#027, shirt bar, 070611

company: JL & TT

conversation: Maths, movies & Mad Men (mostly just me but yeah)

Google Maps had actually given me the wrong address, so as I walked up to the supposedly store front, there was a FOR LEASE sign on the door. I was quite looking forward to checking out this store as it was advertised in the newspaper as a bar, coffee shop and boutique. As I decided on another plan of action, we walked by a little lane that housed some other coffee shops and stumbled upon it on the other side of the building. Oops, my mistake.

Shirt Bar sells coffee, spirits and tailored made business shirts. An interesting concept that was combined well together when we first stepped in. As it was about 2pm in the afternoon, the store smelt like coffee with quite a few tables taken up by coffee drinkers (mostly in suits, don't these people need to go to work??). I would say the store had an antique yet modern, contemporary look to it, with the old, antique sewing machines and glass carafes like in Mad Men placed all over in contrast to the modern colours and styles of shirts on sale.

I had a cappuccino, AUD$3.5, JL and TT had a latte, AUD$3.5. It was a relatively cold day, so stepping into

a warm and welcoming coffee shop enhanced our first impressions. The coffee temperature was perfect for this weather. Not scalding hot but a good temperature to sip on and enjoy the warmth. The cookies were buttery and complimented the coffee because they were a tad on the dry side.

What surprised me was their addition of the piccolo latte, cappuccino and flat white: I only thought piccolo lattes existed, but I guess if they exist, it wouldn't be too hard to make a cappuccino or flat white in that style either. A piccolo latte is basically a smaller version of a latte. The beverage is prepared in an espresso/macchiato cup and fill to the top with milk and froth, so there is milk incorporated into the espresso rather than just a dash of froth as a macchiato would have. Was that confusing?

Looking through their drinks menu, I did not see any cocktails (much to my disappointment) but just a list of spirits and liqueurs. They showcased the more expensive spirits on the wall, such as Glenfiddich, Johnnie Walker Black Label and some others that I had never seen before. It was a lot to take in, but we stayed there for a while to observe and enjoy.

I did not see any bar snacks menu - I may have just missed them, but an assortment of pastries and danishes were available, set out on the bar for quick access and viewing.

Shirt Bar joins other new concept bars/boutique/coffee shops and creates an interesting atmosphere to enjoy coffee and drinks. Located near KPMG, you can imagine the amount of people visiting for coffee breaks and after-work drinks. For someone who hasn't visited this area before, it was quite hard to find but with many other coffee shops in its vicinity, Shirt Bar was a standout in the services they provided. More coffee adventures in Wynyard, I guess!

The staff were friendly, giving us water from those awesome glass charafes (all I need to do now is start smoking in-doors) and asking me about my blog (I hid it in their sugar pot, hope they found it). And with a VIP Lounge up above, there is ample seating and standing areas, both inside and out.

I would someday like to go to Shirt Bar during the night to see it in action with after-work business men and women. With a vast amount of choices and varieties of men and women business shirts, the cost although on the slightly expensive side (although I am not really sure how much a shirt would cost on average) provides another tangent of interactivity and look and feel of the store. Just go to look at the shirts, if you must!

address: Sussex Lane: 275 Kent St & Sussex St.

website: Shirt Bar / phone: 02 8068 8222

#026, triple pick coffee, 030611

company: JL & TT

conversation: Movies, decor of the place.

Yes! I am back!

I had originally planned on us going to another coffee shop that served crepes (as I felt like eating them that day) but as I found myself alone waiting for the others to arrive, I

decided to take a little stroll to see what else was around that area. If I hadn't decided to walk down a side street, I would have completely missed this little gem.

JL perfectly describes our first thoughts upon walking in: "Smells like you could eat the air"; freshly ground coffee was strong, aromatic and so yum. The decor in the store was simple, clean and sophisticated. Even the furniture was the colour of roasted coffee beans!

One of the walls was covered in framed photos and posters of the coffee brewing process, facts about coffee and general latte art. Coffee grinding, roasting and brewing equipment was lined up on shelves on the other wall. Triple Pick Coffee roasts coffee beans daily and specialises in "high quality Indonesian Arabica Coffee".

Although the room may have seemed a bit small when we walked in, the owner (Mulyady Suopo) gave us the freedom to move the furniture around so that all three of us could sit around a table. With approximately 8 seats and a couple of stools for window seating, the store allowed for a comfortable chill out area.

The simplicity of the decor was amazing, matching well with the jazz music in the background. When we arrived, there was a father and son sitting at a table with the father enjoying his coffee and newspaper but the little boy was obviously bored, aww. Once seated, a couple more people came and went with take-away coffees.

I had a cappuccino, regular, AUD$3.00. JL had a flat white, regular, AUD$3.00.

