Coffee Review: Bar 9

It doesn't have the same charm that its sister store has, but the coffee is easily as good.

Bar 9 pairs great coffee with impressive technology to bring you a tasty cup that seems to hug you while you drink it. I have visited both of their stores multiple times, but as this map is strictly based in Adelaide city I have reviewed their rundle mall location. 

The staff were friendly, the coffee was good, but I must say the decor was a little strange. Oh, and the flat white was a definite latte. But other than that, this eclectic store leaves nothing to complain about. 

A well deserved 9. 

Coffee Branch: A little slice of Melbourne

For a long time coming I have meant to make my way to Coffee Branch. It's not really that far away from things it's just that it's off my normal route. 

Anyway, recently I turned up to uni to find out my lecture had been cancelled, and having an hour to kill I decided to finally go there. So I hobbled on down to Leigh st and found Coffee Branch tucked away in a narrow little hole in the wall midway up the street. 

The actual structure of the store was what first caught my attention. Long and thin, it can be a little cramped but there is a certain Melbourne-esk romance to it that the styling also reflects. 

The staff were friendly and the line moved quickly. Before I knew it, I had my soy flatwhite in my hot little hands and I was on my way back to class. 

The coffee was excellent - all of the raving reviews from my friends were spot on. 

I don't know if I'm allowed to give out a '10' for a rating, I feel like it is sort of forbidden. But heck, they really do deserve it, and without further ado Coffee Branch gets a 10 for being everything I had hoped it would be and then so much more.

Coffee Review: Taste Baguette

Located on Rundle street close to the mall, Taste Baguette sneaks in quietly near Cibo’s, occupying a tiny space in the area which has been transformed into a rustic café.

What I like about Taste Baguette is the way that it caresses the side walk so gently, with an open window displaying sweets and pastries acting as a portal from the outside world to the inside of their café. Also to be noted is the beautiful old door and rusted letters – the whole place is rather under spoken, but in a good way. Inside, they have made use of old scales and cash registers to add to the overall atmosphere, and I found myself intrigued by the decorative elements provided by these older times.

The overall interior layout is not fantastic due to their lack of space. The door space often becomes crowded and turns into a mess of people trying to place their order. But the staff are friendly so most people don’t make this into a problem.

The coffee was good and they used Bonsoy for their soy milk.

Taste Baguette scores an 8.5/10.

Local Crush: Naomi Murrell pop-up store

The Naomi Murrell collaborative pop-up store on Rundle street in Adelaide is simply beautiful. This store is amazing for similar reasons as to the Hotel Minho review I did. The beautiful wooden tables and necklace stands are highlighted by the soft, cleanness of the white walls and geometric white feature lamps. This style is continued through for the clothes dresses and other pieces of furniture in the store. 

I was taken away by the store set up because so much effort had been put into this small little space, especially for a temporary store. Before I even entered the store I knew I wanted to buy things - and we all know that is a dangerous beginning. 

The staff member was very helpful when I was asking about the store, and she filled me in on the whole scenario explaining that it was a collaborative store involving furniture designers as well as Naomi Murrell who creates the jewellery that was for sale. The clothes are from a brand called Bul, which Adelaide doesn't have yet. This store is unfortunately only staying until the end of March, which is a shame because I think it adds a lot to the street. 

I have visited this store a few times, and each time have left just as happy. About a week ago, I accidentally fell in love with a striped top from Bul. And then I accidentally drove all the way into the city today to go and buy it. Woops.

Check it out for yourself below, or go in store if you dare. 

Coffee Review: Hey Jupiter

I’m going to be completely honest: I had to visit Hey Jupiter twice to get a review.

I would never normally give a café a second chance for a review if the first performance wasn’t great, but these were special circumstances.

I have been to Hey Jupiter at least 5 times before I visited it for an official review. I have taken friends from interstate there even. On all other occasions I remember having reasonable service and good coffee, as well as being charmed by the store décor which is one of its’ main attraction points.

But the last time I went there, the coffee was shocking. So bad that after a few sips I had to chuck it out. I was sure that the soy milk may have even been off, as the whole drink tasted bitter and sour. The service, on that particular day, was also shocking. The girl serving me was quite rude and in general I walked away very disappointed and wondering what had happened to a great café.

