Tag: flat white

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Time for a Flat White

I was at the services on the M42, and rather than go into the main building, I went to Starbucks, which stands alone, mainly as it is a drive through (not a thru) but has a “normal” bit as well with tables and chairs.

Flat White

I ordered a flat white, like I usually do, and I was reminded why when it comes to coffee that I rarely go to Starbucks as the coffee tasted as though the beans had been over-roasted, so great coffee taste, but left a rather unpleasant burnt after-taste.

Despite the coffee, the flat white had been prepared really well, the milk was smooth, velvety and light as it should be. I quite enjoyed it in the end.

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Tasty coffee in the hustle and bustle

In the midst of shopping decided to stop at Paterisse Valerie in Cribbs Causeway for a quick coffee. Actually we didn’t want a quick coffee, what we wanted to do was take a break from the crowds, sit down and have a coffee. We did consider going to Pret a Mange, but the queue was really long, and at least with Paterisse Valerie we could sit down and chat while we waited and while we waited for the coffee.

We ordered a few drinks, but I went with a flat white, whilst my eldest went with a latte.

For a French sounding place I feel I really should have had a cafe au lait, but the reality was that no such coffee was on the menu.

The flat white was strong and intense with the smoothness of the milk offering a nice contrast.

The place was busy, so service was slower than I might like, but we spent the time chatting, so it wasn’t an issue.

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It’s kind of what I expected…

Usually when I stop at the services on a long car journey, I venture in, see a high street chain, look at the prices and then walk out.

Well at least I managed to stretch my legs. Sometimes though I am known to order a coffee.

On my most recent visit to Membury Services, I decided I would buy a coffee, and went to Starbucks. I am actually not a great fan of the flavour of Starbucks coffee, but with no choice, I ordered a flat white.

flat white

I had quite low expectations, so in the end I quite enjoyed the coffee. It was kind of what I expected.

Though I have visited the Membury Services many times it was only last year that I realised it was next to an airfield, when I heard and then saw an airplane coming into land.

Though checking Wikipedia I realise that it was only more recently that aircraft have started flying from the airfield, as the airfield was closed in the 1960s with the construction of the M4. The services are located on the original site of the RAF Membury. The base was opened in 1942 and was used by the RAF and the USAAF.

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That was a nice coffee

coffee

On my way to our office in London I was walking down Gray Inns Road. Before it meets High Holborn, and up the road on the corner with Baldwin’s Gardens, is a great little cafe called Catalyst.

I have been here before and really enjoyed the coffee I had. So having some time before my first meeting of the day, and it been a really long time since I had coffee, I decided to stop and have a flat white.

The food looks really interesting, but also seems a little pricey compared to the coffee. So not feeling hungry I had the coffee,

They certainly take care when making the coffee, and they will bring it to your table, so I took a seat and waited. They did initially confuse me with another order, but then my flat white arrived it looked perfect.

Now I am not sure if I left it too long, but I was distracted by my laptop, so it wasn’t that hot. Now I think it might have been me, rather than them. Even so it was a really nice coffee.

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Nice coffee

Working in London, I popped into Fernandez & Wells on Denmark Street for a quick coffee. Though I like working in our offices, sometimes working in another place, with decent coffee, is a nice alternative. I was walking to our offices, when I decided that I wanted a coffee and though I passed a few places, I didn’t fancy going to a chain like Costa or Caffe Nero and London is full of independent and small chain coffee places.

I did at first walk pass Fernandez & Wells, but then did a double take and walked back, looked in and decided, though I didn’t want any food, but did want coffee.

Fernandez & Wells has a few branches across London. This branch is described as a trendy hangout, okay so they let me in. The wooden floors and furniture create a nice warm ambience and environment. There was a warm welcome and I quickly placed my order for a flat white. What I did like was that I didn’t need to wait at the counter for my coffee, I could take a seat, get the laptop out and get on with some work.

The coffee arrived speedily and looked great. It also tasted great.

Flat White

This is a lovely café and the food menu looks interesting too.

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Nice coffee

Wanting a coffee and somewhere to sit to do some work, I wanted to try something other than the usual high street chains such as Costa and Caffe Nero. The 58 High Street branch of Taylors in Oxford, looked nice and inviting, and the sign said they had seating inside. Great I thought, time for coffee.

