and environmental problems – well, I did. If you want to know more, check my LinkedIn profile here for all the other serious stuff I talk about.

Before I delve into coffee, you’d be amazed to learn that KSA has got fantastic scenery, with the famous “edge of the world” a few hours outside Riyadh, a must go see. Here I am at another location.

As this is about coffee and love, you’d be amazed to know that the coffee scene is thriving in the heart of Arabia – after all, the Arabs named the best coffee variety “arabica” after themselves. Reportedly, the Saudi population spent an estimated US$300m in cafes alone in the first half of 2021 – now, that’s a lot of coffee – US$1.6m per day in a city of over 8m people – you could have lots of fun with these facts. Before I move on, I should add that Saudi Arabia have their own coffee culture too. After all, the first officially recognised coffee shop in the World was in Mecca. Now, here’s a summary of what I saw for myself based on what I should say “third wave” coffee;

there’s a coffee shop almost on every corner or shop cluster
people queue for coffee shops even at 10pm at night
people go to cafes to drink coffee even at midnight and beyond
the La Marzocco distributor must be happy as these machines are in the majority of coffee shops
there are many speciality coffee shops, serving hard to get Yemeni coffee
Saudi’s love Ethiopian coffee, importing three times more than the UAE (industry insight)
Even one of the local chains pays a great attention to detail in preparation
Yes, cold coffees are very popular, after all in the summer, 45C is normal for weeks
I visited one of the largest coffee shops in the World

So, here’s a quick summary of my coffee shop experience – drink on….

BREW 92

I’m starting with probably my favourite. You may easily get distracted by the impressive muriel but the coffee on offer is also quite impressive. First up, you can order their normal selection of coffees, which range from espresso based, cold brew and filter too, BUT upon close inspection at the till, you will be ecstatic to learn that they offer Cup of Excellence (CoE) coffees too. Yes, CoE are highly rated by world experts and naturally these coffees cost a lot more but if you want to treat yourself, you can pick up a really special coffee for about $65 for a 250g bag of coffee.

I, on the other hand, opted a for a special Yemeni coffee for about $24 for a 250g. Also on offer is food but the main reason that Brew 92 is one of my faves is the quality of coffee on offer and their attention to selecting coffees and preparation.

CAMEL STEP

Another one of my faves, recommended by my former colleague, as it’s his fave is Camel Step. They have a few locations but I only went to one – it was after dinner and I really wanted my after dinner coffee, so I opted for a V60 Ethiopian. To continue the experience at home, I bought a bag of coffee for my travels and to take back with me. Wow! I really enjoyed brewing this coffee at my hotel room every night during Ramadhan and upon my return to Dubai, where I shared it with my friend, Naveed. In short, the coffee was roasted in a way that really showed their attention to detail in their selection process and their roasting profile.

SULALAT

A bit difficult to pronounce but before I arrived in Riyadh, this was top of my list as a friend of mine had visited and said I had to go there. It was a bit far from my hotel but worth the wait and I’m grateful for my friend who took us there at night. As I entered, I couldn’t believe the size of the place, not to mention the number of La Marzocco espresso machines they had, including the latest, LEVA – see below.

It was like a factory. I’m sure if they were in the middle of any major city like London or NYC, they would be able to serve an espresso based drink very quickly with a lot of baristi to work the machines like clockwork. Watch video below to grasp the size of this place.

As soon as you pass the la marzocco gallery, you can spot a very large Loring coffee roaster to your right – definitely the biggest coffee roasting machine I’ve seen in my life. As you walk to the back, there’s tons of tools galore, right from the entrance on your left, all the way to the back with la marzocco linea machines, brewing gadgets and of course coffee. There’s also a little sitting area at the top. Again, definitely the largest coffee space I’ve ever been and a must if you visit Riyadh.

8OZ

Now, this is unusual for me, as I hardly ever feature a coffee chain BUT this was my go to every morning or at lunch time, as one of their shops was located within my work vicinity at the digital city. Of course, the first time I went, I was skeptical but once I tasted the depth of the coffee flavours packed with cocoa, berry, caramel and a long lasting finish, not to mention exquisitely poured latte art, I thought, “this is actually good”. It is no wonder that I went there often not just for my daily cortado or flat white fix even in 45C but to hang out with my former colleagues too – and yes they too used a La Marzocco Strada machine. I have to say, 8OZ may be my fave coffee chain in the World to date.