So I took a deep breath – or many deep breaths - they had been good in the past so I should give them a second chance: we all have our bad days.

I’m glad that I did.

This time when I visited, the staff were cheery, the service was quick and the coffee was good. My faith in the little café with the cutely coloured deck chairs could be restored.

Overall for the coffee I have given it a 6.5 – which was a big improvement on my last one. I’m sure they have given me better coffees in the past. The downfall for this particular coffee was that it tasted slightly bitter; as if the coffee head hadn’t been cleaned properly before running through the shot. Or maybe I’m just not a fan of the bean (which I couldn’t see signage for, and was too nervous about the coffee from last time to remember to ask). They do use Bonsoy though, so that’s a definite plus in my books.

I would visit Hey Jupiter again, despite the review being lower than others in the area. This café has so much style to it, and it’s got such a different feel to it compared to most of the other cafes I have visited. I am sure their coffee could improve from the 6.5, and now my confidence in them has been regained I wouldn’t hesitate to go again.

The Chocolate for Chocolate Lovers who Don't Want to Eat Chocolate

Yes, I know it might be confusing for some. But while I love chocolate, I don't really love normal chocolate. 

Firstly, being gluten intolerant, a great deal of chocolate other than the original contains gluten. Strike 1 against chocolate. 

Secondly, chocolate makes me feel fat and ugly. And it probably actually contributes to me becoming fat and ugly too, now that I think of it. So that would be strike 2. 

Thirdly, chocolate contains a lot of sugar, and to be frank I just feel a whole lot better without sugar, and without chocolate. That brings us to strike 3.

But I love chocolate. So instead I have had to find chocolate alternatives that taste delicious and still cater to my chocolatey cravings. 

Enter Pana Chocolate and the Carob Kitchen chocolate bars. 

Pana Chocolate is tasty, delicious, rich and smooth. It literally melts in your mouth and feels whole and nourishing. My favourite in this brand would be the Coconut & Goji. At most stores it is sold for $8.50, but after a bit of shopping around I found it at Foodland for $6.50 per bar (also, it is $6.50/bar on the website). This is still really expensive, but as a treat every now and then it's not so bad, especially if you appreciate good quality food and miss chocolatey goodness. Pana Chocolate bars are made with raw cacao and other wholesome ingredients. The only disputable ingredient is the Agave Syrup, which has been highly debated on a health level. 

http://www.panachocolate.com/coconut-goji/

The Carob Kitchen creates a delicious milk bar as well as an almond bar. There are mini 'banjo bars' available also, found in most health food stores for about $1.50 each. These are made from Carob powder, milk solids, cocoa butter and a few other things, so they are not as healthy as the Pana Chocolate bars, but they are still better than normal chocolate. Now you might be wondering what Carob even is. Carob is essentially a substitute for chocolate. One of the benefits of Carob is that it doesn't contain caffeine or theobromine. While Carob does tend to contain more carbohydrates and sugar than cocoa (the base for chocolate), it is often mixed with more nutritionally sound items than what regular chocolate would be. Carob is also said to be naturally sweeter which is why it requires less sugar mixed in with it to get that delicious taste. It's arguable whether or not there are many health benefits with it, but again as I never feel good after a lot of sugar that is the main reason why I've started buying Carob. 

The almond Carob bars are by far my favourite, they are smooth and creamy and remind me of Nutella. Mmmm. Nutella. 

http://the-carob-kitchen-australia.myshopify.com/collections/carob-milk-bar-range/products/carob-almond-bar-80g

Bright and colourful accessories by Tiff Manuell

Tiff Manuell studied Fashion Design at RMIT University and is now based in Adelaide, Australia. A mother to two young daughters, her other design based business is known as Happy House selling products created for young girls. 

She began this project by painting without limitations, and the pieces she has created are fun, colourful and refreshingly new. Manuell designs a range of bags and jewellery pieces. 

http://tiffmanuell.com/

Hold onto your minds, you might just lose them: Daniel:Emma design

I just stumbled upon these two while visiting another blog and OH MY GOD I am so glad I hadn't found them sooner. Yes. Correct. Because their creations are just so beautiful that it is dangerous to my wallet's wellbeing, as well as my own. 

