East India Company Review

7 Conduit St, London W1S 2XF
http://www.eicfinefoods.com/

This tea and coffee shop is great for high quality drinks, situated just off Regent Street. It has quite a posh feel inside, with lots of different brew methods and products - such as chocolate covered coffee beans! (And free samples, always great).  It seems like most of their products are tea's, though they also have plenty of coffee!  The staff were really friendly and helpful, talking to me about the tins which they used to sell and also suggesting which coffee would be best for me.  

I bought the Red Dragon Mocha Java, which is the strongest bean they sell. (http://www.eicfinefoods.com/products/red-dragon-mocha-mysore-coffee-beans-250g/)  It is a blend of Ethiopian and Indonesian beans with quite a strong blend.  The packaging is quite nice, with the one way filter and labels telling you about the coffee.  They have their logo, and a really nice design on the front - Simply a coffee bean and leaves, but it being simple is what makes it stand out.

There is quite strong a cocoa smelling aroma when opening the beans, with a medium roast it seems - The colour is nice and even around the bean, except for the split around the middle.  

The espresso had a lovely dark golden brown crema, and mixed great with milk to make a flat white.  The first sip was quite strong with a cocoa flavour, followed by a caramel after-taste.  As you get through the drink, there is a lovely flowery flavour, balanced with orange and green apple citrus - fruity yet also chocolatey and strong! Can't go wrong with this mix! Nearer to the end, there's a dark cherry taste - This kind of makes it taste like black forest.

I loved this coffee - only let down by the expensive price tag (£9.95 for 250g).  I rated this 4.9/5!  

(Sorry I haven't written any posts for a while, been in Birmingham starting my guide for there - not sure when it will be ready, will visit plenty of places to try get a great list!) 

Pact coffee (Fruit & Nut)

www.pactcoffee.com
Pact coffee is a London based coffee subscription site.  It works by picking a frequency of how often you would like coffee, and they simply send you a bag of freshly roasted coffee (with free postage) that normally comes the next day.  The latest they send you coffee is 7 days after roasting, keeping it nice and fresh - but if you go for pre-ground, it also means you can get it to rest for a few days before getting it ground and sent.  This should help bring as many flavours out as possible.  The packaging is also quite clever, as the bag of coffee fits in a large cardboard envelope - This fits through most post boxes, meaning you also don't have to wait in all day to get your well-needed coffee.

The customer service of this company is better than what I have received from various other companies.  I cancelled my subscription after a few bags last year, as I simply couldn't afford it - This year, I got a call from them asking if I wanted a free bag! So obviously I accepted, and thought I would give it another try.  This first bag was lost in the post, but after telling them, they straight away sent a second bag and recommended how long to rest the coffee for.  The customer service team reply very quickly and seem to also know a lot about the different coffee's that they sell. (Had a couple fails, but Ruth Smith helped! Some great customer service!)

There is a decent range of coffees, with 6 caffeinated and a chocolaty decaffeinated blend.  These range from sweet and fruity filter profile coffee's to fruity espresso's. to dark chocolate espresso blends.  I am pretty sure that all of the blends are from Brazil and Columbia - These are often chocolatey but also often sweeter or fruity,  These can often also lack flavour however.  I did order a bag around a year ago of Marmalade Espresso blend from Brazil and El Salvador. This was quite sweet, though didn't have massive amounts of flavour in my opinion.  However, I will not rate this or focus much on it, as this time last year I didn't have quite as good of a machine as now, and I was less experienced with flavours of coffee.  Thinking back about this blend, it would probably have still been nice as filter brewed.

The Fruit and Nut espresso has quite a dark crema, which as a flat white is quite nutty and a tiny bit earthy at first, mixed with a gorgeous creamy milk chocolate flavour.  As the coffee goes along, there is a slight citrus orange hint.  The second flat white that I made with this was a little more chocolatey I think, with a slight almond hint.  I could taste very slight hints of grape and berry, balanced with a slight lemon citrus hint.  For Flat White, I would rate this 4.4/5, as it was really tasty, but just couldn't taste enough of the fruit! There were definitely slight hints, just could do with being a little stronger in my opinion.  

Science Cream (LIQUID NITROGEN ICE CREAM)

28 Castle Arcade,
Cardiff,
South Wales,
CF10 1BW
www.sciencecream.co.uk

This place isn't necessarily a coffee shop, but as I am doing a Physics degree, it amazed me! They do also sell coffee (and affogato!), which will be reviewed later in this post.  As you walk in, and even in the sign, it looks partially like a chemistry lab (just with KitchenAid mixers instead).  It had a real modern feel to it, and was definitely an experience.  The workers were very friendly and knowledgeable about the ice cream, recommending what they taste like.

