#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

#017, moccato, 100210

company: Sh
conversation: Ngong Ping 360, HAVE A NICE TRIP, timetables and coffee.

I have always passed by this little coffee shop whenever I am at the Tung Chung Citygate Outlet Mall (I even asked them if they were hiring back in December) but never had the chance to try it out. As Sh and I were just coming back from being tourists I figured this was more of an opportunity to try it rather than an actual adventure. We had had quite a bit of a day so we were tired and ready for a nice comfy environment to chat.

A strong smell of freshly ground coffee (mm!) awaited us as we entered looking up at the overhead menu. Seeing all the varieties of coffee, I noticed that the prices were acceptable in comparison to other places that I have tried although there was a limited selection of food items (only sweet stuff like cakes, brownies and cookies). Espresso coffees ranged between HKD$22 - $30 with regular and large sizes, fruit smoothies and juices were also available.

As we ordered at the counter, I realised I was craving for something super sweet rather than my regular cappuccino (I usually order that so I can make comparisons with other stores). We took a seat near the entrance so we could watch people walk by. Seating approximately 15 with inside and outside tables, the area is spacious and comfortable to have conversation. The brown interior although enhancing the "coffee shop" look and initially being inviting did not make us feel warm for some reason. Nevertheless, we ended up sitting for a while.


I had a Cafe Brule, regular, HKD$28. She had a Moccato, regular, HKD$28. We also ordered a chocolate brownie as well, HKD$20.

Cafe Brule description: Premium espresso with white chocolate and caramel topped with froth from steamed milk and drizzled with creamy caramel sauce.

One word: Sweet. There was not a very strong espresso taste as the caramel overshadowed it with a burnt taste so it tasted weird. I was able to listen to the barista steaming the milk but because it was not a cappuccino, I was unable to determine the consistency of the froth (ahh, maybe I should have just ordered the cappuccino for comparisons sake). The steaming sounded alright though and the end result was a very creamy sweet beverage.

Surprisingly, the thick chocolate-y brownie accompanied my Cafe Brule very well. The taste of the espresso showed itself underneath the caramel. The weird taste disappeared allowing the espresso to be stronger and more prevalent.


Moccato description: Our signature coffee, imagine a hot drinkable tiramisu... The rest is a secret!

Sh liked the additional lady finger (a reminiscence of Dcolonp) placed on top of the drink which was a mix between a mocha and a very thick and creamy hot chocolate. I can imagine how the differences in texture from the lady finger and beverage could resemble a tiramisu. There were other flavours found in the drink but I couldn't seem to identify what they were. Ahh, Baileys? Tia Maria? I don't know.

After drinking our beverages, we found ourselves feeling very full and sleepy (I guess warm drinks tend to do that). The cups were larger than expected and we wondered what the large would look like. They were huge as we spied two ladies next to us drinking their coffees from cups that were significantly larger and rounder than ours.

Moccato is a coffee shop owned and run by the Novotel Citygate Hong Kong, although located away from the lobby of the actual hotel (if you associate lobbies with coffee shops?). It is found inside the mall so as to attract shoppers for a sweet treat or a comfortable place to rest after a long day of shopping. Although there is a Pacific Coffee Company nearby (competition), they do seem to have a slow but steady flow of customers.

For the overall atmosphere provided by the coffee shop, it's affordability and their quality, if you are ever in the area shopping and feeling slightly peckish or thirsty for some coffee, I would recommend this place. Although Haagen-Dazs is a close contender (you can always get a coffee flavoured ice-cream).

I still need to pay you back, Sh! Thanks for an awesome day, hope your headache disappeared soon after.

address: 東涌文東路51號諾富特東薈城酒店2樓
2/F, Novotel Citygate Hong Kong, Citygate Outlets, 51 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung.
phone: 3602 8838

#013, cafe little, 010210

company: 陳, J (Happy Birthday!) and Sh.
conversation: University campus accommodation, pricing and the aspect of living alone.