I have come to realise that I cannot fault any frothed milk from the majority of Sydney cafes due to the prevalent coffee culture we have here. Knowing that my coffees aren't great I am surprised to not have received any complaints regarding the milk/look of the coffee. The other day someone sent back a coffee I had made because it was burnt (in my defense, the coffee machine was too hot and by the time the ground coffee beans were even in the group handle, it was already burnt).

I think it was just me, but when our drinks arrived, there was a distinct sweet caramel aroma coming from the coffee. It smelt really good. The little cookie on the side was a cute touch and complimented the coffee well.

Taste and appearance wise, the coffee was amazing. But I wish the temperature was a little hotter (not scalding hot but not scull-able either) and the amount of froth in my cappuccino was similar to the flat white JL had. Minor observations...

I noticed on their drinks list they had a new iced coffee (AUD$5.50) option with coffee ice cubes, which was a smart way to ensure the drink did not go watery. Teas and hot chocolates were also AUD$3.00. Larger coffees cost an extra dollar (AUD$4.00), which included two shots. I don't know about you but I sometimes see my colleagues making large coffees with only one shot... I don't actually know which practice is standard but I always thought that with the extra volume of milk, an extra shot would allow it to taste similar to its regular counterpart. Hmm...

Being quite a small coffee shop, I was not surprised to find a small selection of pastries and cookies but that was alright because we had eaten already. Non-coffee drinkers can also enjoy this area with a variety of fruit juices and bottled drinks. Not too shabby...

Hidden in the corner of an empty street (which we later found was the exit for the Bondi Junction Westfield carpark), Triple Pick Coffee provides great coffee for a reasonable price and in a relaxing, comfortable environment. From the beginning of the street, the store may be hard to find and looks like it belongs to the pet store next door.

I would not hesitate to go back and I definitely recommend this place. With only 45 minutes to spare (we were going to watch a movie), we were pretty chilled out and comfortable smelling the air and admiring the surroundings. Too bad there was no Wi-Fi, or maybe that was a good thing cos we only had 45 minutes, I can imagine us sitting there for hours on end just playing Words with Friends, haha.

Anyway, I wish my room was as cool as this store was. I'm glad I decided to come here instead of the crepes store (maybe some other time!).

address: 17 Gray Street, Bondi Junction, NSW 2017
website: Triple Pick Coffee / phone: 9388 9015

#020, fuel espresso, 140210

company: Dad, Mum and G
conversation: Macau, taking photos and coffee.

Before heading over to my relative's place for a Chinese New Year dinner with quite a bit of time to spare, a coffee adventure happened. Although within IFC (International Financial Centre), I only had a store number as reference and after weaving our way through the mall, we eventually stumbled upon a little quiet corner on the third floor.


Whilst looking at the drinks menu and their prices, something on the counter caught my eye. It was My Coffee Guide! What are the odds. Turns out Fuel Espresso is actually the first store recommended in the book. Seating is extended out into the mall to allow people-watching and maximise space. We looked for a place to sit, but even with approximately 32 seats (including bar stools further inside), they were all paired off, forcing us to have to move a table closer to create a four-seater.

With a small variety of beverages listed on their blackboard, they cover the basics in espresso coffee with hot and cold options available ranging from HKD$24 - $44. Cakes and cookies are also available for $16 - $25, indicating that this store specialises mostly in drinks rather than expanding into the food department (I guess that's what Soho is for).

The overall layout allowed patrons to order at a counter and have the staff deliver the drinks upon them being made. The sleek design and wall arrangements made the whole store look and feel stylish and modern. Even the staff looked really cool and trendy with their glass-less glasses and gelled hair, but they were nice and not intimidating at all.

The wall in the picture below was aligned with paper cups, water bottles and their tea selection. To serve the tea, I observed that they used antique teacups and pots and even had the tea leaf strainers.


Mum and I had a cappuccino, regular, HKD$36. Dad had a latte, regular, HKD$36. G had an iced chocolate, HKD$44.

On first inspection of the menu, I was quite surprised at the prices. As a student, prices like these make me hesitant to order (ahem, S Square Cafe). IFC (1 and 2) houses a mall, cinema and is Hong Kong's tallest office building with 88 floors. Gazillion-dollar-dealing business people working around the area or within the building must not think much about a 36 dollar coffee.

The cappuccinos and latte were made first and looked very promising. Whilst watching the barista froth, he may have put a bit too much milk in the jug causing some to splash and almost spill before he turned off the steam wand. When milk is heated or steamed, it expands as air is incorporated and the fat molecules help to keep them in place. So when initially steaming milk, room must be accounted for in the milk jug. But the result was a creamy froth and a good lookin' cappuccino.

