Juju Espresso - Sydney Australia

This week we are still hanging around the city, but closer to Circular Quay. I don't know what attracts me to this cafe but I just want to interview it for no obvious reason. Perhaps this is the magic of the cafe...

Juju Espresso is located at 27 Macquarie Place, Kyle House. Kyle House is designed by a gifted architect Dellit, who died young. According to the city of Sydney Heritage Study, Kyle House is an important example of Inter-War Art Deco style which emphasizes verticality and detail of cladding materials. 

Together with the buildings around Macquarie Place, Kyle House forms an important landmark feature and contributes to the historic street character. The rear courtyard and access way arrangement is relatively rare in Sydney and this also reflect the nature of the area's relationship with the shipping and trading days during the early 19th century (Graham Brooks & Associates, 2000). 

To get to the cafe, the closest train stations are Wynyard and Circular Quay. For those that intend to drive there, please note that the cafe is located at Macquarie Place not Street. 

Cafe Name: Juju Espresso

27 Macquarie Place

Sydney NSW 2000

Monday - Friday: 0530 - 1600

Saturday - Sunday: Closed

Now let's enter into the world of Juju Espresso

What is the idea behind the name?

I mentioned before that this place draws me like there is some form of magic. Well you know what, this is exactly the meaning of the cafe. According to James, that was exactly what he meant. Juju in Swahili language meant magic and in the culture of Tanzania, Juju is the form or belief in a powerful spirit world. Juju is abounds in traditional spells and cures used to control and command the believers. So in this case coffee is this cafe black magic. 

Coffee Beans: Di Gabriel Espresso 101 (2011 CSR Gold Medal)

Why this location?

Had been operating at AMP Plaza (Chocolat) for a few years prior to the opening of this boutique. James has a love for CBD but why this location is because of the building. James like the character of the shop which has a very Melbourne boutique and upbeat feel. In addition, the building architecture which is also a heritage listed site also attracted James.

Left: James Kotselas

Right Jason Hughes

James and Jason have been working for a while now, the history of their working relationship started from La Buvette (which meant a waterhole in French). It was a place to meet and they worked at that joint 16 years ago.

As for Juju motto: Whatever it takes

Going with their motto, they do whatever it takes to bring not only the best coffee but also in their food. Juju has a commercial kitchen and many of their food are prepared in their own kitchen in Glebe. They change their food according to the season. The photo below is what you may expect from the cafe.

So what do you both like about working in the cafe/industry?

Jason reply: because we are silly....(hard to replicate the humor in this blog, readers you would have to imagine it). On a serious note, they are in this industry because they love their customers and they enjoy making and serving good coffee and food. So even though it is demanding (long hours) but for them it is rewarding to see their customers enjoying their food and coffee. 

What is your plan for the future?

Open more shops, most likely Mon-Fri store with similar menus and same standard. 

Why only a Mon-Fri store? 

That is because they would need time to rest and also to pay attention to another arm of their business which is the mobile cart catering. 

What is your favourite coffee?

Cafe's special of the house - Dickolo (The Horny Piccolo)

Dickolo = Double Ristretto Piccolo 

As for me, I had a Cappuccino (I would have tried the Dickolo had I known earlier).

Oh by the way, Juju Cappuccino is topped up with real chocolate flakes not powder.

Cappuccino Price Index: AUD $3.50 (Eat in)

That's all from me this week. Thank you to all the readers who had been so patience with me this month.

KB Coffee Roasters - Sydney Australia

This week we are back into the corporate office area in Sydney City. You are probably wondering why is this place so unique then? Well to start off with, the coffee is not served in a cafe but it is served from a coffee cart. Yup that's right, a coffee cart, it is in fact quite a rare sight in Sydney City. 

How I stumbled upon this place? I craved for an afternoon coffee and wanted to go somewhere that I have yet to try. Dragged a colleague to come along with me, but she was in a hurry to go back to the office and we saw this coffee cart with an afternoon coffee special as we walked on Clarence Street and decided to give it a go. Try it, like it and here we are today with an interview arranged. 