BREW BAR

Located at the bottom of the Panorama Mall, I first heard about the place from Dubai as the owner of this space called HUNA (it means here in Arabic), also owns one of my fave cafes in Dubai, Qahwaty. However for Brew Bar, he invited Huda, who was already famous in Saudi for developing a unique secret recipe for her home made cold brew coffee. Ahmed invited Huda to open up a cafe in Riyadh, serving coffee from Cypher of Dubai as well as other roasters. What you have here, is an unusual arty and intimate spot, stacked with Arabic literature, coffee, history and self help books. I went a few times and met friends here because I knew that the coffee would be good.

MID-SAJJ

Newly opened in June 2021 but with a keen attention to detail, is this new spot, near the new King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD). My friend took me here as I was craving specialty coffee all day and we just beat the crowd, as literally once we entered, a queue of about 10 people formed. Now, I knew that people queued for coffee in Riyadh but at that time of the day I was lucky that I didn’t have to, as I was literally “coffee” starved.

Other spots I visited and worth mentioning

ELIXIR

Very well respected with coffee lovers and winner of some awards is Elixir. They’ve got many locations too and I bought a really good but rare to find Democratic Republic of Congo arabica coffee here, which I brewed at home to the delight of my taste buds.

EQUAL

Situated opposite the very popular U-Walk, is Equal, where they serve Sulalat coffee, have a selfie mirror that attracts instagrammers and cool decor (top of the page).

THOUGHTS

Yes, I know that the name doesn’t sound very creative, but if you happen to visit U-Walk, which hosts some international restaurant brands, and you are craving coffee, then here’s my to-go- spot – I usually avoid chains. For coffee machine enthusiasts, you’ll be glad to see that they’ve got one of the most advanced espresso machines ever made, the San Marco OPERA along with other cool gadgets for brewing coffee.They also roast onsite and have ample seating area.

HJEEN ROASTERS

Another coffee spot that roasts it’s own coffee, with a great selection of coffee to take home.

THAT CAFE

I never got to visit this shop as it recently opened but the owner is a World Ibrik Turkish coffee champion and she will offer Turkish coffee as well as Third wave coffee too.

This list is by far not exhaustive and I’m sure since I was last in Riyadh (October 2021), more high end, speciality coffee shops have opened, where queues are forming even at midnight, but I’ve tried to give you a summary, so that when you are craving speciality coffee, you have options.

To find the locations, check instagram and google maps.

December 29, 2021December 29, 2021

Drinking coffee with Champions: Michaela Ruazol-Recera and Mon Alpas

As promised from my last post, where I mentioned “how often do you walk into a cafe and a champion offers to make you coffee”… well it happened to me twice and here, I was served by Champions – yes that’s the plural of champion – Michaela Ruazol-Recera, UAE Barista Champion and Mon Alpas, UAE Latte Art Champion. Scrolling through Instagram, I couldn’t believe when I saw on Goldbox Roastery (one of my faves) page that both champions would be at their roastery serving coffee. I promptly informed Naveed and off we went.

To be honest I was surprised that upon arriving around 1pm, that there wasn’t a queue – definitely if this was in London, Melbourne or New York, there would have been a long queue BUT I wasn’t complaining – more time to talk to the champions and enjoy my coffee. We even had a front row seat as Michaela explained the special process of her winning coffee, la Esperanza Mandela, stored in barrels for 30 hours – which was served – listen below;

Michaela in action

Fresh from competing at the World Barista Championship and the UAE Barista Championship, which she won again, Michaela seemed excited about trying to innovate the coffee industry and during the week I was there, it was also being served at her cafe, Typica in Jumeirah (yes, I went there a few days later to have it – let’s just say it tasted like vanilla ice cream). BUT we’re not finished yet.

Yes, that looks amazing but have you heard of “distilled milk”? Well, I recall Naveed mentioning it to me but I had never tasted it before – in short, it’s milk that is frozen and then in this case defrosted with 50% of the water removed making it a lot creamier and sweeter. This isn’t an easy feat as I have tried to froth cream before – yes, many years ago during my inexperienced wide eye years and no, it didn’t work. So, all I can say is “hat’s off” (English colloquialism for well done) to Mon Alpas for not only frothing the milk but pouring such wonderful latte art.

Mon in action

So, we had our coffee prep and brewed on the this wonderful Modbar by the UAE Barista champion and had our milk for our cortado prep and poured by the UAE National Latteeart champion – how often do you get to experience or say that ? Online Dubai.

