*032, circa espresso, 030312

***A special edition for a special friend.***

company: You

conversation: Everything, pretty much.

We could hear the coffee machine before reaching the cafe raising my interest. What I saw was a bustling cafe, filled with people inside and out despite the rain, and overall a place I didn't mind spending a Saturday morning for breakfast.

Circa Espresso is not your ordinary cafe. In fact, it is built between two buildings in a narrow laneway with simple yet rustic decor to add to it's charm. Lum originally worked close by on one of his rotations and frequented this cafe for his morning coffee and thought I'd like to see the place too. And I did. Some of the walls were covered in graffiti whilst others had bicycles and flowers peeking out of window frames. I certainly enjoyed scanning the area and finding minute details others might not have noticed.

Seating is intimate with smaller than usual tables (one wrong move and I probably would have knocked over a glass or two), but could fit approximately 30-35 people. I guess you could say it felt a little like Melbourne with it's brown tones and mellow music; bringing me back to my previous trip where I walked through a street filled with numerous choices of cafes and restaurants, it was daunting to choose just one.

It was hard to imagine this little boutique cafe catering to the corporate world working nearby in the offices, but one distinguishing feature that I hadn't heard of before was the innovative queuing system: Beat the Q. Lum told me that there was usually a line of people getting take away coffees during the weekday mornings. I was about to find out why.


The menu was predominantly breakfast foods with handwritten daily specials at the entrance priced at approximately $14. Coffees ranged between $3.5, their specialty coffee (unsure as to why I didn't write down what kind of specialty coffee this would be) to $6, your good ol' cold drip coffee showcased at the entrance doing what it does best. My eyes kept wandering around as there was so much to take in. Worried that the dimness of the cafe would affect my pictures, I tried to take as many whilst the sun shyly peeked out from the rain clouds before hiding away.

I had a flat white, $3.5 and a, potato and dillcakes with scrambled egg and salmon gravalax, $14. Lum had a flat white, $3.5 and a, portobello mushroom, stuffed with ricotta, parmesean, walnut, basil, with sourdough and rocket, $10.

Whilst waiting for our coffee and food, I observed the barista in his own environment. It is obvious he enjoys what he does; he was careful and focused with each shot he pulled whilst managing to stay on top of the influx of orders coming left and right. Having recently landing a new job as a barista (oh what, I didn't tell you?), I can understand the pressure and stress that stems from people staring at you as they wait anxiously for their take away coffee fix, all the while trying to push out respectable coffees for those that decided to dine in (not that the take away coffees were not respectable, but you know what I mean).

The flat whites came in a timely manner at a good temperature that wasn't scalding but still hot. I unfortunately still try to wait for my food before finishing my coffee that ended up cold and bitter by the time I got to it after I had eaten. I am sorry to say that the pictures of our food weren't good enough (or clear enough) to be shown, so you will just have to believe me when I say that I was very full and satisfied after my meal.

Circa Espresso, is a little kitsch in all the right ways. Friendly staff, a comfortable atmosphere, and good coffee and food goes a long way when it is dreary and cold outside. Otherwise, sit outside when the sun comes out and you don't have much to do. Although a little out of my way, I would return if not just for the look and feel of the place. I still can't get over how inventive it was to build a cafe between two buildings, think of all of the spaces we can utilise if everyone else thought the same way too.

Oh, just a reminder that they are cash only, so you don't want to be left as collateral like I was. :)

address: 21 Wentworth Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150

phone: 0410 757 757 or 0414 477 812 / website: Circa Espresso

These pictures were taken with a Konica C35 Automatic on 35mm Fujifilm film.

*#031, park bench, 240212

***A special edition for a special friend.***

company: JL

conversation: Cameras, iPhone, Hong Kong

We sat on a park bench, at Park Bench.

Having walked by Park Bench quite a few times as it was on the busiest street of the city, I was intrigued to see exactly what it was all about. It was the coffee machine at the front of the store that caught my attention. Finally, on a sunny Friday afternoon, I had my coffee adventure.

Probably not just a coffee shop, the store boasted a whole counter of gelato ice-cream, various flavours like taro, black sesame all the way to strawberry balsamic, honey nougat as well as your usual vanilla, chocolate and cookies&cream. Taking over from its previous gelato store: Passionflower, Park Bench seemed a little less normal... And who wants normal?

My eyes first landed on the wall of potted plants, then trailed all the way up to the ceiling covered in astro turf where an upside-down miniature park bench and table welcomed you.

Certainly something different from what one would usually expect from the city: it was loud and cheeky (tip jar = feeling tipsy?) without being too obnoxious.

