conversation: Coffee and library books (he was too busy reading the newspaper).
Turns out I might have visited this coffee shop a bit too early. Open Rice gave me the address to a "Coffee Square" but lead me here instead. After confusing myself and then the waiter enquiring about whether or not they were Coffee Square, the owner and main barista, Pavel (hi!) came to explain to us that they had bought the shop, only opening a week ago and were still undergoing some final touches (such as a store banner, more art work and price tags). Picture below shows Pavel (his forehead+arm), the waiter (black+glasses) and a contractor (beige), all discussing colours, just wanted to point out the chalkboard.
The exterior was bright orange with a welcoming white interior, the ceiling for half of the store was high with a fan above, bar stools surrounded one side of the wall and a sofa lined the wall further in opposite the cashier bench. On the menu (chalkboards just above the bar), I saw a vast array of flavoured teas (blueberry, cranberry), caffeinated drinks and food+drink sets all priced decently from HKD$20 - $35.
We both had a cappuccino, classic (regular), HKD$27.
The cappuccinos arrived hot and filled just a bit higher than the rim to make it look like a rising souffle. The texture of the foam was amazing, it felt like I was eating whipped cream. Surprisingly this is the first time I have seen chocolate powder on top of a cappuccino since this blog started.I always liked it when a guest ordered a cappuccino from me, mostly because I always knew my pouring technique wasn't up to scratch and the top of the drink would look like a piece of brown and white abstract art (in the bad way) if they had ordered a latte or flat white. With a cappuccino, it was procedure for us to sprinkle chocolate powder on top of the foam helping me hide the ugliness that was my "free pouring". I just tried researching why chocolate powder is even put on top of cappuccinos but I remain clueless. Anyone with any knowledge about that, e-mail me! I will continue researching.
The coffee was slightly bitter but got sweeter and the espresso got stronger with each sip. Pavel mentioned being established in Australia with family in the coffee bean roasting business (Australian Independent Roasters) and that their coffee beans are roasted in Australia then shipped to Hong Kong, that's some dedication right there. Sometimes I wish my palate was more sophisticated and experienced to differentiate between the subtle tones within different coffee beans.
Oscar's Espresso Bar, is named after Pavel's son (lucky kid). Its location allows for a constant flow of foot traffic, located in-between a Chinese hardware store and another restaurant, I can imagine it can get quite busy during the weekdays. The food items on offer are similar to that of Starbucks even though the coffee is from another planet (far better): packaged and ready-to-go wraps, sandwiches and hand rolls, indicate a Western-oriented clientele. Whilst I do agree with the naming of the store as a bar rather than a cafe (due to the store being relatively small) the seating is comfortable and the environment encourages guests to sit and enjoy their drinks and snacks... They even have a toilet! Beat that, Starbucks!
I am excited to see the progress of Oscar's within the next couple of months or even the next few weeks whilst I'm still here. With regulars and loyal customers, as well as such a positive and determined attitude towards fully training their staff, success is imminent and I wish them the best of luck. Pavel, if there is anything inaccurate with what I have written, I am happy to edit as you see fit. Please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for being so hospitable!
address: Shop A2, G/F, Khuan Ying Commercial Building, 85-89 Wellington Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central.
中環蘭桂坊威靈頓街 85-89 號群英商業大廈地下A2舖
that's a decent sydney-looking coffee! my problem of coffee cravings in hk finally solved? :O!
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