The taste ???

Well, here’s my reaction – need I say more.

Excited me

Okay just a little – sublime in that usually when I’ve had any kind of macerated or anaberoic coffee, it’s been filtered and you can experience this unusual fruity caramel taste but in a milk based espresso coffee, it was Wow! sometimes words are not needed – just enjoy the experience.

And I’m not finished – I so enjoyed the experience that I asked for the cappuccino version – yes, it had more milk but also more coffee….. Yummy!

Needless to say It was great meeting Barbara Croce, owner of Gold Box too as she was in Dubai for a few days, so I got to talk coffee geek stuff too.

Feeling jealous ? Don’t be, because this coffee will be made available at Typica if not now, then very soon as Michaela can’t wait to INSPIRE others with her new creation.

November 1, 2021November 1, 2021

Dubai Coffee: Welcome Barn Berlin

Imagine my surprise when I heard a few weeks back that the famous Barn Berlin, Best Independent Coffee Shop in Europe 2018″ AND “Best Specialty Coffee Roaster in Europe & Middle East 2019″were opening their first international outlet not in another major city in Europe, but all the way in the Middle East, in Dubai. I was on the one hand a bit surprised but I was thinking ….. perhaps when Ralf visited Dubai he was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the coffee culture in Dubai and thought “hey! I need to share my coffee philosophy in this city. 🤔”

I never got the time to ask him why but I was honoured that upon their opening in mid October, Ralf was there not just to welcome me and my friends but also to make one of their special coffees on the V60 – lucky me.

Set in a very European setting I have to say, Barn Berlin Dubai is located in Kazzan Park, opposite the glitzy City Walk. Yes, across the road there are lights representing the essence of Dubai but there’s a calming ambience in the park that hosts Barn Berlin Dubai.

The shop itself is quite small – again typical of a quintessence European coffee shop and as you enter on the right you are greeted with the Brew Bar, which houses a La Marzocco 2 group linea espresso machine and a set of Hario V60s at the ready

As you look to your left there’s an open view bakery kitchen, where recipes from Barn Berlin and Ralf’s family bake on site German style pastries and cakes. So what you might miss from the roastery has definitely been made up with a live German bakery kitchen…..

On display across the cafe are bags of coffee “roasted in Berlin” and you have a pick from filter, espresso and highly prized filter based coffee – yes, think Hacidenda Esmeralda from the famed Panamanian coffee estate and Anaberoic fermented Yemeni coffee – yes they may cost a bit more than your average coffee but trust me Dubai’s coffee hunters buy them as soon as they arrive from Berlin.

I’ve already been twice since they opened – first to be served coffee by Ralf and second with my wife, who loved the tea (yes, she doesn’t usually take coffee, but she liked the German style carrot cake).

As the weather gets cooler by Dubai standards (25C is great trust me), it’s a great place to have coffee in the park – there’s a lot more seating in the park and outside the shop than inside. You can sip great roasted coffee, eat German recipe treats and look at the tallest building in the World – now how’s that for the DRINK OF THE ESCAPIST.

For more info see https://thebarn.de/pages/the-barn-dubai

July 31, 2019

I was @ OR Coffee Roastery, Brussels

This is like part two of my previous post, when I visited Brussels to attend the ICO SDG Coffee Symposium. Prior to visiting for the day, I obviously checked out the speciality coffee scene in Brussels and although few came up, the one called OR Roastery stood out. In any case from what I could deduce from the map, there was one centrally located but I wasn’t sure if it would be near the symposium. As I had not been to Brussels in like ages (my memory puts me visiting there around 1987 and that was a long time ago) I was looking forward to visiting again, albeit for a day.

Although there was coffee during the coffee break, my fussy palate was not satisfied with what was on offer. Having arrived late and after spending my lunch break networking with the coffee aristocrats, I decided that during the next coffee break, I would wander not too far to look for OR Coffee and wow! It was like God wanted me to visit, because would you believe it, right outside the Sofitel Hotel where the afternoon sessions were taking place, was the OR Coffee shop I was looking for – located on the corner of Place Jourdan and Rue de Cornet.