The outside

A nice touch that they have is that they actually make the ice cream while you wait - meaning you will always get extremely fresh ice cream! (Plus, it looks pretty awesome being made).  The liquid nitrogen is poured on the mix, while being mixed, and by the time the ice cream is made, all of the liquid nitrogen has evaporated.  This means that it is completely safe too, as there is no liquid nitrogen left inside! Plus, since it is made quickly, it makes it insanely creamy.

Where the magic happens!

The next time going here, I firstly thought I would have an affogato, but with pina colada ice cream, because why not?! I like espresso, I like pina colada and I like ice cream! They use James' Gourmet Coffee (same as the plan, Ross on Wye roasters) formula 6 blend.  I forgot to get a picture, but the ice cream and espresso is served separately in modern glasses.  At first sip, it was a little strange (because obviously, pineapple and coffee), but after a little bit it mixed really well, and was weirdly tasty! I think I might start a pina colada and coffee cocktail or something and revolutionise coffee... Or not.. But it was actually really nice - super smooth and creamy ice cream as always, and good coffee, with a nice dark crema!

Following this, I tried their Salted Caramel Snicker-doodle ice cream - Salted caramel ice cream with chocolate fudge sauce and salted peanut brittle.  This was also pretty epic.  It was so sweet, but so nice! This has to be my favourite ice cream place by far!

Snickerdoodle!

P.S. - If anyone knows where to get liquid nitrogen (with not too much difficultly), please say! 

London coffee bean review - Drury Tea and Coffee

3 New Row, Covent Garden, London, WC2N 4LH
www.shopdrury.com

Property of Drury Tea and Coffee, thanks for letting me use it! 

In London, I visited Drury Tea and Coffee in Covent Garden.  It had a really friendly feel inside, with several classic dispensers of coffee, like what they have in Fortnum and Mason! This is a really nice touch, because it means you can get whatever amount of coffee as you like, with it being freshly packaged and weighed.  The company was established by three Italian brothers in 1936, and is still a family run coffee firm, roasting coffee freshly with a lot of knowledge of the stuff!  Another thing to note is that all of the beans that I saw was that the they were all roasted very evenly all around.

As well as the coffee, they also sell plenty of equipment to make it, from espresso making equipment such as tampers and grinders, to aeropress to drip filter makers.  They are also Rancilio suppliers, which is very useful for me as its the brand of my machine!  The worker in the shop who helped me pick was very friendly, and also extremely knowledgeable about coffee, explaining which tamper and scales would be the best to use.  He also has a great knowledge of the coffee, suggesting a few blends which he thinks I would like.  I absolutely loved the feel of the place.

As well as coffee supplies, they also sell plenty of tea and tea supplies - many many types of loose tea, and the tea pyramids.  I didn't buy any of the tea, simply because I don't drink a lot of it, but you could see the massive selection.  This place is an all round great place for hot beverages!

Packaging - Similar for all blends, different sticker

Moka D'or Espresso Blend
This is a dark roast blend from all Arabica beans from around Central and South America, which are often quite sweet beans from my experience.  A dark roast from a selection of Central and South American beans interested me, also being told that it has been made by the company for many years (good sign!).  It is also quite cheap, quite similar to supermarket coffee (around £14 per kg, and also get bulk discounts!), making it a great one to buy a load of if you are running low on money (like me all of the time being a student...).  At first, these beans have a quite strong, fresh aroma with a strong cocoa smell.

These Dark roast beans

This coffee as a Flat White has a lovely strength - quite strong, so can taste all the flavours, but not too overpowering.  Even though it is reasonably strong, it is also nice and smooth with a background of walnut and cocoa flavours.  It also has great flavours of green apple citrus, with a balance of brown sugar and caramel.  After drinking it, it has an amazing after-taste of the same flavours.  These flavours are reasonably weak, but strong enough to taste properly and enjoy - it is sometimes nice not to have heavily over-powering flavours!  I would rate this coffee 5/5, as I could not think of anything wrong with it.

Nice crema, reasonably dark

Caffe Cuidado Medium Roast Espresso
From first look, the beans seem a little lighter roast than Moka D'or.  The coffee is made from 100% Rainforest Alliance certified arabicas.  Its described as "Well balanced, bright tasting and well-rounded with spicy and aromatic undertones".  This sounds interesting, being bright and spicy too.  The aroma has hints of cocoa and I could pick out the spicy smell from the aroma of the beans.

great colour!