Let's just say that this wasn't exactly the easiest coffee shop to find. We spent approximately 20 minutes going back and forth just trying to understand why the building numbers on the street went up to 23 when the store number was 27. As explorers, we would never give up so easily (exemptions include: injuries, road blocks, the store being renovated/is closed and - if extreme - starvation), so finding this store was a little achievement in itself.

As we walked in, we were greeted by a waitress and taken to a table further in the store near the open kitchen. There were two couples already seated but I noticed that apart from them and another man coming in to purchase a take-away coffee, we were the only other patrons. With relatively little traffic flow being at the end of a hidden street, I can understand business being slow during the afternoon.

We looked through the drinks menu, concluding that the afternoon tea set was more affordable (approximately HKD$20 - $67, + $8 for an espresso drink) in comparison to ordering a drink on it's own ($24 - $32, with hot and cold options available). There was no service charge required although the waitress was polite and helpful and not so in-your-face.

The interior was rather bare and confusing as the tables and chairs were a mixture of bright oranges, reds, browns and greens, which did not match the colour of the walls which were a light pea-green colour. They appeared to want to be modern with the furniture but gave off an organic-type vibe with the walls and the exterior being light blue in colour. Seating approximately 20 people, it was spacious and allowed conversation without interruption.

We all had a 'Toast' afternoon tea set, HKD$20 + $8 for an espresso coffee. 陳 & I had a cappuccino. J had an iced latte. Sh had an iced mocha.

My cappuccino arrived looking like a souffle just taken out of the oven, whereas 陳's one had peaks (evident in using a spoon to get the froth out). 陳 asked the waitress for chocolate powder (smart! Why have I never thought of that...) and we were given a chocolate duster to put as much powder on as we wanted. Although the excess foam was exciting and fun, the milk was not frothed as well as I had hoped as it was not creamy and the coffee was watery. There was a very strong espresso aroma but this was accompanied by a very bitter taste. Something to point out here was that this cappuccino was definitely the highest temperature I've tried.

85 degrees Celsius is the ideal temperature espresso coffees should be served. After reading My Coffee Guide, Moses mentioned that the owner of this store sticks by this rule strictly. Whilst observing the barista at work; I noticed that when extracting the espresso, she would pull down a lever and watch carefully whilst guiding the lever back up. I thought this was weird but Sh pointed out that it was as if the lever was a timer for how long an extraction should be. It was clever but sometimes the barista would pull the lever down twice, could this be why the cappuccino was watery?

The iced beverages were not anything special. Strong in espresso and creamier than the hot cappuccinos, J and Sh were both not blown away.

The toasts (and jam or peanut butter) we had were also underwhelming as it could have easily been something made at home. Man, I feel like I should say something positive!

Cafe Little appears to be a family-run store with affordable meal prices. Unfortunately, if the coffee prices equate to the coffees that we had, I do not think it is worth it.

Our conversation flowed well and I believe we would have been able to sit for long periods of time. With many different types of coffee blends on offer, the owner must have a lot of experience in the different tastes and technique. The area is clean and tidy and would be an overall good place to hangout if their coffee was better than the one that we had. It might have been an off-day as I can admit to making inconsistent qualities of coffee at work myself.

Overall, a little out of our way to visit especially with us not knowing the district very well. There were many more restaurants that we passed by, increasing competition further. As long as if Cafe Little continues to have regular patronage and continue to have good reviews on Open Rice, I believe that they will probably stay for quite some time.

address: 上環禧利街27號富輝商業中心地下E舖, Sheng Wan.
(Exit A2 in Sheung Wan, just keep following Hillier Street until the end of the road.)
phone: 9139 7762

#011, coco espresso, 290110

company: Sh
conversation: MLIT (oh, humanity), magazines and Christmas.

After lunch, we decided to walk around before heading over to the coffee shop. Sh was a little dubious after the last time I bought her to S Square Cafe but I had my fingers crossed about this! Afterall, "My Coffee Guide" had written about it, so maybe I'm just biased. Oops.

Whilst we were walking, Sh was on the phone as I counted the building numbers. It's a good thing I was looking carefully or else we would have missed it. The door frame of the store was almost identical in colour with the surrounding stores and it was easy to miss.

