Today it was our turn, and given the date we decided on a Halloween theme.
My team really aced it this time:
Friday, October 30, 2009
Spookie num nums
Each Friday a different team at my work takes a turn in providing morning tea. My branch is the smallest and we take great pride in upholding a fine culinary standard.
Today it was our turn, and given the date we decided on a Halloween theme.
My team really aced it this time:
Today it was our turn, and given the date we decided on a Halloween theme.
My team really aced it this time:
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Fine Art in Perth
The Perth Town Hall is currently hosting an art exhibition by three local Perth artists - David Giles, David Guhl and David Mitchell.
One of the artists, David Guhl, had his inaugural solo exhibition at the Perth City Hall in March 2008. That exhibition 'truly madly delightful' was an amazing success with all 28 art works being sold on the opening night.
The three Daves have come together to combine their techniques and show of their diverse talents. (You can see a little preview of Dave Guhl's work at Down Syndrome WA's website. The image to the left is one of Dave's works - titled 'The Kimberley' )
The artworks to be displayed have been created in a collaboration by the three artists specifically for this exhibit.
Mr Guhl is an artist who has an intellectual disability, and has been creating and exhibiting art for seven years.David Mitchell has acted as a mentor to Mr Guhl and curated his first solo exhibit. David Giles, the third local artist, is also an advocate for artists with disabilities.
The exhibition will run in the Perth Town Hall from 21 to 29 November 2009. Admission is free and the venue is accessible to all.
One of the artists, David Guhl, had his inaugural solo exhibition at the Perth City Hall in March 2008. That exhibition 'truly madly delightful' was an amazing success with all 28 art works being sold on the opening night.
The three Daves have come together to combine their techniques and show of their diverse talents. (You can see a little preview of Dave Guhl's work at Down Syndrome WA's website. The image to the left is one of Dave's works - titled 'The Kimberley' )The artworks to be displayed have been created in a collaboration by the three artists specifically for this exhibit.
Mr Guhl is an artist who has an intellectual disability, and has been creating and exhibiting art for seven years.David Mitchell has acted as a mentor to Mr Guhl and curated his first solo exhibit. David Giles, the third local artist, is also an advocate for artists with disabilities.
The exhibition will run in the Perth Town Hall from 21 to 29 November 2009. Admission is free and the venue is accessible to all.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Gloria Jeans appears to have dropped Mercy Ministries… : Sean the Blogonaut
Gloria Jeans appears to have dropped Mercy Ministries… : Sean the Blogonaut
Sean the Blogonaut has scrounged an interesting tidbit from the ragged pages of the Daily Telegraph - apparently GJ's have moved on from their support of Mercy Ministries, a Hillsong linked group that was recently involved in some controversy around its practices.
According to Gloria Jeans this separation took place in April 2007 - however, my own observation in Perth where I pass several GJs is that the Mercy Ministry collection boxes were still in place just a couple of weeks ago - so it is either a much more recent development or the WA stores never got the memo. . .
I hope that GJs might consider supporting local charities - or ones that have transparent governance arrangements so that giving is as sweet as their coffees.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
NZ Dining - Winnies (Queenstown)
While walking through the Queenstown Mall on our first day there we were accosted by a charming young lady bearing pizza. I have always found pizza to be an attractive accessory for a girl so we stopped and sampled what seemed to be a capsicum laden piece of pizza. I've never been a great fan of bell peppers but this one was actually very sweet and not as overpowering as many I have tried here.
In one quick stop we had simplified our dinner plans.
Winnies is mid way up the mall in a large upstairs area with a great balcony, big fireplace and a remarkable roof (more on that later).
It was a bit dark on entry but our eyes soon adjusted and it was in fact quite a comfortable level of light to dine by. Looking around it appeared to be a pub trying to be a pizza place and not knowing the history if the place we had fun speculating whether in fact it might be a pub where the bar snacks just got a little out of control.
