Starbucks Cabot Circus

Balcony seat - nice. Coffee - not so much. Thin layer of micro foam. Bitter chemically-tasting coffee underneath. Didn't finish it.

Lashings - sitting in

Art of a kind. Nice coffee. Velvety enough. Good work.

Tart - no art

For those that don't know Tart's a posh tea and cake place. Unfortunately they don't know their way round a Flat White. Watery coffee beneath some desultory foam and no froth art. Disappointment.

Consistent Costa

Still not my favourite tasting brew, but well nigh perfectly made.

Review You

OK, so I read a review on the Bristol Culture blog where Martin said "the Bird Table café on Coldharbour Road in Redland serves a great flat white" and I thought 'easy tiger, I'll be the judge of that.'

So I gave it a go. I had arranged a meeting there with the vicar of all people and as he arrived The Rolling Stones' Sympathy for the Devil was blasting somewhat inappropriately out of the Bose speakers (hence this post's title).

Anyway, whether it's the best in town or not, I'll need a few more before I decide, but it was very nice. Velvety throughout. Strong and tasty. No foam art to speak of, but there's always next time.

You're not wrong Martin, it's certainly up there (better than Boston Tea Party IMHO).

Boston Tea Party

The Park St one. Nice rebrand by the way. Good art. Good texture. Über-strong as ever. Buzzing now. And will be all day I don't doubt!



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More Costa

Henleaze. Nice fern, OK coffee. That's about it really. No fireworks.


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#1

Still no art! Too harsh to be velvety. Meh. But a lovely day. So joy unabated.


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Costa, again

No mixing involved here. A tale of two layers. Warm milk - felt I could go catch some zzzzzs right after drinking. Coffee or not.


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Updates

This weeks delights:

1. Tinto Lounge

It wasn't down to the barista (Friday 18 March) - another #notquiteflatwhite.

2. BTP

So, to try to avoid the intense bitterness of BTP's blend, I asked for a single shot FW. I was told that was an impossibility, it was three or nothing but I could have a foamy latte. Touché. Nobody's fault but my own.

And to the delightful correspondent who kept thinking of me (well, this blog actually) every time she had a coffee on a trip to New Zealand - wot no photos?????

Weekly round up

This week I have mostly been drinking loads of coffee. Various circumstances conspired to keep me out of the studio and away from my work. So when out and about it was either pub or coffee shop. Not liking to hit the sauce before the sun is over the yardarm, it's been the latter I've been frequenting. With mixed results:

First up my old friend Coffee#1. I have to say it really comes down to the barista. One serves up a perfect FW, all microfoam, velvety texture right to the bottom and neato foam art, the next a cappucinoesque milky coffee with a squiggle on top. This was a bit of both, neither perfect nor nasty. So so.



Next Tinto Lounge. Odd 'un this. In a tall mug. A nice milky coffee, but not a FW. No discernible fernage. It was breakfast service though and perhaps their regular barista hadn't come in yet...




Finally Boston Tea Party. As ever here, bit messy and dead bitter coffee, but held its velvety texture right down to the bottom. And we all know it's the velvety bottom we're after. FWIW had a takeaway FW from the BTP in Clifton Village last week, the coffee was OK but the lovely Antipodean who served me really made my day - a charming young lady.




Needing a lower caffeine day, had a cup of oolong yesterday, but that's a whole different cup of tea....


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Two shots at #1

Shoulda asked for a single. Wired now. A word to the wise - don't mess with me today...




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Wot no posts for 4 months?!?

Haven't you been drinking coffee? Er yes

Why no posts, then? Been busy working...

If you can stop to drink coffee, you can post here. Fair point.

Here's the catch-up - a few Costas first - disappointingly OK - some good fern art tho, especially Greg's at Costa Golden Hill (no. 4). Kudos Greg.

Now here's the best Bristol has to offer so far - Bubalu (sporty studio place), Gloucester Road. Nice yoghurt & granola too. They takepride in their coffee - both in its sourcing and making and it shows. Proper velvety throughout (no fern art though - but does that really matter? You decide). Worth the Flat White premium!

Then a takeaway from the new Lashings on the Lower Redland Road - not much to see here - good if a touch bitter, but as you can see from the micro-froth coating the side, it pretty much kept smooth throughout.

Will be more assiduous and post while drinking from now on. Sorry.