I realise that when I find a store I have this sense of glee and excitement and as lame as it sounds, a sense of accomplishment for being able to find it. Yes, there are more important things in life than being able to find a coffee shop. But it's also important to be able to enjoy the simpler things in life... Like a good cup of coffee, or a yummy piece of cheese cake. After all that has happened, in the world, even just this afternoon in Hong Kong, life is precious and I think Ferris Bueller said it pretty well: "Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."


When we first entered, there were a lot of people in the store. Fortunately, three people sitting on bar stools left a little after we entered and this freed up a lot more space. Seating approximately 17 people, the store is very small but considerably cosy with a tiny but well-equipped kitchen. Framed photos lined the sides of the walls giving the store character, and a general feeling of home is created.

Although we reached the store not even 5 minutes after walking from Soho, the location was a little out of our way and looking around, I noticed many other coffee shops, thus competition is relatively high.


I had a cappuccino, regular, HKD$24. She had a caramel latte, regular, HKD$27.

The coffees did not take a very long time to make, we sat down for maybe 10 minutes and our coffees were ready and delivered. I wasn't able to observe the barista frothing the milk, but the final product spoke heaps.

My foam was thick and creamy and the proportions of the cappuccino were perfect. Once the drinks were set down, a pleasant waft of espresso aroma floated to our noses and we dug in (after I took photos, of course). My first impression was that it was very strong and although bitter, it was tolerable. The chocolate powder scattered on the foam was a nice touch and allowed little hints of sweetness.

Talking to barista Johnson, I learnt (or rather my thought process was reinforced) that the foam on top of any coffee should not be completely white even though it creates a perfect drawing board. The crema or espresso should also be mixed in with parts of the foam so that when taking your first sip, you will also taste the sweet bitterness (oxymoron!) of the espresso rather than just a huge gulp of foam. Free pouring allows this mixing to occur in comparison to using a spoon to scoop the foam out (ahh, this is what I do) and plop it on top of the espresso.

The smell of caramel from Sh's latte was very strong but did not overpower the coffee. Although I could smell and taste the caramel, I did think that it did was not sweet enough (sweet tooth talking?) and neither did Sh. This was the first latte that used a glass instead of a ceramic cup. I'll make an assumption and say that it is to help waiters and baristas distinguish between cappuccinos... At least most of the time that's what helps me!

As you can see, the foam on a latte is approximately a centimeter thick whilst the rest is coffee. All espresso based beverages are basically a variation in the proportions of espresso, milk and foam.

Coco Espresso is a nice little cafe to drop by if you are in the neighbourhood. Barista Johnson did admit that whilst traffic flow was minimal and relatively slow, (explaining why they close at 5pm on weekdays and have a 4pm close on Saturdays (not open on Sunday)) the quality of coffee was well appreciated as some customers regularly make the walk from Soho or mid-levels to visit his cafe to drink his coffee.

I found that this store was the only one so far that made flat whites. Flat whites are very similar to a latte but with just enough foam to cover the surface but not have much depth, thus being stronger. From reading My Coffee Guide, I found out that the barista had actually trained and worked in Australia, where I first learnt about the flat white (which I thought was a drink made with white chocolate. Fail.)

During our conversation, it was obvious that Barista Johnson is talented, experienced and definitely passionate enough to make such consistently good coffee. With sandwiches (HKD$28-$40), all-day breakfast (HKD$40-$58) and cakes available, if it's not busy, it would be a nice place to have lunch.

address: G/F, 197 Queens Road Central, Sheung Wan (close to Exit E2).
phone: 2542 2228

#007, s square cafe, 190110

company: Sh
conversation: Catching up, guys and evaluating the cafe.

I was going to start off with a keyboard bash to illustrate my disappointment and frustration, but decided that I have to compose myself and tell you, my fellow readers, about my worst cup of coffee so far.