Utilising the space well, its chairs were made from milk crates with a pillow attached and we found a park bench in the corner, it was spacious whilst being able to seat approximately 2o. Recently I headed back there and found that in the store front they added a few more tables and chairs, with a picket fence surrounding them. Cute.

Not ridiculously expensive (considering we were in the city), a scoop of gelato was $4.90, coffees were $3.50 and several desserts ranged between $10 to $13. After returning for a visit, they've extended their menu to include sandwiches ($8) and other savoury dishes.

We both had an affogato, $6.50.

Considering this was a kind of special edition coffee adventure, I figured I would let myself have a different kind of coffee. An affogato is basically a shot of espresso either poured over some vanilla ice-cream (or whatever flavour you prefer) or served separately sometimes even with a shot of liqueur. It's kind of like a dessert and coffee together rather than ordering two separate dishes.

After trying this affogato, I've been trying affogatos all over the place. The coffee was from a company named two black sheep, it had a nice crema on top and the espresso was incredibly aromatic matching perfectly with the vanilla bean gelato we had to accompany it. Apparently the two black sheep coffee shop was just downstairs to the store, definitely checking that out soon!

While we were there, a group of businessmen came in to discuss something (wasn't really listening) sitting on the milk crates and drinking milkshakes; it was an interesting sight especially because they were in suits and carrying documents and stuff. Which just goes to show how casual this place seemed.

Park Bench, was perfect for the sunny day we were having. Cold gelato with espresso, mmm. It definitely felt like Sydney with a hint of Melbourne in the way it was so different from other places we'd been. People kept coming and going and each time I've walked by there, there are always people sitting around. The staff are friendly, never too busy to bring over a bottle of water and cups for you while you're sitting there, it's a small but nice gesture.

It seems as if I've been there many more times already, and I guess I have! I keep taking different people there and I'll tell you what, if you have a group of more than 2, go for the tasting platter: it's $13 and you get 5 scoops of gelato of your own choosing.

I hope Park Bench stays for a lot longer, if anything just for that affogato.

address: 580 George Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

phone: 0449 563 359

These pictures were taken with a Konica C35 Automatic on 35mm Fujifilm film.

#030, bondi cafe, 170112

company: Sh

conversation: The future, work, Australia

It was the name that caught my attention. After eating dinner nearby, I saw the poster for Bondi Cafe on my way back home, took a photo and made a mental note to check it out the next day with Sh. We kind of, maybe, sort of, got lost before finding the cafe on the second floor of a dingy industrial building thinking we had got the address wrong. I guess I wasn't really expecting a restaurant outlet somewhere like that.

Two large and heavy doors welcomed us with a strong aroma of coffee inviting us in. We had come at about 1.45pm, just as the lunch crowd were dissipating although there were quite a few tables free for us to choose from. Seating was vast (I counted 50 seats - impressive) and spread out to allow for a relaxing and comfortable place to wine and dine.

The decor was quite minimalist (I like!) with a few pictures of iconic Sydney destinations lining one wall and a shelf showcasing wine specially imported from Australia. Before entering, I noticed two cakes of ground coffee (not edible cakes, silly) on the floor beside the door which I thought was an interesting and unique touch. You can see it on the bottom right-hand corner of the first picture!

Sh and I had a cappuccino, $30, and shared a tiramisu, $30.

Feeling a little bit like I was back in Sydney, I noticed the range of types of coffee available from piccolos to flat whites and the presence of another Australian accent from Bondi's owner, Kenneth (hi!). He took the time to answer my questions regarding the type of coffee beans used (Single Origin) and gave us a good ol' Australian outlook on the type of businessman and barista he is.

Boasting lamb cutlets, grilled prawns, salmon and NZ ribeye on their lunch menu, the prices fared a bit high for me (ranging between $88 to $158) but with the amount of people there during lunch time, it seemed to be a success. The plates looked rather generous and were presented nicely as were the coffees.

Our cappuccinos arrived in cute coloured cups at a good temperature, creamy froth but seemed more like a latte (there was a bit too little froth on the surface). The flavour was bold and quite strong which I found surprising having had quite a few disappointing coffees in my time here. Sh marvelled at the "golden coffee sugar" sachets that were available that I had never seen before: they are coffee flavoured and are larger sugar crystals than brown sugar!

The tiramisu, on the other hand, left a bit more to be desired. Maybe we weren't that hungry but it was a bit soggy and underwhelming.

In a culture where service standard takes a backseat to profits and efficiency, it was refreshing to chat with Kenneth about his views on HKers and their take on food and coffee. It was interesting to find out that he also studied at UNSW and had once owned a coffee shop at Mascot.

Bondi Cafe, was a little bit of home away from home and made me realise how much I miss making coffee. Kenneth's easygoing, Australian attitude towards life (think: "Evs, man") and the industry was insightful and was reflected through the atmosphere of the cafe.