Location: 191 Clarence Street (Closest intersection King and Clarence Street)

Unfortunately it was raining cats and dogs on the day when I was there for the photos. Can't give you the same street view that I usually post in the other blogs. So dear readers, you would have to make do with the rainy version this time. 

 


So the picture on the left shows the view from the cart towards King Street. The coffee cart is located outside Allied graphics and diagonally behind the Grace Hotel. So for any visitors coming to Sydney, why not make a trip to this "cafe" and experience a different coffee drinking experience.

Picture on the right shows Clarence street towards QVB, for those that would like to drive to the cafe, please note that Clarence street is a one way traffic and the lane closest to the cafe is a bus lane. Best to park 3 lanes away from the cafe and make a quick dash for your coffee fix.

Cafe Name: KB Espresso Bar

191 Clarence Street
Sydney NSW 2000

Monday - Friday: 0800 to 1600
Saturday - Sunday: Closed

So what is the idea behind the name?

Just wanted a simple name and what can be simpler than the initial of both partners' last name.
K =Kinahan and B = Brawn.

KB Espresso bar served their own coffee beans.

- KB Silverback which is big, bold and strong

- KB Emperor Monkey which is a smoother blend

Why this location?

One of the reasons is purely a sound economic reason, the low overhead cost required in setting up the place. However, the challenge is also how to make the place attractive because Michael has nothing more than a couple of pillars and a cart to work with. So this is what Michael has come up with to make the place more interesting and to fill it with more soul.

Without any decor, is a cold and hard looking environment.

                                       

With abit of creative juice flowing, add a little bit of a green to the hard concrete floor, this is what you get. The effect is actually quite fascinating, to feel abit of grass underneath your feet after a day at work, it is actually quite comforting. Now the only thing that is missing is the BBQ, a sausage sizzle to go along with the coffee would have been very nice. 

Abit about the owners

This is a collaboration between Peter Brawn and Michael Kinahan. Michael whom I interviewed used to work at The Wolseley Cafe Restaurant in London at their tea and coffee section. It is there that he became obsessed in coffee. After his 7 years stint in London, Michael returned to Sydney and decided to venture into the art of coffee roasting.


This is a view of the Coffee Kart

Something interesting about this cart that I saw was a group of photos stuck onto the inner cover of the cart. I was told by Michael that these are photos of some of his regulars. So for those of you that want to have your picture added, you know what to do ;P

While I was there, I managed to catch onto their takeaway cup stamping process

 


Michael with his staff at the Espresso Bar and the tower of stamped cups.

Finally, a departing cup of cappuccino from Michael and his gnome. 

Cappuccino Price Index: $3

Till the next blog, a Merry July Christmas to all those in the southern hemisphere!

The Vintage Cafe - The Rocks Australia

I am so sorry to my readers for the delay, Diablo3 has certainly took a lot of hours from everything that I do.

If you are a visitor to Sydney or a new resident of Sydney, you certainly cannot missed going to The Rocks. There is our famous Opera House and Harbour Bridge and if you are reading this blog, I am assuming that you are a fan of coffee and hence you cannot miss our annual Sydney Aroma Festival that will be held at the Rocks this year on 29th July 2012 from 10am to 5pm.

The Rocks is obviously an old part of Sydney and has a long history to it. If you were to take a weekend afternoon to have a walk around the area, you can discover the history of the place with little plaques like these scattered around different part of The Rocks.

Or alternatively, there are organized tours that will guide you to the different sites. 

Normally, if you were to go to The Rocks by public transport, you would get to the cafe via George Street. Having drove there, I decided to park at one of the back streets (Harrington Street). Below is a series of photos to show you the road to the cafe. Walking from Wynyard towards The Rocks on Harrington Street, you would pass by the tourist popular Duty Free Shop (DFS Galleries). 

 

As you walk past 66 Harrington Street, look out for a sign that points to Nurses Walk.

Progress your way down Mission Stairs to Nurses Walk

 

The cafe is actually located on Nurses Walk within the building of what used to be Sydney first hospital. 

If you are coming from George Street, once again like any other good cafes that were featured before, it is tuck away from the public eye. So here's the direction.