What is different with this cappuccino is that instead of using chocolate powder, they use chocolate flakes. This creates a thin layer of melted chocolate on the surface, adding another flavour to the strong espresso. Although I enjoyed the chocolate dimension, my Mum did think it was a bit too sweet.

Whilst the froth was creamy, the chocolate was sweet, the espresso very aromatic and strong. The only thing that pulled it away from being a good cup of coffee was the fact that it was not hot enough. Boo. I think this was because while the barista was frothing the milk, he turned off the steam-wand too soon so as to not spill any more. This caused the milk to have a nice consistency but it did not have enough time to heat up to a good temperature. What a shame.

The latte was in a glass proportioned nicely. I found out from Felix that using a glass for lattes is an Australian (Sydney?) custom and it is only for aesthetic purposes with no difference to using ceramic. Question answered.

G's iced chocolate had a scoop of vanilla ice cream hidden inside. Yum. It was thick and had a strong taste of dark chocolate although she complained that it was slightly powdery. Like many of the thick iced beverages I have seen lately, I'm guessing this one was filling and heavy.

Fuel Espresso appears to be a more "up-and-go" type of coffee shop for the regular business person before going to work or attending a meeting. And whilst I imagined men and women in suits signing contracts and making deals, I could also see people chatting and reading books. There was a slow trickle of people even though stores were closed and no one was working. Mornings at this place must be super crazy busy!

Seating here is not exactly comfortable, the carpeted area was quite dirty (maybe a baby or kid sat here before we arrived) and the price was way above the usual espresso drink I have seen around that are of the same quality. If only the cappuccino was hotter I would have been able to overlook all of those flaws and recommend it to people and possibly even return.

There are certainly other coffee shops in IFC mall, and I'm betting they are not to be missed. But the consistency of the milk and the creaminess of the espresso is only found in well-trained barista skills and you will be sure to find it here (fingers crossed it is hot when you try it).

address: International Financial Centre, Shop 3023, Central.
中環港景街1號國際金融中心3023號舖
phone: 2295 3815

#019, princess cafe & bistro, 120210

company: SO
conversation: University, catching up and life.

When looking for this store, I figured it would be easy to find as another coffee shop was on the same street. After 20 minutes of searching, we high-fived each other stumbling into an unknown area but finally seeing the store close by.

I counted exactly 9 seats in a small little room with three tables, a blackboard with meal prices, a corkboard with various pictures and a large refrigerated glass cupboard with cakes on each shelf. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling created an upper-class feel to enhance, I guess, their royalty interior. The place was smaller than I had imagined and if it were not for the lady that left, we would have been sitting on a smaller table squished in a corner.

We were handed several pieces of paper stapled in the corner which was our menu. Listed were several sandwich, omelette (HKD$38 - $45), instant noodle ($38) and dessert ($28) options as well as a great deal on cakes (buy 2 get 1 free).

Cakes ranged from tiramisu to cheesecakes (approximately $32 per piece) with whole cakes available in various sizes from $198 - $398. After we ordered our drinks, one of the waitresses began selling their cakes which were apparently homemade and low in sugar. Some tiramisu cakes we hadn't heard of included the strawberry tiramisu and green tea tiramisu. Their signature lime and lemon cheesecake was apparently also very popular.

The beverage sizes were named as Princess (regular) and Queen (large) which I thought was an interesting and cute way to incorporate the theme of their store. The drinks ranged between $15 - $30.

I had a cappuccino, Princess (regular), $25 and a lime and lemon cheesecake, $22. She had a latte, Princess (regular), $20 and a strawberry tiramisu, $32.

Yeah, we eventually gave in and ordered cakes after the recommendation of our waitress. She was nice and talkative and kept asking us if everything was okay. Eager beaver but who isn't?

The coffee machine was hidden behind the glass refrigerator so I was unable to see or hear the frothing nor did I hear any grinder working. When my cappuccino arrived in a clear glass, I could tell that the proportions were good with a hot, strong and creamy espresso. Although the froth had traces of espresso (to incorporate taste), the air bubbles were quite large.

As I did my best to listen for some frothing or grinding with SO's latte, I figured that maybe they were not frothing the milk manually nor were they pulling the shots themselves either. Working at a hotel in Hong Kong, I remembered that we did not make coffee the manual way either. We pressed a button and coffee with some frothy milk would shoot down a tube into a cup, no manual handling involved. Not exactly the yummiest coffee, but if you were not famous or well-known for it, then I guess it did not matter as much. Although props to you if you do have the skills and machinery.


My lime and lemon cheesecake was slightly small for the price I paid for it. Although I do understand how filling I would get if it was larger, there are certain expectations for certain prices! The cheesecake was refreshing, thick and fluffy with an interesting zing to it from the lime zest on the top layer. The lime and lemon mixed well together although it overpowered the blueberry jam in the centre of the cake. I don't usually order lime and lemon cheesecakes or any of those flavoured cakes in particular but this was a yummy one to start off with.