Having learnt that he had only opened in the last week (which explains the lack of reviews on OpenRice), with the use of pamphlets and posters here and there, business was surprisingly successful and going strong. I'm pretty sure those working in offices around will turn into loyal customers if not for the food then definitely for the coffee.

Just so you know, the above photo of Bondi beach displayed on one of the walls was actually taken by Kenneth himself! (There's my reference.) Despite Bondi Cafe being out of the way for some, I would recommend this cafe/restaurant if one was in the area, I hope to be back soon too!

address: Room 203, 2/F Elite Industrial Centre, 883 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Lai Chi Kok

phone: 3996 7806

sometimes i forget the little things

I realised the other day that I missed making coffee. I worry that when I return I would have lost my ability to steam milk, to make latte art, to serve something that I would be proud of despite a rush of coffees at the hotel. I just want to make myself my double shot, flat white with chocolate powder on top.

Trying new coffee shops in Hong Kong is great; I'm catching up with old friends, meeting new people, and generally enjoying the coffee that is being produced over here. But it might be due to recent events, a change of plans, that I find myself also missing Sydney. It's a Catch-22, I miss Hong Kong when I'm in Sydney but I miss Sydney when in Hong Kong. It's like I'll never be satisfied wherever I am. They're both home to me, with people I care about and miss all the same, there's no way I could choose one over the other.

And you're asking me to choose.

#029, barista caffe, 110112

company: JL & CN

conversation: Life, shopping and movies

**It's been too long. Despite my lack of updates on this blog; I have continued to drink coffee, visit coffee shops and perfecting my coffee making skills (latte art? Heck yeah). Nevertheless, I'm excited to be back.**

After walking up three flights of stairs, of course we needed to get a drink! Situated in the midst of many restaurants and office buildings, I was surprised to find a table available for us in the middle of lunch hour.

With approximately 35 seats, the area was spacious and didn't feel packed even when all tables were filled. I noticed that the majority of patrons were ladies, probably from the offices surrounding the area, a stack of magazines on the side were well-utilised by these ladies waiting for their food. I, on the other hand, was a little preoccupied by the different types of coffee-making equipment and pictures of farmers picking coffee beans which added to the coffee shop atmosphere, but I couldn't help but observe how it much more it seemed like a restaurant.

I had a cappuccino, $28, JL had a double espresso, $18 +$5 and CN had a mocha, $30.

Drinks ranged between $28 to $35, with quite a few interesting flavours of coffee (Caffe Banana, Macadamia Nut) and unique teas available (Sangria Tea). There was also a set lunch menu available with pastas, curry, pizza and burgers ranging between $45 to $52, inclusive of drinks (although iced and specialty coffees were an extra charge).

I recently visited another coffee shop in Sheung Wan where the barista kindly taught a couple of friends and me how to prepare a cup of coffee using a syphon coffee maker, (go check out Knockbox Coffee Company if you have the time!) which I assume is how Barista Caffe would make the specialty coffee they offered. Maybe next time.

We did have to wait a bit before our coffees arrived; there was only one coffee machine in the kitchen, and maybe it was because there were quite a few tables in the restaurant, I can understand. CN's mocha arrived first, looking impressive. As much as I would like to admit that my latte art has improved drastically since the last time I posted, I do have to say that it is never consistent!

My cappuccino arrived next. I noticed that it was actually in a smaller cup than the mocha, but that suited me better because I prefer my coffee to be less milky. Yum! The temperature was almost there, although we did spend quite a while taking photos and waiting for JL's double espresso.

We were quite disappointed in the fact that they didn't offer a macchiato for JL, so I went ahead and scooped some of the foam off my cappuccino and gave it to her. I was a bit sad not to have any chocolate powder on top of my cappuccino but it's okay. I remember once at work we ran out of chocolate powder but we got slammed for coffees, so we didn't have time to transfer the chocolate powder into the sprinkler. I ended up trying to sprinkle the powder onto the drinks with a teaspoon... Needless to say, it didn't look as delicate.

Barista Caffe, was a pleasant surprise. The coffee was up to par with other more well-known coffee shops, the interior light and welcoming, and staff not too overbearing. It never got super busy or crowded and made for a nice little place for us to rest our feet and chat.

JL also pointed out that this place allows people to book the whole restaurant for a minimum charge of $3,000 and can fit approximately 40 people. Although there is no view, it seems to be quite an affordable venue for parties. I think Barista Caffe would be a good backup coffee shop to visit if I'm ever in the area, although I'm always on the look for new places to try out!

address: 3/F, E.A. Tower, 18 Ashley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

phone: 2511 0998