Walking along George Street, as you get to the ice-cream shop (Copenhagan), turn left into nurses walk.

Another reference point, the alley is diagonally across the street from the Museum of Contemporary Art.

You would come up from this arcade and immediately you are greeted with something so beautiful. If you are thinking this is cafe, sorry, nope. 

Now that you know how to get there. Let start with the interview. 

Cafe Name: The Vintage Cafe

R2 Nurses Walk, The Rocks

Monday - Wednesday: 1030 to 1630

Thursday - Friday: 1030 to 2130

Saturday: 0900 to 2130

Sunday: 0900 to 2100

So what is the idea behind the cafe name?

Firstly, the sandstone building itself is a vintage. Secondly, cafe owner like antique (see clock in picture) and you can spot a thing or two around his cafe. The decoration of the cafe is also set in a vintage style with wooden tables and chairs and for a moment I thought I was in Europe. Other than the surrounding this feeling came about when I heard Spanish/Portuguese spoken among the staffs. 

Coffee Beans: Ducale Coffee Beans

Why this location?

For 11 years this location was run by another cafe (Latte Brothers on the Rocks), when the opportunity came up for this location. Julian thought it was too good an opportunity to pass especially due to his taste for vintage and antique. This was a perfect location for him. 

Cafe Owner: Julian Montenegro (during the rush, I forgot to take a picture of the owner, will have to make it up one day)

Julian is a chef by trade and he started this cafe 3 years ago alongside with his wife. Julian also mentioned that his staffs are either Spanish/Portuguese speaking because this is to go along with the fact that his cafe is also a Latin Restaurant by night. 

If you think that chorizos is only limited to the Spanish Quarters down at Goulburn Street then you have certainly got to give this cafe a try. They are famous for its flaming Chorizos served at the table and Portuguese tarts. 

What is also great at this cafe is on a weekend, after you have done your walk around the botanic gardens or  at the Rocks market, this is a great cafe to sit in and enjoy a brunch while listening to the mellow sounds of live music. If you are thinking that it is going to be noisy with the music, well then you are in for a surprise. It is actually quite a zen experience and you certainly do not have to shout to your friends on the table for a conversation. 

As I sat and observe, most of the patrons of the cafe are certainly tourists, so when I ask Julian if there are many locals. He said that over the last 3 years, the number of tourists have certainly reduced but he said that there has been a slight increase in the number of locals and there are more return local customers for his cafe during the night. 

So come on people, let us support our local business, organize a few friends and give this cafe a go, be it their breakfast or coffee or their famous burning chorizos. 

Final question

What is your favourite coffee?

Long black without sugar - like to enjoy coffee as it is

Not Just Coffee - Paddington Australia

This week I did not have to go too far out of the city to get to the cafe, in fact it is only 3 kilometers east of Sydney City in a suburb named Paddington.

Paddington has a well known street that runs down the suburb and that is the famous Oxford Street. If you find the name familiar, the same street runs from Paddington to Surry Hills, which was another suburb that I introduced earlier in my interview with Single Origin Roasters. Paddington has evolved over the years from a walking track for the Aboriginals to what is now a street that is well known for its shopping.

In the later part of 19th century, Paddington was filled with terraces to accommodate the increasing number of city working population and middle class. If you think that Paddington terrace is still a property for the middle class. You might want to think again. According to RP Data, the median sales price for a house in Paddington in 2012 is AUD $1,370,000 and this is a 5.8% drop from last year!

Paddington is a popular destination among tourists who come to the suburb just to experience shopping on Oxford Street. Many tourists are also drawn to Paddington's popular open-air market that is held at the heritage listed Uniting Church ground every Saturday. 

Paddington popularity does not stop with tourists, it is also a popular destination for the locals with its interesting mix of boutique and chain fashion stores, as well as its wide selection of cafes and restaurants. It is only a pity that there are very limited street parking available in the surrounding streets which also limit you to 1 hour parking. If you choose to come to Paddington, I strongly suggest public transport such as bus. The nearest train station will be Museum Station, that will bring you to the start of Oxford street. The following is a picture of a boutique store that was near to where I parked my car.