Whatever it was, it is fun and the pizza was great. It was also quite child friendly and early in the evening the vast majority of patrons are families. As we were getting ready to depart we could see the skiiers starting to arrive to fuel up for a night of partying.
Junior Grendel Number One brought his headphones and his Nintendo and thus was able to dodge the noise of the place successfully. He loved the fireplace though and was suitably impressed after delcaring that he was getting too hot so suddenly feel a blast of icy night air as the roof above us split in two.
This was quite a sight and where we were sitting we could see all the way to the top of the peak on which the gondola station rests. It was a unique way of changing the air in a bar!
The pizzas are great and I highly recommend them - the kids menu is good and Junior Grendel Number Two was pleased two nights in a row with the Spag bol they had on offer.
Being a bar they also had a good range of on-tap beers. Mrs Grendel discovered the Monteith's Raddler and I tried the cider, both came in a tankard and remained favourites as we travelled around the country.
A very enjoyable Queenstown dining experience.
Who: Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar
What: Really yummy pizza, unusual temperature control feature
Where: 7-9 The Mall, Queenstown
Contact: 64 3 442 8635
When: 18-19 September 2009
Accessibility: Impossible if you use a wheelchair, hard if you have vision impairment and challenging if you have autism (take headphones/ear protection!), however if you just want to try the pizza they do deliver.
Web: Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar
In one quick stop we had simplified our dinner plans.
Winnies is mid way up the mall in a large upstairs area with a great balcony, big fireplace and a remarkable roof (more on that later).
It was a bit dark on entry but our eyes soon adjusted and it was in fact quite a comfortable level of light to dine by. Looking around it appeared to be a pub trying to be a pizza place and not knowing the history if the place we had fun speculating whether in fact it might be a pub where the bar snacks just got a little out of control.
Whatever it was, it is fun and the pizza was great. It was also quite child friendly and early in the evening the vast majority of patrons are families. As we were getting ready to depart we could see the skiiers starting to arrive to fuel up for a night of partying.
Junior Grendel Number One brought his headphones and his Nintendo and thus was able to dodge the noise of the place successfully. He loved the fireplace though and was suitably impressed after delcaring that he was getting too hot so suddenly feel a blast of icy night air as the roof above us split in two.
This was quite a sight and where we were sitting we could see all the way to the top of the peak on which the gondola station rests. It was a unique way of changing the air in a bar!
The pizzas are great and I highly recommend them - the kids menu is good and Junior Grendel Number Two was pleased two nights in a row with the Spag bol they had on offer.
Being a bar they also had a good range of on-tap beers. Mrs Grendel discovered the Monteith's Raddler and I tried the cider, both came in a tankard and remained favourites as we travelled around the country.
A very enjoyable Queenstown dining experience.
Who: Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar
What: Really yummy pizza, unusual temperature control feature
Where: 7-9 The Mall, Queenstown
Contact: 64 3 442 8635
When: 18-19 September 2009
Accessibility: Impossible if you use a wheelchair, hard if you have vision impairment and challenging if you have autism (take headphones/ear protection!), however if you just want to try the pizza they do deliver.
Web: Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar
NZ Dining - Hikari Izakaya in Queenstown
It was at Hikari Izakaya on Beach Street in Queenstown that we first discovered that Junior Grendel Number Two loves Japanese food. He has always been more interested in trying new things than his older brother but astounded us with the range of new foods he was willing to try.
He ate an entire bell pepper salad along with sushi, sashimi and soba noodles. Actually looking at the 'S' theme of that sentence he missed out on only one thing - the Saki! (mine, all mine!).
Hikari Izakaya is a small neat restaurant what serves a small by delicious assortment of Japanese dishes. The quality of the food is very good and the staff polite and seemed to appear exactly when needed without interrupting the dining experience.
It was also one of the quieter places that we visited in Queenstown - although on our second visit there was a rowdy crew of drunk Canadian skiers who were having trouble finding the menu, pronouncing the items and ordering anything coherently. Dinner AND a show that night!
