Week 33 of 52
Milk – Tweedvale
Wifi – yes
Coffee Beans and Supplier – Brasilia Coffee, ‘gold’ blend
Cappuccino Cost – $3.50
Presentation of the cappuccino as below is a little different to most places, the chocolate shavings that I mixed into the froth tasted pretty good and I guess one could accept that a chocolate shop may invert a little chocolate shavings onto this part. However the untainted part of the froth wasn’t particularly nice, when ‘stale’ comes to mind something is amiss. Did that come from the beans or re-used milk or the cup, I don’t know but it was a clear note coming through. Apart from the chocolate taste, I wasn’t grabbed by the froth, its lack of creaminess, good mouth feel and texture didn’t have me wanting more, this is not the taste of tweedvale milk that I know.
With the froth gone the coffee is next and that kinda picked up from where it left off. A flat tasting coffee had me thinking this coffee hasn’t improved, the taste from the froth is reflected in my coffee and because a cappuccino is 90% or so milk, your bound to get a reflective taste in your cup.
A Ristretto is not on their menu. I find that the majority of cafe’s at least know what one is, and/or is on their menu but whether or not it can actually be made correctly is another story. The folks at Cocolat didnt know what one was. An attempt to make one for me was done, but it turned out to be an espresso unfortunately. I was told that they have an ‘automatic’ machine, the impression I got from this comment was that making anything over and above the normal coffee’s they make won’t be possible, or will be very hard. Fair Enough.
A short while later I approached the counter too enquire about the coffee/wifi etc for my writeup, subsequently I told the chap why I’m here. A few minutes later the coffee maker came to me and said they had a look on the Internet about a ristretto and they would be willing too try again for me, mind you, I had previously gave them a rough guide and told them ’20ml in 20secs’. So the second attempt at my ristetto was done (as below) and unfortunatley, this one also fell way short, way too thin.. just like a mini espresso.
This 52week coffee journey i’m on is too find places that are consistent, know and understand coffee but ultimately can produce a good cup. The few chocolate cafe’s in Adelaide I have seen do make a big effort to bring coffee up to par, sadly, I didn’t get the impression from Cocolat.
Cocolat 283 Rundle Street (East End)Adelaide 5000 Ph: (08) 8232 6133
Hi Bobby,
Yes, quite funny that I commented about Cocolat and you wrote about it:) Interesting that there is also a milk foam issue with the coffee. I don’t drink coffee and I wont drink their hot chocolate again, but I do like their ice cream/ gelati, wheatever it is!
I find this review very weird. I work on Rundle street and frequent the store often. The coffee and staff have always been a DELIGHT!!!! I love the chocolate shavings and LOVE Cocolat. Their coffee and hot choc has always brigtned and made my day. I will continue being a very loyal customer at this cafe, the greatest In Adelaide.
Noah, you should be a loyal customer, if they are doing something you like. Bobby is after some very specific things that they were not meeting. In addition, maybe he got the off day barista? There are lots of things that go into reviewing coffee.
What makes Bobby so qualified? Just saying?
What qualifies Bobby is that this is HIS blog, and he wrote about HIS experience. He never makes that claim that this will be everyone’s experience – reviews are only every about a snap shot in time.
But Bobby – I resonate with what you are saying about the Ristretto – if when you order one you get a blank stare of incomprehension…you immediately question the coffee credentials of establishment. I had this happen recently at a local waterside cafe – the person taking the order looked at me like I was talking gibberish – but luckily for him, the barista was close by and her ears pricked up at the order – and it was all good. Keep up the good work!
If you want blank stares and a free coffee, ask for a latte macchiatto. Not many people know what they are and you will have to tell them…or if you can make one, you can show the staff how to make one. Pop behind the bar, make it and you have a free coffee:)
I work at the hospital and frequent this cafe and everytime I go to Cocolat I enjoy my coffees and was quite shocked to see a negative review. While you think it is bad the server didn’t know what a ristretto is, I admit I have no idea what it is, they atleast took the time and tried to find out for you. I would find this reviewing coffee exercise very questionable as it goes down to personal taste so what you think is good I may dislike and vice versa and I would hope people aren’t put off going to cafes on your blog because you didn’t like them.
That’s the point of reviewing something. Someone may like it and share their experiences. Someone may not like a cafe, and will share their experiences. An experience can be affected by what staff are on that day, how busy the cafe is, if the delivery person was late and there is no milk etc. You always have to go somewhere with an open mind:)