The first coffee I made with it was quite sweet at first with caramel flavours, followed by some green apple.  However, this didn't get all of the flavours out because it was a little under-extracted, making it a little sour and mild.  The second coffee made with it (both flat whites), was much better! It had a nice dark crema, and a strong, fresh cocoa flavour at first taste balanced with a tiny bit of cinnamon or pepper.  It was a little earthy at times, but it had a caramel and slight orange aftertaste.  Nearer to the end of the coffee, the dominant flavour I found was a sweet green apple.  I would give this coffee 4.6/5.

Caffe Siena Espresso
This coffee is described by mellow and rounded, with a bite and an aromatic edge.  Once working out what aromatic meant, I had to agree with it.  It has a strong but gorgeous fresh smell, like a bright nutty and cocoa smell, possibly including a little fruit.

The first sip of the first coffee was bright and sweet, with a caramel flavour mixed with orange and slight green apple. It was the perfect strength!  The second cup, which was a little less milky, had a black pepper bite at first. After a bit, it was a little nutty but also with some brown sugar hints.  It seems like a good bean, as there are different flavours from different amounts of milk.  I would rate this 4.8/5 because of the different flavours in it.

The second coffee

Just to end on, I did try Caravan Market Blend again, after resting for a little - a few more flavours have come out, after about 10 days resting.  These were a little cocoa, with some berry and fruit, possibly orange with a nice aftertaste.  I will rate this 4.5/5.

Day in Bath!

This post won't be completely about coffee, but about food and drinks in general - I found a few amazing places in Bath for food, coffee and cocktails after deciding to take a trip there.  This was a reasonably caffeinated day with my best friend!
(Coffee is about half way down)

The Real Italian Pizza Co.
16 York Street, Bath, BA1 1NG
First up was lunch - Saw a sign to an authentic pizza place, so thought "hey, why not - even bad pizza is pretty decent!".  (Was about 2PM so we were pretty hungry!)
It did not disappoint!  This pizza had so much flavour, it was incredible - Easily the best pizza in Britain I have tried, same standard as in Italy! It was nice to finally find somewhere with as good pizza as Italy, without having to spend insane amounts for planes, hotels etc.  Kind of wish now that I had an espresso in hope that it was as good as the pizza!  (Maybe next time).  And to make it even better, I could use my tastecard!

Last bit of my meaty pizza!

My friends veggie one! 

As well as the food, the restaurant had a really nice Italian feel, with pizza being made in-front of you, and a beautiful courtyard at the back with flowers and a view of nice buildings.  Situated right by Bath Abbey, it also has gorgeous surroundings.  They also accept most major Italian restaurant vouchers!

Real Italian Ice Cream Co.
Next door to the pizza place, they own an ice cream place with proper Italian Gelato made on premises.  They also sell waffles and pancakes which both look pretty amazing!  This was our evening ice cream craving sorted - I had a massive cone with 5 scoops as I eat plenty.. Green apple, Oreo's, Lemon Meringue,  Peach and Hazelnut.  These were all so creamy and tasty! My favourite was Green Apple, and actually tasted like apples, just a little sweeter! This has also been the best ice cream I have tried in Britain.  (I did have a massive ice cream in Italy, around 15 scoops which beat this just!).   If anyone is around Bath, I recommend these two places! You can also tell that this is popular, as there is constantly a large queue outside.

Colonna and Smalls
6 Chapel Row, Bath, BA1 1HN
And now, back to coffee!  The outside of this place looks different to most coffee shops - almost like an antiques shop because of the awards on stands in the window.  It almost feels like a hidden treasure, being in a nice building then walking in and seeing the espresso bar with all of the pastel blue cups on top of the machine.  Then as you go further back, you realise there is almost a secret garden outside, which was lovely to go into on a sunny day.

At the point where I came in, I needed a caffeine boost quite badly, so went for a flat white, which can be drank quickly, but also tests many abilities of the barista.  There was a nice touch, with three beans for espresso, and three for filter - After a look at the flavour profiles, I thought the Ethiopian one looked interesting!  It came with a quite well defined Heart-Tulip, with some well frothed milk.  At first, I tasted a little cocoa and a reasonable amount of almond balanced with nougat.  There was also a banana flavour mixed with a few other creamy fruits.  I haven't actually tasted a coffee like this, with the creamy fruits - it was a pleasure to drink! 

the flat white!