In a more general comment - Japanese food was almost unheard of in New Zealand when I visited in 1989 but on this trip we were amazed not so much at its presence in nearly every town but by the truly great quality compared to many places here. Sushi in particular seems to be a point of pride in New Zealand and one food hall in a mall in Auckland had the most amazing array of sushi that I have ever seen in my life - it was a display that would put lesser sushi bars in Perth to shame and make the better ones sick with envy.
I asked the chef if I might take photographs - but he declined, understandably, because these were works of art that others might copy. This one not a one off and we repeatedly saw amazing edible art at many sushi bars across Auckland.
Who: Hikari Izakaya
What: Superb Japanese cuisine
Where: 5 Beach Street, Queenstown
Contact: 64 3 442 9030
When: 20 & 21 September 2009
Accessibility: Adequate
He ate an entire bell pepper salad along with sushi, sashimi and soba noodles. Actually looking at the 'S' theme of that sentence he missed out on only one thing - the Saki! (mine, all mine!).
Hikari Izakaya is a small neat restaurant what serves a small by delicious assortment of Japanese dishes. The quality of the food is very good and the staff polite and seemed to appear exactly when needed without interrupting the dining experience.
It was also one of the quieter places that we visited in Queenstown - although on our second visit there was a rowdy crew of drunk Canadian skiers who were having trouble finding the menu, pronouncing the items and ordering anything coherently. Dinner AND a show that night!
In a more general comment - Japanese food was almost unheard of in New Zealand when I visited in 1989 but on this trip we were amazed not so much at its presence in nearly every town but by the truly great quality compared to many places here. Sushi in particular seems to be a point of pride in New Zealand and one food hall in a mall in Auckland had the most amazing array of sushi that I have ever seen in my life - it was a display that would put lesser sushi bars in Perth to shame and make the better ones sick with envy.
I asked the chef if I might take photographs - but he declined, understandably, because these were works of art that others might copy. This one not a one off and we repeatedly saw amazing edible art at many sushi bars across Auckland.
Who: Hikari Izakaya
What: Superb Japanese cuisine
Where: 5 Beach Street, Queenstown
Contact: 64 3 442 9030
When: 20 & 21 September 2009
Accessibility: Adequate
Friday, October 16, 2009
2010 WA Barista Championship
With the Barista Championship now only three weeks away it is time to make sure you have registered for the Barista comp, cupping comp or latte art comp.
Go to the Australasian Specialty Coffee Association website to register!
Go to the Australasian Specialty Coffee Association website to register!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Dateberry Delish
I really should leave the creation of names up to someone else, but while the name I have given these treats might seem a bit bland that is certainly not the case with these delectable morsels.
Ingredients:
Method:
Slice the strawberries thinly and drizzle with balsamic. Allow these to rest while you slice each date in half lengthways, removing the stone.
Place the strawberries in the halved dates, trickle honey over the portion then top with a cashew. If you like you can also add a few flakes of pick Murray River Salt for a great flavour contrast.
Simple, quick and amazing with espresso, turkish/greek coffee or black turkish tea.
Ingredients:
- Medjool dates (fresh dates from the fridge at your grocer)
- Small strawberries (smaller berries have more flavour)
- Thick balsamic vinegar (I prefer the Mazzetti gold label - 4 leaf vinegar)
- Honey
- Roasted, salted cashews
Method:
Slice the strawberries thinly and drizzle with balsamic. Allow these to rest while you slice each date in half lengthways, removing the stone.
Place the strawberries in the halved dates, trickle honey over the portion then top with a cashew. If you like you can also add a few flakes of pick Murray River Salt for a great flavour contrast.
Simple, quick and amazing with espresso, turkish/greek coffee or black turkish tea.
Kashiwa Mystery Cafe
Via Fark.com I followed a link this morning to Cabel's Blog. Cabel Sasser is the Co-Founder of Panic, a company that produces some very cool looking Mac apps.
Currently Cabel is visiting Japan and stopped by a cafe in Chiba prefecture, East of Tokyo. The cafe, in the town of Kashiwa is known as the "Mystery Cafe" because you receive whatever the person before you ordered.