SO's latte looked a whole lot like my cappuccino although there was less froth. SO did say that the espresso was very strong and bitter but was nothing special.

Instead, we had much more to talk about with her strawberry tiramisu. The waitress went into depth about how they make the cream for the tiramisu, saying how they use real strawberries as well as strawberry liqueur to enhance the flavour. Taking a bite out of the tiramisu, there were a mix of textures as bits of strawberries were incorporated into the cream. Overall, it was a light and interesting slice of something new.

It was interesting to see that by the time we left the store, all their strawberry tiramisu cakes were sold out.

Princess Cafe & Bistro opened approximately 2 months ago, even on Open Rice they are still categorised as a newly opened store. If I was just randomly walking through the street, I would find it a bit out of place with various commercial buildings and Chinese restaurants scattered nearby.

Unfortunately, despite the length of time they let us sit and chat and the friendly and enthusiastic waitress. There were certain flaws in the layout, with it being crowded and the lack of space to sit comfortably as well as their interior that could do with some touching up. I now understand that their coffee was not their selling point but it was their cakes that were the popular items that kept customers coming in and out and their regulars coming back for more. Although their pricing strategies might have to be revised or at least portion controlled.

A little bit of a walk away from the Soho bridge, if you are in the mood for some homemade, low in sugar cakes and don't mind walking, I would recommend this place. It was interesting walking so far away from the regular Soho area that I am familiar with. This was fun.

address: G/F, 115 Wellington Street, Central.
中環威靈頓街 115號地舖
phone: 2866 9062

#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

#003, saveur de france, 120110

company: E and S
conversation: iPod Touch playing, work, university and Hong Kong culture.

First off, I will admit to you here that we were on our way to finding another coffee shop when I realised that it wasn't open for the day. Having no backup, S and I just wandered around Soho for a good 30 minutes just marvelling at the many cuisines and store designs. We came to this one by chance (whilst debating with another, I guess, prettier store) and figured that it wouldn't hurt to try something French.

I had not heard about this store before, not even on my trusty and helpful Open Rice. The interior was welcoming in a light pea-green shade with a picture of the Eiffel Tower behind us as we sat. The waitress taking us to our table was cute and nice, and I thought about working there myself. We had arrived a couple of hours after the lunch rush so the restaurant was relatively quiet and mellow, the perfect atmosphere to indulge in some coffee and relax.

I will also tell you that I didn't bring my camera and the fact that my phone did have a camera did not pop into my head whilst we were there. I apologise for the lack of photos in this post.

I had a cappuccino, regular, HKD$30. S had a latte, regular, HKD$32. E had a Quiche set lunch, HKD$68+10%.

E's set lunch included a soup or dessert (she opted for the desserts as they were quite appetising), a choice of a tart or quiche and a beverage. It was prepared quickly and the portions were perfect for a quick lunch, although I would suggest that males might want to order something extra or prepare for a snack before dinner. With a small salad on the side, I noticed their simple but effective presentation.

Unfortunately, I was slightly disappointed with their coffees. Maybe this is how they make them in France? But even E exclaimed how sometimes we are very peculiar with our foam. Although the proportions were right for the cappuccino, it seemed as though the milk had not been frothed enough to create a smooth foam. It had peaks and many bubbles in it, and therefore was not as appeasing when scooped up and eaten (do you eat foam or do you drink it?). The flavour was not anything particularly special, if a bit bitter for my taste. But E and S both thought it was okay.

For dessert, E ordered an apple tart which was better than expected. The pastry was moist as well as buttery and was not too thick. Overall, a good way to end the meal.

Saveur de France, meaning "Flavour of France" lives up to it's name in the atmosphere and general friendliness of the waitresses (I have not been to France but these are my impressions). The food, although simple, was well-matched with the environment allowing guests to take their time and enjoy their meal. Something I'm sure a lot of business people would take for granted being near to the financial centre of Hong Kong.

The free Wi-Fi was an added bonus as all three of us took our iPod Touch out and began playing, unaware of the time ticking by. Looking up Saveur de France on Open Rice showed that only 9 people had commented so far. Meaning this store was only newly opened or that not many people knew of this little star. Being tucked under a bridge is not exactly geographically beneficial either. Just one thing to note was that once we entered, they spoke to us in English immediately. The menus were also completely in English. I found this interesting until I remembered where we were.

With strong competition all over Soho, Saveur de France could easily be overlooked. I think as long as all their food was similar to the style of the quiche and apple tart, and that maybe with an enhancement of their coffee skills, they could go a very long way.

address: G/F, 24 Hollywood Road, SOHO, Central
中環蘇豪荷李活道24號地下
phone: 2525 2028