Top Three : Coffee

21 Oct

I hate coffee, so I’ve commissioned Anthony Harrisson (@anthonyharrison) as a guest blogger to provide his Top Three : Coffee.

Please note that this post is not about cafes, purely about coffee.

1. Market Lane Coffee – Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road
2. Seven Seeds – 106 Berkeley Street, Carlton
3. Auction Rooms – 103 Errol Street, North Melbourne

Writing a review on ‘Melbourne’s best coffee’ is a contentious one given the subjective nature of the topic.

When reviewing this topic we can be somewhat objective ensuring barista, bean, machine & environment are all in check but sometimes a good coffee comes down to the person – what they like/dislike & how they’re feeling on the day.

We’re fortunate to be in the best city in the world for coffee. I’ve enjoyed brews from Europe to the Americas and I’d challenge anyone that can put forward another city with the diversity and quality of coffee that Melbourne has to offer.

Market Lane Coffee serve, without doubt, the best coffee in Melbourne. They source amazing product from the key coffee growing countries in the world. They roast in-house creating some amazing blends and also offer a huge range of single origin coffee. Their cafes serve espresso coffee as double shot which gives a full flavoured, strong taste. I rate Market Lane on their alternate brewing menu as is always flush with their great coffee available in simple filter form. If you’ve never sampled black coffee before then head to Market Lane and enjoy a pour over – it’s just like indulging with a fine wine! While you’re there pick up a bag of their Cascara Tea. It’s a refreshing drink made from the dried cherry pulp leftover after the coffee been has been washed and dried.

Seven Seeds are synonymous around Melbourne for producing amazing coffee. Not only do they have a ripping cafe in Carlton they also supply a number of great Melbourne cafes including Dead Man Espresso and The Premises (among many others) plus owning De Clieu and Brother Baba Budan. Seven Seeds get my vote for the best espresso coffee in the city.

The Age/Melbourne Magazine Coffee Army recently voted Auction Rooms as the Number 1 coffee in Melbourne. Their espresso blend (called Candyman) is distinctive and flavoursome and in summer don’t forget to try their cold brew – it is nectar of the gods!

My tips for finding good coffee
Melbourne has a great independent cafe scene so feel free to pick a suburb and explore. My rules for finding good coffee:

  1. Look if they do alternate brewing techniques (filter coffee such as aeropress, pour over etc.) if they’re into this side of things then they usually care about coffee enough to make it exceptional.
  2. Look for a good brand espresso machine – La Marzocco, Synesso and Slayer are what the top tier guys choose. In my mind a cafe owner isn’t going to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a machine and pump out crap.
  3. Look at the beans and the barista – if the coffee is from an independent roaster then that’s great. If the barista is sampling and tasting as he/she is making every once-in-a-while then even better. They’re my rules for success – they’ve very rarely let me down!

Footnote
Unfortunately this blog is all about the Top 3 – those that miss out by a whisker are Padre, St Ali, Axil & Proud Mary. Also not sure why I haven’t but I’m yet to sample Patricia Coffee and Clement Coffee both of which I’ve heard great things. I’ll post an update if they crack it into the top 3!

Thanks
I want to thank Anthony for writing this Top Three blog. Shame he broke all the rules by adding a footnote! Was too scared to go out on a limb and provide only three.

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Top Three : First Date

2 Oct
  1. Rooftop Bar & Cinema – 252 Swanston Street, CBD
  2. Gin Palace – 10 Russell Place, CBD
  3. Blue Diamond Club – 15/123 Queen Street, CBD

I’m not too sure if it’s a good thing, but I’ve been on plenty of first dates! Having been to all of these Top Three : First Dates on actual first dates, and currently inexplicably single, I guess I can’t definitively say whether they are actually good first date spots… but I certainly enjoyed them.

The Rooftop Bar and Cinema is the best summer date venue in Melbourne. You cannot go wrong with city lights, deck chairs, blankets, cocktails and crepes. Not to mention moonlit cinema as the sun goes down on a barmy summer night. If you can’t impress here, you’re doing it wrong.

Gin Palace is plush and luxurious, yet homely and eclectic. It has a phenomenal array of cocktails, however they’re best known for martinis. It’s not cheap, but find a private corner nook and enjoy a night of drinking, simple bar snacks and flowing first date conversation.

The Blue Diamond Club is an absolute hidden gem. It’s hard to find. Not a ‘end of a laneway’ hard to find, but ‘is this a soulless residential tower?’ hard to find. Cautiously take the lift to the 15th floor and walk into a Manhattan style penthouse. The tapas food and extensive cocktail menu is good, but to be honest it’s all about the view and 1920′s speakeasy musical interludes.

Let me know how you go.

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Top Three : Gigs with Drinks

23 Sep
  1. The Toff in Town – 252 Swanston Street, CBD
  2. Bennett’s Lane – 25 Bennetts Lane, CBD
  3. The Night Cat – 137 Johnston Street, Fitzroy

The Toff is my fav spot for dinner, drinks and a gig at the moment. You have the choice of Cookie or Choo Choo’s for a pre-gig snack (both providing excellent food!) and great value music. The music is diverse, cheap and plentiful! A great mid-week night out – whether on a date or with friends. Turn up to something you’ve never heard of and be surprised.