After much debate of which cafe in Mong Kok to go to, Sh and I decided that S Square Cafe (the first one on the MK list that I had written) was the way to go. We were confused at first with the street signs and numbers, but managed to find our way up to the second floor of a dodgy looking building. That is the whole point of exploring and adventuring, right? As we began walking up the stairs, we saw a faded poster for S Square Cafe pointing to an elevator. My innocent and naive mind quickly asked: Is the cafe in the elevator? Alas, no. We walked into the lift and found that there was no second floor! So instead we chose the third floor and figured we'd walk down if we went too far. Once the doors opened, we realised that if we had just walked one more flight of stairs, we would have found the cafe. Fail.

We initially thought the cafe was closed because there was no one at the bar and the staff were all sitting down around one table. They told us to sit wherever we pleased and gave us quite a few menus. The seating, although limited was spacious and the view of the street below was interesting (I like to people-watch). The bare walls were a peach colour and the lights looked like they had been there for a thousand years. Nothing impressive, we settled in and began reading the menus.

I had a cappuccino, regular, HKD$45 (gasp, I know). She had a passionfruit tofu smoothie, HKD$44.

I should note here that I didn't order a cappuccino, but a cappuccio. Seriously.

If you haven't realised it already, this was my most expensive cup of espresso coffee. I almost hesitated ordering it because of its price. From Open Rice, I had seen that they use French Press' for guests who order their exotic black coffees (approximately HKD$40 - $60), so I had assumed that they took their coffee very seriously. And with their equipment on display, it seemed promising. Needless to say, with such a price, my expectations were very high.

Watching the barista at work was interesting, as he weighed out the coffee beans and then proceeded to grind them. This showed that the coffee beans were definitely freshly ground (and thus would not be oxidised as much as previously ground beans creating a bitter taste). He had no problem frothing the milk, although he had to stand on a platform because the coffee machine was taller than he was. This was strange but with the lack of space, I can understand them wanting to utilise as much as possible.

As the waitress placed my cappuccino, sorry, cappuccio, on the table, I noticed more bubbles in the froth in comparison to my previous ones. The latte art seemed half-hearted (get it?) and looked more like something else. Even though I did not use the sugar, I was disappointed that they gave me white sugar instead of brown (it provides a heavier flavour into the coffee). Unfortunately, the coffee was lukewarm to the touch, and when I tasted it... Gosh, a combination of sourness and bitterness filled my mouth followed by a punch of espresso. It was an incredibly bad experience. Thinking about it makes me shudder, the more I drank, the more I felt sick. But I felt guilty not finishing it with the price I paid for it. I kept thinking to myself: How could it taste this bad?

After drinking only half of my cappuccio I looked over enviously at the patrons coming out of Haagen Dazs with their yummy ice creams in hand.

We soon concluded it to be the coffee beans. Despite being grounded on the spot they were not treated properly. All the barista did was place a clip on the coffee bean package without expelling any of the air out. This oxidises the coffee beans itself. Creating a bitter and sour taste. Not to mention the fact that we didn't know how long those coffee beans had been on the shelf either.

Sh decided that my New Years Resolution of try new things was a good idea and decided to do what I like to call a "peanut butter and banana smoothie" (I ordered it on a whim because of my New Years resolution and after trying it I instantly regretted it but chugged it down anyway) basically, an attempt to try something new but failing because it tastes gross/bad.

I won't go into too much detail, but let's just say that she didn't finish it either. The first sip was a kick of artificial passionfruit flavouring, which was followed by a tofu aftertaste. Interesting to say the least.

S Square Cafe is a disappointment to say the least. No one else walked into the cafe, and with 3 waitresses standing outside of the cafe smoking definitely did not add to the already tainted first impression we had. The prices are crazy for an area known for its inexpensive food and drink. I believe that I am usually lenient with little cafes and give them the benefit of the doubt with their lack of training but I will not be returning, and I recommend any of you out there to steer clear. I don't know what to say... LSKDIE['.';.IRU8QO2J2!!!

address: 2/F, 66-68 Sai Yeung Choi Street South, Mong Kok.
旺角西洋菜南街66-68號2樓
phone: 2380 6588