After trying this, I noticed this cooling looking contraption - A smart beam heater with a coffee syphon.  I was still tired, and wanted a more refreshing drink as it was sunny, so decided to have the same Ethiopian coffee from the syphon! You could tell the barista knew what he was doing, as he explained to me what it is, and how it works.  The coffee I had from it was different to what I've had before from a hot coffee. It was incredibly refreshing, with a sweet lemon and apple citrus flavour, mixed with possible berries.   I had to rate this a 5, being one of my favourites I've been to.

The syphon!

Be At One (Cocktail Bar!) 

The Vaults, 11 Brunel Square, Bath, BA1 1SX

The end of the day called for a few cocktails!  This bar was right next to the train station, which was useful to not miss the last train... We got there around 10 minutes before happy hour finished, and luckily ordered a load of drinks 2 minutes before it ended to get 2 for 1! When we first got there, it was rather manic because of the happy hour, but worth it because they were pretty awesome cocktails! The Cuban Zombie was quite strong, but also nice and refreshing and fruity, being nice in the evening after a busy day.  

The Plan, Cardiff Review

28-29 Morgan Arcade, Cardiff CF10 1AF
theplancafe.co.uk
This review is about one of my favourite coffee shops and cafe's, and is a must-visit if you are in Cardiff.  Situated in the Morgan Arcade, it has nice surroundings and is in a lovely 125 year old, grade 2 listed building.  This building feels a little vintage, and fits well with the arcade, which you have views of from inside.  With two floors, there is plenty of seating, but still fills up quickly, being popular! (Also having some famous people visiting once in a while including Matt Smith as Dr Who, which was filmed here before!).    

                




For the coffee - I have never had a bad one in this place.  The barista's are all extremely well trained, and many have worked there for a long time.  In addition to this, the head barista came fourth place in the UK barista championship in 2010, and is still the only welsh finalist.  He is also an extremely friendly guy, having chatted to him a few times in the cafe, and via email.  (Have also got some great coffee advice from him!).  There are also tips for brewing coffee on his blog, which I will add a link to at the bottom.  Every coffee I have drank here has had incredibly defined latte art on - All with great definition, quite a dark crema and almost perfect symmetry.  They also have a board behind the counter telling you where the espresso originates as well as some tasting notes, with the beans being roasted locally.

The beans used are roasted by James' Gourmet Coffee Roasters, as well as guest beans (Links at the bottom). The roasters is situated in Ross-On-Wye in Herefordshire, and always send freshly roasted beans, making it able for the coffee shops to completely decide the freshness of the beans.  The Plan was one of the first cafe's in Cardiff to sell artisan, third wave coffee's, including Flat White's, and have been since 2007 (so are very used to it!).  The cafe use a great Astoria Plus4U espresso machine, and a modified Anfim Super Caimano grinder - both looking very impressive and give impressive results, helping the coffee taste even better.  The beans used for espresso are normally Caffe Naturelle, complimented with seasonally changing blends or single origins.  

View of the bar and coffee from upstairs

 In the summer, they also serve a great cold brew.  This is brewed slowly overnight using a coarse grind, and cold water to extract as much flavour as possible, without any chance of burning the coffee or having flavour lost from the water cooling down.  It is also a great way to lose the acidity.  The cold brew I had was made with Finca La Falda filter profile beans from Columbia.  This farm translates to "The Skirt Farm".  They're grown and picked 1940m above sea level, and then undergo a washed process.   This had a lovely lemon flavour, balanced equally with brown sugar and caramel, making it have a lovely sweet lemon flavour.

On top of this, The Plan has a great selection of food, from salads to crepes to burgers - all top quality and locally made! It also has a selection of Vegan foods (which I haven't tried but heard its good).  Everything in this place is great quality, and featured in The Independant's top 50 coffee shops (deservingly and being one of the only cafe's).  They also make a mean chocolate milkshake, one of the best I have had!

UPDATE

The other day, I went back here (as I was in Cardiff), so had a Columbian Cafetiere, to see how it compared to the cold brew.  It has a nice touch, that it comes with a little egg timer to tell you when it has finished brewing, to get the best flavours.  At first it had a cocoa base, with more of an acidic taste than the cold brew.  After this, you could taste a nice sweet lemon flavour, balanced with a little caramel and brown sugar.  This is definitely the best cafetiere I have tasted. and one of the best filter style coffee's - nice and sweet, but not too much so you can taste all of the flavours! Once again, a great coffee from the brew! 

Few Links
http://thebeanvagrant.com/ - Trevor, The head barista's blog.
His twitter is also @TheBeanVagrant.
@ThePlanCafe
http://jamesgourmetcoffee.com/ is the roasters website.