Bennett’s Lane is an institution and the best jazz bar in town. Such an intimate venue, with true jazz cred. If you’re lucky you may even get to see a superstar play a surprise side-show. Reasonable value tickets, expansive drink menu (it’s where I first discovered Amaretto Sours, which will forever be my jazz drink) and simply stunning, creative and soul inspiring music.

I dare anyone to leave The Night Cat after a show without feeling on top of the world. It’s clearly the best drinking and dancing venue in town – especially if you’re into jazz, funk, soul, groove, afro-cuban and reggae beats. The dance floor surrounds the band, so you can carve it up and not miss a thing. Take a date and woo them with your best dance moves and alcoholic inspired ambition.

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Top Three : Big Night, Late Night

16 Sep
  1. Stalactites – 177 Lonsdale Street, CBD
  2. Supper Inn – 15 Celestial Avenue, CBD
  3. Snag Stand – Corner Swanston and Elizabeth Streets, CBD

It doesn’t really matter about the quality of food, you just want to eat and soak up the alcohol after a big night out on the town.

Stalactites and The Supper Inn are late night institutions. A dirty suva at one, suckling pig and Chinese at the other.

My fav alcohol fuelled snack is a dirty suva, and they don’t come dirtier and tastier than Stalactites. Don’t eat in! Head straight to their take-away section and eat it on the street. But beware, if you’re looking for a little bit of late night action… garlic sauce!

There’s something soothing about stumbling up the old, rickety stairs at the Supper Inn, and attempting to walk back down calmly after getting your fill of Chinese tea and mystery meat. Awesome late night Chinese fare with no pretension. Cheap, cheerful and quick… perfect.

Snag stand is the new boy on the block and provides the best hotdogs in Melbourne. Unfortunately they close at 12am, so it needs to be an early night, or a massive afternoon session to make the most of a big session. Their artisanal sausages, brioche rolls and plethora of toppings are just what the Dr ordered. You can also eat them with one hand while stumbling… brilliant!

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Top Three : Dude Food

16 Sep
  1. Coda - 141 Flinders Lane, CBD
  2. Mamasita - 11 Collins Street, CBD
  3. Chin Chin - 125 Flinders Lane, CBD

With Chin Chin and Mamasita all the rage at the moment, Coda slips under the radar and is an awesome venue for dude food and fun night out with friends. Their crispy prawn and tapioca betel leaf and tempura bugs are two of the most memorable dishes I’ve eaten in the past few years. It’s also easier to get a table than the other two! It’s not a bad spot for a date – especially before a show.

Mamasita is my favourite Mexican restaurant in Melbourne at the moment. Get there before 6pm or you will have to wait on the stair case. The first thing you notice is the vibe. It used to be the Recorded Music Salon and some of that hipster goodness has remained. Don’t leave without eating the elotes callejeros (chargrilled corn), de Huitlacoche quesadillas (mushroom) and either of the ceviches. Get a jug of sangria and finish it all off with the helado de maíz (sweetcorn ice-cream cone with caramel and popcorn).

It’s way too hard to get a table at Chin Chin, so get there early and be prepared for a noisy atmosphere. Try the kingfish sashimi, pork and green apple salad and the banana roti. The service is spot on and the menu full of all sorts of surprises – always ask for at least one recommendation – they never fail to impress.

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Top Three : Hotdogs

15 Sep
  1. Snag Stand – Cnr La Trobe and Swanston Walk, CBD
  2. Bratwurst Shop & Co – Queen Victoria Market
  3. Walker’s Doughnuts – 26/2 Elizabeth Street, CBD

Snag Stand is relatively new on the scene and is an absolute winner. The artisanal sausages, brioche rolls and multitude of toppings are stunning. Open late across the weekend – nothing better on the way home from the footy or after a big night out on the town.

Bratwurst Shop & Co at the Vic Market is an institution and a must eat. The queues are long, but it’s worth the wait. Traditional european sausages with sauerkraut, onion and mustard on a crispy roll. Pop across to the fresh fruit juice stand opposite and you have the perfect lunch

Walker’s makes the Top Three based on pure, unadulterated Americana. The Chili dog is my fav, but there are plenty of variants to choose from depending on which side of America you prefer. The sugary, soft, white rolls are old school. Follow it up with a hot jam donut and you’ll be in heaven – and full to the brim.

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Top Three : Dumplings

15 Sep
  1. Shanghai Village – 112 Little Bourke Street, CBD
  2. Hu Tong Dumpling Bar – 14 Market Lane, CBD
  3. Mask of China – 115 Little Bourke Street, CBD

Shangai Village is Number 1 based on taste, value, ambience and service (or lack thereof). I love down and dirty dumplings and this ticks all the boxes. Amazing value, bad service and a buzzing atmosphere make this place the best in Melbourne. Get their early to avoid the queues. Cash only, BYO alcohol, pour your own tea, mix your own chilli and vinegar dipping sauce… perfect.

The xiao long bao at Hu Tong are out of this world! If you’re looking for high-end dumplings this is your best bet. You have to book and try to get on the second or third floor.

All three are great for a night out as a couple, as well as small or large groups. Getting a long table on the third floor of Shanghai Village for a large group is always great fun, especially when you bring a bottles of wine and plenty of beer.

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