#024, sam i am, 130310

company: K
conversation: MLIA, university, life and Dog Shows.

** Thank you to K for the pictures! **

After a long day of work, K and I met up to go on our first Sydney coffee adventure. After studying here for already 2 years, K had found a street near her university that boasted many coffee shops so we decided to start there. I passed many stores that were really full as it was a weekend and a flee market was going on. Thinking I might have walked a bit too far, just as I was about to turn around, this little shop caught my eye.

Walking in, I noticed how spacious the coffee shop seemed to be. Although empty, I later found a couple sitting in a courtyard behind the shop leading to a larger seating area outdoors for smokers. There was a blackboard with several meal deals hung above a desk with magazines and pamphlets to read through.

Ordering at the counter was interesting as they had so much stuff to look at, the menu was not extensive but they did serve breakfast and lunch with a larger variety of drinks. I was not surprised they didn't open for dinner as competition along the street was fierce and because they were quite a walk away from the main road, they might not get as much business.

Looking around, the place was very relaxed and chilled. Excellent place to study and chat as it was quiet comfortable. I guess you could really imagine a student coming in, ordering a beverage and staying for several hours with their books all spread out on the table in front of them. Pop art painted on the walls as well as posters were prevalent, giving the surroundings a modern feel.

The waitress was nice and casual, giving us a tiger figurine as our table number. So cute (but scary, if you ask me)! (As you probably might have guessed, I spent most of the time in the cafe making roaring noises and attacking our food and drinks with the tiger). I noticed their tips jar had a leaning cow on it with a label saying "Tipping Cow"... Ha ha, get it? I wanted to get a picture but it would have been weird.

ROAR!

I asked exactly how many floors there were to the store and the waitress replied saying including the courtyard, it counted as 4 floors! Amazing! I didn't even bother counting how many seats that would be. I also observed them to have air-conditioning on the higher floors, which is an uncommon thing in Sydney (or at least the places I've been to) because fans are usually sufficient. Although good for hot summer days in Sydney, it was fairly chilly where we sat (in front of the air-con, smart) and my coffee got cold fast.


I had a cappuccino, regular, AUD$3.5. K had a berry frappe, AUD$5.5. We both shared a french toast, AUD$16.

The coffee and frappe arrived very quickly. Although small, the foam was creamy and espresso was strong but not very bitter.

Since visiting this store, I have had a lot more coffees to try out. Maybe it's just me but the bitterness no longer gets to me as much as it did before. Now I wish to try different blends and roastings to identify the beans' properties and taste.

Temperature is another thing that has been getting to me lately as well. At work, we do not have a thermometer to measure the temperature of the milk whilst it being steamed. When I make coffees, my hand is usually red after holding the jug and for me, the coffees can be drunk (or gulped, up to you) on the spot. On the other hand, my colleague made me a cappuccino the other day, and it scalded my entire tongue (am still recovering). I am confused as to how people like their coffee. And which extreme is acceptable amongst regular coffee drinkers.

Presentation was simple, nothing extravagant.

The berry frappe was very tropical, refreshing and cool. Perfect for a summer day. I tasted strawberries, raspberries and I assumed there would be blueberries in there too. They were also very generous with the amount as you can see it filled right up to the top!

As I was sipping my coffee, all I could do was think about the french toast that was coming soon. I figured the combination of espresso coffee and sweet french toast with caramelised banana, strawberries and maple syrup would be a perfect end to my day. But whilst chatting away, I had finished my cup of coffee and the french toast was nowhere to be found.

The waitresses had already begun mopping the floors and generally cleaning up for the end of the day, so I figured the french toast was being made... But surely not for that long? I agreed with K after a while that the dish was rather expensive, especially as there might have been cheaper options elsewhere but I was adamant on staying. Turns out, they actually forgot about our french toast! Boo! When it finally did arrive, my stomach was more hungry rather than peckish so it was more like wolfing down the toast rather than savouring it.

Sam I Am being so far away from the main street, definitely has it's work cut out for them in trying to attract residents and pedestrians within the area. I would assume it would be busier during the weekdays when university is in session.

Although quaint and original in their ideas, the coffee was good, the frappe was good and the french toast was good... But not that good. Maybe it was the fact that they forgot our order and I have a fear of being forgotten. Or maybe it was a long day and I wanted to enjoy my coffee with the french toast. Or maybe it was even the pricing of the french toast which could have bought me a meal instead. Sam I Am makes me want to watch the movie (which I have not seen yet) instead of reminding me of a coffee shop I once visited.

Whilst a good place to study, relax and chat with friends, there are alternatives cheaper in price and closer in distance to the main street (it was a good day to have a nice stroll but it rained afterwards so that was annoying).

address: 99 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe NSW 2037, Sydney, Australia