This Adelaide based pair of industrial designers have received enough accolades so I may just save my breath (or, fingers?). 

Let's just say their designs are beautiful, clean, and geometrical. I will honestly say that I don't always know what their products are meant to be before reading the description, but I know that I like them. 

Luckily their online shop is under construction - your wallet will live another day. 

http://www.daniel-emma.com/filter/Work

Tres Delicious: Felici

Ahh, Felici. Long time visitor, first time reviewer. 

Felici has been around as a staple cafe for me ever since I moved to Adelaide. It used to be modern, chic, and clean - and has always made great coffee. In recent times, it seems as if they have tried to incorporate the 'hipster' aesthetic into their otherwise mainstream cafe. And unfortunately, have not quite succeeded. I think part of the problem may be because they haven't fully implemented this style; it only hints towards it, and partially holds onto its' old roots. There are elements which are simply beautiful, but altogether it doesn't quite work. The main improvement which could be made would be to change the feature wall from being wallpaper to a simple black or white paint job. This would help to tone down the store and allow it to narrow down the target audience more decisively. The fit-out by no means makes it a bad place to dine, but from a design perspective it hasn't quite hit the spot. 

Regardless, the coffee was, and has always been great. Both times I visited I ordered iced soy lattes. 

Felici's bean of choice is Di Bella, and they use Bonsoy for their soy milk. The coffee is bold and delicious, and to be honest, even though I actually visited this place twice for a review, both times it was just as good. I have no choice but to give them a well deserved 10 on the coffee front (and for all those wondering how I am giving so many cafe's such high ratings - this project is about listing the best places for coffee in Adelaide, so anywhere below standard has been disregarded). The only downfall with the service was the time it took for my coffee to be made. Both times, with only one order (with 3 coffees or less) ahead of mine, I still had to wait about 10 minutes for my coffee to be ready. 

As a side note for anyone who might want to visit, they had a sign advertising breakfast and lunch for a very reasonable $10.00.

Despite the strange taste and application of decor I would recommend this to all of my friends, and their friends too. 

Felici is located at 261 Rundle St, Adelaide.

The Hipster's Choice: Horner & Pratt

HORNER & PRATT

When all of my friends from varied groups begin to tell me about the same café, I know it’s time to go and see what all the fuss is about. I had Saturday off work and decided it was time to venture into the unknown, to a café which I had heard a lot about but had never been to. Horner & Pratt, situated on East Terrace with a surprisingly small street presence is not one to take your grand parents to – nor should you attend in your Lorna Jane or Nike clad workout gear, more specifically post-workout covered in the sweat from your greedy consumerist body.   

What it is though, is a small and under-spoken eatery in a prime location of the city, situated across from the beautiful parklands. Their breakfast menu consists of burritos, burgers and other delicious breakfast-like items. Though their staff appear to be in the elite levels of hipstertown – hipster to the bone and then probably more – they are also efficient and work together to make a great team.

After waiting for the customer before me to finish with their order, I went ahead to order my soy flatwhite. While I awkwardly stood in the albeit small and unreachable corner of the store, waiting for my take-away coffee, I made sure to give my toughest facial expression possible. Lions don’t listen to the opinions of sheep, I muttered to myself over and over, as I wished I had arrived wearing something different – perhaps even, pajamas would have been better. Perhaps even, my dad’s gardening clothes. Lions don’t listen to the opinion of sheep, I continued, trying to stand in the most nonchalant way possible.

The coffee was sweet and delicious, the wait wasn’t too long, and I think I can speak for myself and the staff members in saying that it was a welcome relief when I finally left. While the store was every little bit hipster but in no way a bad place to dine, an outfit change would certainly be required before returning again. I didn’t manage to catch the brand of the beans nor the soy milk (probably due to the repetition of my new mantra), but I can tell you that the coffee was great and I believe the milk to have been Bonsoy – the best soy. The bean had a little bit of tang to it, and although the milk was a smooth consistency and very well frothed, it could have ideally been hotter than what it was. The final score for a soy flat white at Horner & Pratt is a 7.5/10 – perhaps even an 8 if we exclude the lions and the sheep.

Horner & Pratt are located at 31 East Terrace, Adelaide.