While it sounds both weird and potentially fraught with disaster, Cabel's description of how it works also makes it somewhat appealing - I wonder if any Perth Cafe's would be willing to give it a whirl for a day - it would only work out for single person orders and not for the big runs of corporate orders we seem to see, but fun nonetheless.
The cafe has five rules:
Go read the whole post on Cabel's Blog, the idea seems so beyond what we would consider, but charming in its own way.
Keep an eye out for the beautiful Yashika large format camera on the table - I used to drool over the thought of owning one of these and never have quite managed that ambition!
Currently Cabel is visiting Japan and stopped by a cafe in Chiba prefecture, East of Tokyo. The cafe, in the town of Kashiwa is known as the "Mystery Cafe" because you receive whatever the person before you ordered.
While it sounds both weird and potentially fraught with disaster, Cabel's description of how it works also makes it somewhat appealing - I wonder if any Perth Cafe's would be willing to give it a whirl for a day - it would only work out for single person orders and not for the big runs of corporate orders we seem to see, but fun nonetheless.
The cafe has five rules:
- Let's treat the next person. What to treat them with? It's your choice.
- Even if it's a group of friends or a family, please form a single-file line. Also, you can't buy twice in a row.
- Please enjoy what you get, even if you hate it. (If you really, really hate it, let's quietly give it to another while saying, "It's my treat…")
- Let's say "Thank You! (Gochihosama)" if you find the person with your Ogori cafe card.
- We can't issue a receipt
"Mike went up to the cafe, slapped down a couple thousand yen (~$25), and ordered a little bit of everything: some ice cream, some snacks, some candy, some drinks, a Japanese horn-of-mysterious-plenty intentionally set up as a shocking surprise for the next lucky customer. (After his order, Mike received single iced coffee.)
As we walked away from the cafe, with just the right amount of delay, we heard an extremely excited "arigato goazimasu!! thank you so much!!" yelled in our direction, from an ecstatic mom and her equally excited young son. They truly appreciated the surprise."
Go read the whole post on Cabel's Blog, the idea seems so beyond what we would consider, but charming in its own way.
Keep an eye out for the beautiful Yashika large format camera on the table - I used to drool over the thought of owning one of these and never have quite managed that ambition!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
NZ Coffee Highlights - Rivers Cafe in Murchison
After the stunning drive up the West Coast of the South Island we turned inland just South of Westport to follow the Buller River to the East. Murchison is in a lush valley once you come through the gorge and we were exhausted already by the drive which was during an intense storm that was bringing down trees and causing rock slides all along our route.
Rivers Cafe, on Fairfax Street just off the main highway, was a welcome relief. We ordered some lunch and coffee with hot chocolate for the Junior Grendels.
I ordered a Shepherd's pie, but was delivered a piece of the Venison pie - I didn't complain as I had been tossing up between the two and I figured I'd count it a fortuitous error. I was correct, the venison pie was stunning and I have not enjoyed such a rich mean as much as that in a long time.
The coffee was very well prepared and to top it off they had a good internet cafe that allowed us to catch up with a few emails and make a quick post.
It was a very enjoyable stopping point - especially for the Junior Grendels who had a play area and a warm fire. As a bonus we got to sit inside and watch the snow fall on the peak across the valley.
Who: Rivers Cafe
What: Amazing Food, cozy fire and great coffee (Havana Coffee Works)
Where: 51 Fairfax St, Murchison
Contact: 64 3 523 9009
When: 24 September 2009
Accessibility: Very Good
Web: Rivers Cafe
Rivers Cafe, on Fairfax Street just off the main highway, was a welcome relief. We ordered some lunch and coffee with hot chocolate for the Junior Grendels.
I ordered a Shepherd's pie, but was delivered a piece of the Venison pie - I didn't complain as I had been tossing up between the two and I figured I'd count it a fortuitous error. I was correct, the venison pie was stunning and I have not enjoyed such a rich mean as much as that in a long time.
