#009, cafe corridor, 220110

company: J
conversation: Work, the cafe, outings and The Killers (rah!)

Travelling to and from destinations can place a lot of pressure on the wallet. Travelling expenses sometimes even add up to the cost of a cup of coffee! Whilst I am very interested in coffee shops all around Hong Kong, there are certain places that are a bit out of reach for me. Despite the cost, if a recommendation is made, I am more than happy to visit. This was one of those times.

J made a recommendation about a cafe that made excellent toffee nut lattes. So, of course I had to try it. Turns out it was the first cafe on my list of coffee shops anyway. C'est le destin!

The cafe is not hard to find as it is directly opposite a popular tourist destination (Times Square) although the entrance is slightly hidden. It is kind of sketchy as the cafe is found on the ground floor below a sex shop on the first floor. Awk. People walked by quite a lot and while I thought they were about to enter, they would continue up a flight of stairs, feet thumping as they ascended. Double awk.

Walking into the cafe felt like I was walking into a novelty antique store as there was stuff everywhere. Shelves with coffee pots, picture frames and figurines lined across the walls.

Seating approximately 16 people, wooden chairs and tables allowed spacious and comfortable chitchat. Free Wi-Fi is available but requires a password to access. Although the cafe was relatively empty when we arrived, it provided a nice and quiet environment to study or catchup.

We both had a toffee nut latte, regular, HKD$33.

Offering 'take away' or 'stay' options, beverage and food item (sandwiches and cakes) prices range between HKD$24 to $35. Although it is not a gourmet kitchen, you can tell that the kitchen and chef make everything individually and to-order.

J's drink arrived first, sporting a leaf design on the top. This was created through free-pouring without any use of utensils (such as toothpicks or scratch awls). I have always been in awe of a barista's ability to create a work of art just from manipulating the way they pour steamed milk into a shot of espresso. Through differing speeds and the swinging (?) of the milk jug, many images can be created with only shades of brown and white.

Some latte art is achieved through stencils and chocolate powder.

Finally, my one arrived with a bear on top. At first glance, I did not notice the little details the barista had made on the bear. But do you see the little flicks of fur on the top of the bear's head? What a cutie. This type of latte art is achieved through the use of utensils: scratch awls are most commonly used for woodwork but the spike can be used just like a pencil to basically draw on the foam. Although I don't know exactly all the techniques used to make the bear, a mixture of free-pouring and utensils was definitely used.

Whilst watching the barista froth the milk, it was obvious that she knew what she was doing and was very experienced. The froth was creamy and smooth but I did think that for a latte, there might have been a bit more froth than necessary. After my first sip, I was overcome with sweetness from the toffee nut syrup but the espresso crept in slowly and as if knowing it was the main character remained long after the sweetness had subsided. In other words, the toffee nut was sweet enough without overpowering the espresso. The temperature was acceptable.

I noticed that there were many different types of syrups available to add to their coffees and their teas were also very interesting: strawberry and vanilla etc. What I also found intriguing was their Iced Cucumber Caffe Latte (HKD$34). Overall, an excellent experience.

Cafe Corridor was a hangout place for J when she was in High School. With a 12 o'clock closing time from Fridays to Sundays (and 11 closing time from Monday to Thursday), I can see why. She informed me that it had closed previously but reopened without any changes having been made. She told me that they had changed the artwork on the walls since her previous visit indicating that they probably support independent artists/illustrators as I saw their business card placed near the entrance.

Unfortunately, while enjoying our drinks and conversation, construction work was occurring nearby which was a bit distracting but unavoidable. The music was slightly louder than I expected but this was not noticeable until pointed out. Being near to such a popular tourist destination, it worries me to imagine how expensive their rent is. Nevertheless, I hope they remain open for many years to come.

For me, this was definitely one of the more indie cafes that I have visited and I have already made plans to visit Cafe Corridor again. In comparison to Soulmate's toffee nut latte, this one wins. And what? Starbucks who?

address: G/F, 26A Russel Street, Causeway Bay.
銅鑼灣羅素街26A地下
website: Cafe Corridor (it's not really informative apart from the guestbook which is interesting to read)
phone: 6096 5013 / 2892 2927