As I walked in, it had that air of Anglo-Saxon and by that I mean you could be in London, New York or perhaps Australia, with green tiles, wood and exposed brick and copper pipes overhead – a relaxed atmosphere, with displays of their coffees, gadgets, etc. to the right hand side – see pic at the top. It was quietish but not empty. In fact it was a bit too relaxed for me as I was eager not to miss any of the sessions and waiting about 10 minutes for my coffee, made me a bit impatient even though I was second in the queue but I didn’t know that people sitting down were still waiting for their coffee. In short, don’t come here rushing for coffee, at least not at 3pm in the afternoon, but I’m sure that they can handle crowds during rush hour. In any case, it gave me the opportunity to walk around to stretch my legs and soak up the atmosphere, browsing their menu, which reminded me more of a London cafe especially when I saw their cakes, cheesecake, red velvet, etc – oh! how I wished I had come here for lunch instead. Walking over to their coffees, I was pleasantly surprised , after having just mentioned to someone that I haven’t seen Tanzanian coffee for years, to see a Tanzanian espresso blend, which I grabbed very quickly with a smile.

Eventually I got my coffee, brewed on a La Marzocco GB5, served by amiable staff a flat white, with two shots, using their house blend – just what I needed.

I did some more research on OR Roastery, which you can view here

In short, they are the first specialty coffee power house of Belgium – they roast, they teach you how to roast, set up a coffee business, provide coffee to your office, have a few locations and more.

Upon my return home I was happy to have purchase their Tanzanian Espresso Blend.

The bag says rhubarb and high acidity, but for me it was the aftertaste even with milk, coating the outside of your tongue with a berry like acidity – delicious and something I haven’t had in a while – tempting for me to order for delivery to Vienna in the not so distant future.

So, in summary, if you visit Brussels, try and visit OR coffee along with the other speciality coffee shops you may find on your list.

April 15, 2019

Brunch and Coffee @ Brew Cafe, Clapham, London

As many of you might know by now, if you sift through my Instagram page, you will know that I am not only passionate about coffee, but food and fashion too. In fact before coffee, it was food. When kids at school would be asked about their hobbies, I would always say art and food. So, in 2019, I’m going to be talking a bit more about food, especially my favourite meal of the day, BREAKFAST. For me, the ideal meal always involves good coffee and breakfast is so exciting because you start your day off with it.

Located on 45 Northcote Street, about 7 minutes walk away from Clapham Junction Railway Station, Brew Cafe is a very busy cafe, as there are not many cafes like it in this area. We arrived there around 1030am on a Sunday morning and luckily we didn’t have to queue for long – about 15 minutes. Typical of a London morning in March, it was a bit cold and cloudy, but as there were 4 of us and we didn’t want to wait an additional 15 minutes, we sat outside with blankets. Within a few minutes the queue started and it was obvious that it is very popular with young couples.

First up, I knew I wanted coffee and found out that they get their coffee from Allpress Espresso – one of New Zealand premier coffee roasters, who opened up in London about 9 years ago in East London. Already familiar with their name, I could safely order coffee. So, I went for a cappuccino, brewed on their La Marzocco Linea machine;

As you approach their cafe, they have a placard outside, saying “best coffee in London”. I’m not sure about that but I may give them my “best coffee in Battersea” award. The coffee was well prepared and worth the wait. Now, whenever I stay with my brother, who lives about 7 minutes away, I know where to come and get a good cup of coffee before delving into London.

Now, to the food. This was confusing because they have so many nice things to order; Turkish eggs, which my daughter and brother went for; Sweetcorn fitters with tomato jam – tempting; folded eggs, which my son ordered; blueberry pancakes… and more. In the end, I went for Hake and Crab Fishcakes topped with poached eggs and hollandaise with spinach under their “big plates” section;

Yum! See the full order below, with my side of smashed avocado. My son’s folded eggs must be the largest egg dish I have seen served at a cafe or restaurant and if you are really hungry, I would definitely recommend that – it must have been at least 4 eggs.

But there’s more. Based on their focus to order fresh and use very high quality producers, there are a lot more tempting things on their menu, which I would love to sample another day, especially their desserts and cakes – I ordered a take away New York blueberry cheesecake for my wife, but they have carrot cake, red velvet cake and even better you can order the whole cake to take home and you know I love desserts.

In summary, a great place to have brunch, breakfast, lunch and dinner – for the latter, their branch in Chiswick (pronounced Chissik) have specials in conjunction with La Luna cinema and offer wood fired pizzas too. I’m really looking forward to visiting again and you know how much I love a place that is passionate about preparing coffee as well as food. Definitely, one of the type of places I would like to own in the future God willing, well done Brew Cafe.

Check them out on http://brew-cafe.com

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: