The Daily, Swanbourne Cafe – Review
At “The Daily” at Swanbourne shops today. A new place that opened last year (2011) and a very good contribution to this area. This strip needed a good coffee shop, and “The Daily Espresso Bar” answered.
The Dancing Goat is across the railway from these guys, but it’s healthy to have 2 or a few top spots close together, this way you have a good selection to go to when you need a great coffee.
The atmosphere in this place is very trendy, cool, with exposed bricks, light wood coloured book cases (crates) and a very cool service bar. Sitting is on stools, at bars, so no tables to sit at, but bar chairs, so once again adds to the whole great feel in this place. Cool tunes, a small kitchen supports this 14 seater café. I can imagine that this place does a roaring trade in the morning for the training work crowd.
You can get a full suite of coffees here as well as flat bread, cakes, muffins and croissants.
Long Mach at The Daily
OK, over to the coffee. Served in a glass, my medium mach started off very well, sensational crema and temperature, good to drink straight away. Coffee was not burned or tarnished in any way, so it tasted sensational.Wish I had more time to have another one, but it will have to wait till another time.
I didn’t ask, nor were there any bags showing the brand, but the coffee tasted like 5 Senses – I know the taste pretty well now, so I’m 99% sure it was – unless someone out there is roasting the same beans in the same way.
The cafe is pretty small but it got a good volume of traffic flow through it while I was there, so they are doing things right as people are coming and going. Each customer is treated in a very friendly manner, which is great to see. It shows that the staff here enjoy what they do and the locals keep on coming back.
I watched the barista make another coffee and all care was taken heating the milk (fresh each time), pulling the espresso and also the making of it all.
This is my second time here, and it’s very friendly and nice to be here.
Contact details for The Daily in Swanbourne.
Read MoreChapels on Whatley – Tea Heaven
I can only handle so many coffees in one day, so when I am still ready to keep going, I go to a tea place. A perfect spot on Whatley Crescent in Maylands exists, it’s called “Chapels on Whatley“.
If you are into tea, you may already be aware of this sensational place. I love my green tea and appreciate a good cup. Recently I started to explore teas a bit more than usual and am slowly working my taste buds through their extensive range.
At the moment I’m drinking their Bai Hao Silver Needle tea, which is a white tea. This tea is the premium of teas, and it’s the 1st leaf that appears on the tea tree, it’s only picked once a year which is in spring. The tea comes from Fuijian province in China. It’s the most expensive tea you can get your hands on, it’s the one with most antioxidants and least caffeine in it. So if your body needs some antioxidants, you’ve found your perfect match, as this is as as good as it gets.
Here are some photos of Bai Hao Silver Needle Tea
This tea has a slight yellow colour to it and is very easy to drink, I brew mine in a large mug and let the leaves loose to extract, allowing them to sink naturally. Most people don’t like the leaves floating, but they sink and they don’t end up in your mouth, so I’m not sure what all the fuss is about. I can drink 2 to 3 cups of this tea easily in one night, it’s great to drink.
At Chapels, they run Tea Tasting classes which are only $15.95. It will be worth doing and introduce your taste buds to the world of teas and appreciate what is what.
More about Chapels in Whatley Read MoreLouis Baxters Coffee Review
Louis Baxters Cafe is the newest addition to Subiaco, straight away when you walk in the visual effect is sensational, the lights, wall paintings and the tables are all fitting to the local atmosphere – trendy. While I was there, a vast selection of people walked in which was great as diversity of clientele tells me that something must be good here.
They have a central communal tall table with stools, seating around the cafe, a couch in the corner and also outside front of cafe bench seating if you’re into people watching. A great feature of the cafe is the front/side order window, so if you’re into your quick take away coffee, this if your window to your morning fix.
I started with my normal, Medium Mach, this cafe is traditional, so my coffee would have come out double shot with a dash of milk, so after some discussions with the owner and barista we worked out that I was ordering in “Perth Speak” and they were going to make it “traditional” which is the norm in Melbourne and Sydney. When my coffee came out and my friend’s latte, they were presented extremely well and without a doubt time as taken to piece these 2 coffees. Nothing wrong with either coffee, crema, texture, flavour all is GOOD. I have finally had a chance to come to Subi and was looking forward to tasting their Campos coffee, needless to say I was very pleased. I didn’t get a chance to take a photo of our initial coffees as time just passed too quickly, but I made up for it later on.
The flavour of the Campos blend is sensational, fresh and nutty. It’s a pleasure to drink their coffee and their atmosphere complement it.
For the 2nd round I asked their barista to make me what he wanted, I said “make me what you’d want to drink please”, he didn’t think it was weird or anything, so that was cool too. So I got served up one of my old time favourites, an Affogato (drowning in Italian), in short – it’s a double espresso with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Sensational again. I took some pics of this coffee (featured).
So, the verdict – go to Louis Baxters if you haven’t been there yet, it’s only been open a short time, and without a doubt it will become more famous and also become a regular pit stop for great coffee lovers.
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Shots on Lake – Northbridge
At Shots on Lake in Northbridge. I came in and asked the barista to make me what he wanted, he liked “Flat Whites” so I’m drinking one. I have to come clean, I’m not a big fan of a single shot flat white, it’s too weak for me, but that also depends on the blend/brand of coffee. I had to have a chat to the guy as this is my 3rd time to this place, and with the 3rd owner, this place just hasn’t worked for some reason. It surprises me why not as they have a great boutique feel to it and are unique in their proposition and offering.
The 3rd owners of this place in Northbridge have done an exceptional job on the fit out, it’s very plush, especially for Northbridge. The new fit out is awesome, in particular the meeting room at the back (see picture below). The venue is a heritage listed house with high ceilings and a couple rooms off it with a main corridor. The outside area is also where their base kitchen is, coffee machine, serving fridge and seating. The front of the place is very nice and comfortable, you can see what’s on offer, should it be a take away coffee, lunch or sit in business meeting.
The new owners have put a full kitchen in the back, so they do real food here now, rather than just take away sandwiches and toasted foccacia.. Breakfast will be served in the next few weeks, so it’s lunches only, but this place appears to be finally getting their formula right. The decor is very cool, and the feel of the place follows suit with its old charm and character.
OK, onto the coffee, like I said a flat white isn’t my thing, but it came out creamy and very well made. Using 5 Senses they are starting out with an exceptional bean, followed with an Synesso coffee machine, and to top it all off a quality 80% of what you drink being the barista, it’s all good here. I didn’t get a chance to take any photos of the flat white here, but it was served in a red standard cup – sorry.
It is lunch time, so I had a burger here, fresh and great flavours, but I’m not here to talk about their food, however it’s all good and very tasty. My chicken burger was served on a chopping board and some thick style chips, I’d be happy to have it again when I come back. The owner is from Zimbabwe, so some South African dishes and meats are offered here – take a look at their menu if you’re here next.
After the flat white, which was OK, I had to ordered a long mach, which is effectively a med mach for me, as they serve their long machs in a small glass (nice to see).
Coffee comes out looking very nice and creamy, as was the flat white. Being 5 Senses coffee it’s a full body blend and nutty flavour, and this is what I’m tasting with no burn at all what so ever, so the espresso was treated very well and served up without any tarnish. For my liking, the milk is a bit hot and has been taken past the point of instant drink-ability, so it needed a few minutes to cool down. Putting the milk aside, coffee is great.
Wifi: Yes – for free (Password given when you come in)
Contact Shots on Lake
Address: 101 Lake Street, Northbridge
Telephone: 9228 0008
Website: www.shotsonlake.com.au
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Pony Express O – West Perth
Had a meeting at Pony Express O today, I enjoy coffee here, I love the communal feel to the place, plus they know their business, which is “coffee” you can’t buy anything else here except a couple small sweet things to go with your coffee. You are encouraged to bring in your lunch and buy a coffee.
Their main communal table is great, you could be sitting next to a business man on one side closing a deal and a trendy web designer on the other, and opposite you a couple ladies talking about the weekend.
A steady and busy trade while I spent an easy 1 hour here at my meeting. Pony Express O serve Crema Coffee and this cafe is the big brother of their Fremantle outlet, much bigger brother, as if you walk past “Blink” in Fremantle and you do actually blink, you’ll miss it.
They use great unique ceramic coffee cups here, and one size fits all basically, so all coffees are proportioned based on the volume of milk and coffee in them. I normally do like a dedicated glass for each type of coffee you have, but in this instance as they have 1 set for all it all makes sense, except for espress coffee that is.
You feel very welcome here, even when I’m sitting here, the owner calls out the guy who just sat down (in a suit), “what would you like buddy” – how cool is that? As I sit here it amazes me how many regulars come in, and I know they are regulars as all I’m hearing is “how is your day Jane, Bill, etc..” and “you guys ordering lots of coffee today” so it’s all one big friendly catch up spot. Most cafes strive to achieve this feel of everyone is welcome and friendly – lets face it it keeps your customers coming back, it’s their “local”.
One thing that is a mission (negative) is the parking around here, it’s shocking, but that’s West Perth for you. If you work in West Perth, no doubt your local is Pony Expresso, as all you do it walk down. It’s located in a lane way behind Commonwealth bank, parallel with Hay street on Mayfair Street.
Coffee is exceptional here, temperature, texture, crema. Made with absolute care. Each cup is made and ground to order.
Further to my experience, as I look around the owner (Garrett) is making coffee, and one of the customers is standing behind the coffee machine with him talking about general stuff about their day, how cool is that, you feel as if you are part of the café, it is your local. It’s obvious that this coffee house (not café) is based on reputation and relationships.
If you work in West Perth, and don’t know about Pony Express O, you need to walk down and sit in and enjoy the experience this great coffee house.
Contact Pony Express O
Address: 21 Mayfair Street, West Perth
Tel: 0412 924 434
Website: N/A
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