The coffee was very well prepared and to top it off they had a good internet cafe that allowed us to catch up with a few emails and make a quick post.
It was a very enjoyable stopping point - especially for the Junior Grendels who had a play area and a warm fire. As a bonus we got to sit inside and watch the snow fall on the peak across the valley.
Who: Rivers Cafe
What: Amazing Food, cozy fire and great coffee (Havana Coffee Works)
Where: 51 Fairfax St, Murchison
Contact: 64 3 523 9009
When: 24 September 2009
Accessibility: Very Good
Web: Rivers Cafe
Thursday, October 08, 2009
NZ Coffee Highlights - C1 Espresso in Christchurch
We went to C1 yesterday morning - a quirky little caff that out-grunges Seattle and that also has (to the Junior Grendel's delight) a working Dr Who pinball machine and a shopping centre style pony ride (circa 1960-something).
We went to four cafes in our brief stay in Christchurch - only two of these were on my list, the other two were walk-ins and I have to say that I am impressed with everything I have seen here so far.
C1 had great coffee - roasted by C4, good service (which is particularly handy when you have small ones in tow) and the food was exceptional. I had eggs benedict on the best bagel I have ever had in my life!
The ristretto was served in a heavy-bottomed glass, ideal for the purpose and was a good balance between acidity and savoury.
The flat white was well balanced with the espresso sitting nicely above the milk on the palate. Mrs Grendel had a cappuccino - also superb. This turned out to be her favourite cafe of the trip so they must have got everything right!
C1 - great cafe, great style and great coffee.
Who: C1
What: Great coffee and choice nosh
Where: 150 High Street, Christchurch 8142, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 379 1917
When: 16 September 2009
Accessibility: Tricky
Web: C1 Espresso
We went to four cafes in our brief stay in Christchurch - only two of these were on my list, the other two were walk-ins and I have to say that I am impressed with everything I have seen here so far.
C1 had great coffee - roasted by C4, good service (which is particularly handy when you have small ones in tow) and the food was exceptional. I had eggs benedict on the best bagel I have ever had in my life!
The ristretto was served in a heavy-bottomed glass, ideal for the purpose and was a good balance between acidity and savoury.
The flat white was well balanced with the espresso sitting nicely above the milk on the palate. Mrs Grendel had a cappuccino - also superb. This turned out to be her favourite cafe of the trip so they must have got everything right!
C1 - great cafe, great style and great coffee.
Who: C1
What: Great coffee and choice nosh
Where: 150 High Street, Christchurch 8142, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 379 1917
When: 16 September 2009
Accessibility: Tricky
Web: C1 Espresso
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
Autism Science Foundation
Taking a break from coffee for a moment. . .
As the parent of a child with Autism I have learned to be wary of the various groups that purport to represent me or my child. It is not so much of a problem here where advocacy tends to be more about ensuring that basic services are in place. The United States is a different story and the vast range of groups that have sprung up seem to represent almost any angle of political, ideological, medical or social approach to considering autism that you can imagine. I had hish hopes for Autism Speaks but it quickly became dominated by those who seek to placate the anti-vax crowd by committing research funds into the many times disproven area of a link between autism and vaccines. It was encouraging to see a member of their research board, Alison Singer, resign rather than agree to further dollars being wasted on this exhausted dead end of research.
Alison Singer has now created a new group - the Autism Science Foundation, which appears to have a much more rigourous framework for research. The scientific advisory board, while still being formed, is very solid and recently released its first request for proposals for doctorate level studies - not a bad effort after five months in operation.
I wish Alison and the Foundation well and hope the research that they fund is a useful contribution to the knowledge about autism.