Good cafe always seems to be tuck away in some corner or laneway. This cafe is no different. The address of the cafe is 264 Oxford Street, Paddington. You would think that with an address like this, it would be real easy to find. Noooooo.......

Now let me show you where the cafe is located. On the map it is pretty straightforward. 

But in actual fact the cafe entrance is located on Perry Lane. If you are to walk along Oxford street and hope to find a street signage that write "Perry Lane" then you would be walking up and down Oxford street for a while. That is because the sign of the lane is located on the GROUND!

So here is a little tip for those of you that are intending to venture out to Not Just Coffee cafe. Look out for the fashion chain store "Oxford" on Oxford street and you would see a flag that say "Cafe Open" pointing into Perry Lane. 

Just follow the arrow and you will find the entrance to Not Just Coffee.

Okay, let us get on with the interview.

Cafe Name: Not Just Coffee

264 Oxford Street, Paddington

Entry on Perry Lane

Monday: Closed

Tuesday - Friday: 0730 to 1600

Saturday - Sunday: 0830 to 1600

So what is the idea behind the cafe name?

Started selling cookies at Kings Cross under the name of 406 Bakery which is the number of the apartment that she was living in the States where she learnt how to bake. But with cafe, Kit was advised that numbers in name does not stick in people's memory. Hence the name of "Not Just Coffee" was established instead, which is also a very true reflection of the cafe, because it is not just the coffee that is attracting regulars to this pet friendly cafe. There is a great variety of cakes, muffins and scones that are baked by Kit available at the cafe for consumption. 

Coffee Beans: Di Lorenzo

Why this location?

It took Kit and Yuen over a year to find this location having gone around to different parts of Sydney. Having operated in Kings Cross before, there was a bias liking to this area and hence when this location was available on the market, they took it. 

This location has always been a cafe for the last 18 years and through some Google effort, the previous cafes that were located in the same place were Perry Lane Cafe and CafeArtStudio. In keeping with the promotion of arts, there is a gallery of famous drawings. Just kidding, these are all the drawings from the cafe's young customers. Other than being a pet friendly cafe, it is also prams and kids friendly, the cafe will provide the kid with the crayons and paper to keep the kids entertain while parents enjoy a well deserved break with a coffee and cake. 

Abit about the cafe owners (Kit and Yuen)

Malaysia born, both of them traveled to the States for their studies. Kit a biochemist and Yuen a pharmacist, during their studies, they did talked about operating a cafe later on in their life. After Kit has completed her studies, and not finding a job that is satisfying for her, she decided to leave the States and try her luck in Australia (other than the fact that Australia is closer to her family in Malaysia as well). 

Same fate was presented to her in Australia and she started casual work with cafes to make ends meet. But what started as a casual work once again reignite her desire to operate a cafe and since her career as a biochemist is not really going according to plan, she decided to pair up with Yuen, brought forward their dreams by 10 years and started this cafe. 

Kit who is also an amateur photographer truly gives support to budding artists. In the cafe upper level, there is an art gallery that changes exhibit every 2 months. If you are interested in displaying your works, please contact Not Just Coffee directly for details. 

 


When I was at the cafe, I noticed a couple of "keep calm and carry on" artifacts lying around the place and I ask Kit if this is all part of the London Olympics 2012 theme. She said, no, she simply likes the slogan.

        

What is your favourite coffee?

Kit reply is Cappuccino, this is when Kit brought to my attention that the cup of coffee on the logo is that of a Cappuccino. She also pointed out to me the signature red couch is actually upstairs, so how can I miss it. So upstairs I went. How can I not take a photo of something so "homely". 

On the signature couch, I saw nana (grandmum) and I can only presume that the gentleman is her son are both enjoying their late Saturday afternoon coffee. This moment just melts my heart. What can I say, not only is this place safe for kids, quiet enough for customers to have a chat, friendly enough for pets, it is even comfy enough to give you a wrong impression that you are actually enjoying all these at home.

Finally, a picture of the crew (Kit is on the far right)

Cappuccino Price Index: AUD $3.50

That is all from me this week, see you all in a fortnight.