I asked for a flat white and a croissant, which was part of a morning offer. Alas it was only after I ordered that I realised that the so called seating was in fact some stools at the back of the shop. The coffee was going to come in a paper cup, rather than china, and the croissant in a paper bag! Not quite what I wanted or was expecting. I had to ask if they had butter for the croissant, they gave me margarine… that isn’t butter.

The service was excellent, very friendly, warm and welcoming. Not over the top, nor in your face. You were made to feel welcome and important to them as a customer and then they ensured you knew what was happening and when. This is important if you are unsure of the process of ordering, receiving and other stuff with coffee.

So I got out the laptop and got working, the coffee was actually rather good, and the croissant was fresh.

I think this is an ideal place for takeaway, but isn’t a place to sit and do stuff whilst drinking coffee.

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Good flat white

I had some time to kill before a meeting in London, needing coffee and a place to catch up with some work. A few of the places I had see in the Clerkenwell area were busy, so pleased to see there was some room in a branch of Benugo. It was early afternoon, so there was no queue and I ordered a flat white. The flat white looked and tasted great. The seating wasn’t very comfortable, but even so it was adequate for catching up with stuff.

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Nice coffee, but the service is a bit of a yolk

On my way into work decided to try somewhere new for coffee. I quite liked the look of Yolk, it felt stylish but not too hipster. The breakfast menu looked very interesting and tasty, but I wasn’t hungry, I just wanted coffee.

I was quickly served, which was nice, and my order of a flat white along with my name was taken.

The process then was to wait for ages for the coffee, they had three people taking orders, but only one person making the coffee, so of course the orders were backing up.

I did get my coffee in the end, but there were loads of coffees in front of me. I’m glad I didn’t order a latte as there were plenty of those, and many had no names. The slowness and randomness of the serving of the coffee did put me off slightly, but I might go again, mainly as the breakfast menu was tempting.

Having said all that the coffee was rather nice, well made and tasty.

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Time for an Arnolfini coffee

Arnolfini

It’s been a while since I’ve had something to eat or drink at the Arnolfini in Bristol. With the wealth of new places popping up, it’s been tempting to go to new places rather than old ones. It’s also a little bit of a trek from the office for a quick lunch, so usually it’s off the cards then too.

Having a walk around the Bristol Harbourside on an unusually sunny day we decided to stop for a coffee and as it happens we were close to the Arnolfini, so without too much indecision decided to go there. Well that’s not exactly how it happened. We actually wanted to go to Mokoko Coffee & Bakery on Wapping Wharf, however one of our “little” ones didn’t fancy any of their cakes so we went to buy ice cream instead. After getting ice cream from the van outside the bottom of the MShed we decided we could go have a coffee. Having crossed Princestreet Bridge and having now finished the ice creams, were close to the Arnolfini, so without too much indecision decided to go there!

As can be expected on a sunny day at the weekend on the Harbourside the tables and chairs outside the Arnolfini were very busy, we were happy to sit inside, but as it was busy there was a bit of a queue. It moved faster than I thought it would and I ordered my coffee, a flat white, a tea and a Diet Coke.

As we were sitting inside, we were told they would bring the drinks over and we could go and sit down. I really like it when places do that, it feels so much more civilised than moving down to the other end of the counter and waiting around for your drink, or for your name to be called. Too many times for my liking when that happens I seem to lose my drink to someone and I need to complain and wait again. I have stopped calling myself “James” now when ordering coffee, as there appears to be too many Jameses out there.

The inside of the Arnolfini hasn’t changed much over the years, it felt like a hipster place before hipsters became hip. The shared long tables and benches are still there and the atmosphere is warm and inviting.

While we were waiting we looked at the menu on the blackboard and we agreed that we liked all of the items and it would have been difficult to choose one. Made me think that I might come back another day for lunch.

Coffee at the Arnolfini

The flat white came and I was impressed. It was smooth and velvety with a lovely strong coffee taste. In other words done right.

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92°

I had arrived in Liverpool for a conference, and though I had been there before I didn’t really know the area too well.

After parking the car and dropping off my luggage at the conference venue, I headed off to get some decent coffee. There was only instant coffee in my room, and well all now that is not really coffee!

There was quite a choice as I walked down Hardman Street, but 92° caught my eye and though it was near to their closing time I popped in for a flat white.

I had a lovely warm welcome from the staff and the environment was relaxing and the kind of place I like, what with assorted wooden furniture and leather seating. The building benefits from high ceilings and full height windows that fill the room with light.

As for the coffee, that was delicious.