As the parent of a child with Autism I have learned to be wary of the various groups that purport to represent me or my child. It is not so much of a problem here where advocacy tends to be more about ensuring that basic services are in place. The United States is a different story and the vast range of groups that have sprung up seem to represent almost any angle of political, ideological, medical or social approach to considering autism that you can imagine. I had hish hopes for Autism Speaks but it quickly became dominated by those who seek to placate the anti-vax crowd by committing research funds into the many times disproven area of a link between autism and vaccines. It was encouraging to see a member of their research board, Alison Singer, resign rather than agree to further dollars being wasted on this exhausted dead end of research.
Alison Singer has now created a new group - the Autism Science Foundation, which appears to have a much more rigourous framework for research. The scientific advisory board, while still being formed, is very solid and recently released its first request for proposals for doctorate level studies - not a bad effort after five months in operation.
I wish Alison and the Foundation well and hope the research that they fund is a useful contribution to the knowledge about autism.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
NZ Coffee Highlights - Coffee Supreme in Christchurch
While in Christchurch we had just enough time for a flying visit to the local Headquarters of Coffee Supreme on Madras Street.
This funky roastery/espresso bar is the South Island starting point for Coffee Supreme. Of all the roasters whose coffee we tried it was Coffee Supreme who seemed to have the best distribution network and consistency in quality among the cafes that served there coffee. That is not to say that other roasters are not also outstanding, but the representation of their coffee was a bit more patchy than for Coffee Supreme.
Supreme HQ is like a Norse version of Seattle Grunge - enough wood paneling along the back dividing wall between the roastery and the bar to please any sauna lover but bare walls elsewhere with low-watt naked incandescent bulbs providing spartan lighting above the old, but well maintained La San Marco espresso machine.
The coffee was great - a really rich ristretto that bridged the gap between the bright acids and savoury gravy of whatever blend (I'm embarrassed to confess that I did not ask what was in the hopper) they were using that morning.
We got two take away flat whites for the start of our drive to Lake Tekapo and these were rich and sweet, an early taste of New Zealand milk that would happily dominate any milk based espresso drink if you allowed it to. In this case the coffee artfully sang through the milk and it was an enjoyable start to the morning drive.
Who: Coffee Supreme HQ Christchurch
What: Great coffee
Where: 218a Madras St, Christchurch CBD, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 3790698
When: 17 September 2009
Accessibility: Adequate for entry to purchase a take away
Web: Coffee Supreme
This funky roastery/espresso bar is the South Island starting point for Coffee Supreme. Of all the roasters whose coffee we tried it was Coffee Supreme who seemed to have the best distribution network and consistency in quality among the cafes that served there coffee. That is not to say that other roasters are not also outstanding, but the representation of their coffee was a bit more patchy than for Coffee Supreme.
Supreme HQ is like a Norse version of Seattle Grunge - enough wood paneling along the back dividing wall between the roastery and the bar to please any sauna lover but bare walls elsewhere with low-watt naked incandescent bulbs providing spartan lighting above the old, but well maintained La San Marco espresso machine.
The coffee was great - a really rich ristretto that bridged the gap between the bright acids and savoury gravy of whatever blend (I'm embarrassed to confess that I did not ask what was in the hopper) they were using that morning.
We got two take away flat whites for the start of our drive to Lake Tekapo and these were rich and sweet, an early taste of New Zealand milk that would happily dominate any milk based espresso drink if you allowed it to. In this case the coffee artfully sang through the milk and it was an enjoyable start to the morning drive.
Who: Coffee Supreme HQ Christchurch
What: Great coffee
Where: 218a Madras St, Christchurch CBD, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 3790698
When: 17 September 2009
Accessibility: Adequate for entry to purchase a take away
Web: Coffee Supreme
Monday, October 05, 2009
NZ Coffee Highlights - Shawty's in Twizel
Twizel is a small town in the MacKenzie Basin that was built in 1968 as a town to service the local hydro plant. Today it remains a great stopping point for travellers and a staging point for keen astronomers wishing to take advantage of the clear, dry mountain air.
We stopped there on our way through from Tekapo to Queenstown and dropped in to Shawty's, a small cafe in the Twizel Mall.
Like most New Zealand cafes it was licensed - and they are in the process of expanding their bar (a lounge bar known as 'Grappa').
The coffee was superb (or Supreme to be precise!) and the Afghan we bought was just the right balance between dense and crumbly to satisfy. Owner and barista Troy was knowledgeable about the coffee and had a great menu that was amazing given the small size of the town.
I can't think of many small rural towns in Australia where you can waltz in and find a cafe in an open space with a playground for children that also serves top notch coffee and food. In fact I can't think of any at all - a bit sad given the size of our population.
Who: Shawty's
What: Great coffee, food and Grappa (apparently!)
Where: 4 Market Place, Twizel, South Canterbury, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 4353155
When: 18 September 2009
Accessibility: Very Good
Web: Shawty's
We stopped there on our way through from Tekapo to Queenstown and dropped in to Shawty's, a small cafe in the Twizel Mall.
Like most New Zealand cafes it was licensed - and they are in the process of expanding their bar (a lounge bar known as 'Grappa').
The coffee was superb (or Supreme to be precise!) and the Afghan we bought was just the right balance between dense and crumbly to satisfy. Owner and barista Troy was knowledgeable about the coffee and had a great menu that was amazing given the small size of the town.
I can't think of many small rural towns in Australia where you can waltz in and find a cafe in an open space with a playground for children that also serves top notch coffee and food. In fact I can't think of any at all - a bit sad given the size of our population.
Who: Shawty's
What: Great coffee, food and Grappa (apparently!)
Where: 4 Market Place, Twizel, South Canterbury, New Zealand
Contact: 64 3 4353155
When: 18 September 2009
Accessibility: Very Good
Web: Shawty's
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Christchurch Coffee - Mitchelli's
Mitchelli's was one of the cafes we managed to visit in Christchurch. I don't know why it is that all Christchurch cafe's seem so stylish and this one was one certainly had style character and great coffee. There is a much more independent mind set in cafes over in New Zealand and the unique characteristics of each make comparisons between them very difficult - much better to enjoy each cafe for what it is.
Mitchelli's was originally a rough warehouse or garage that has refitted by the Mitchell family for the purpose of opening a deli and cafe. It serves coffee by Wellington's Cafe L'Affare and they serve it superbly. The ristretto was tight and full bodied and the flat white creamy, rich and delicious.
Who: Mitchellis
What: Great coffee and gelati
Where: Ash Street Christchurch CBD (just off Poplar Lane)
Contact: 64 3 3774574
When: 16 September 2009
Accessibility: Good (lower floor access for those who use mobility aids)
Web: Mitchelli's
Mitchelli's was originally a rough warehouse or garage that has refitted by the Mitchell family for the purpose of opening a deli and cafe. It serves coffee by Wellington's Cafe L'Affare and they serve it superbly. The ristretto was tight and full bodied and the flat white creamy, rich and delicious.
Who: Mitchellis
What: Great coffee and gelati
Where: Ash Street Christchurch CBD (just off Poplar Lane)
Contact: 64 3 3774574
When: 16 September 2009
Accessibility: Good (lower floor access for those who use mobility aids)
Web: Mitchelli's
Saturday, October 03, 2009
I'm Back!
And in no particular order I'll be posting some reviews of the various coffee highlights we struck in New Zealand. I'll be cross posting them at the Touring New Zealand blog as well.
Overall I'd have to day that from a general perspective they are ahead of us in getting specialty coffee to the masses - on the South Island in particular it was more common to see an independent cafe with artisan roasted coffee than it was to see a coffee chain or bulk roasted coffee purveyor.
Most cafes also seemed to have licenses for alcohol - this didn't mean that alcohol was a main feature, but it was nice to be able to order a liqueur along with the coffee if you wanted to.
It also meant that almost every cafe had a toilet - travelling with children this is a dream scenario as it means you can make a single stop for lunch or a break.
Food was great and the quality and range was superb and we had a few surprises in places where it wasn't expected.
I'd recommend New Zealand as a place to travel for anyone - but specially if you love coffee.
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