BAKE-OFF!

The competition was intense and the eating insane, but the winner of last week’s inaugural bake-off is indeed GASTRONOMY.

Cup of Truth in the Melbourne Coffee Review

Hidden beneath Flinders Street in the Campbell Arcade, Cup of Truth epitomises “small is beautiful” thinking. Whether you’re on the run to catch the 7:15am to Richmond or wanting to linger, staff are engaging and friendly.

Focused solely on serving quality coffee, this dinky black-tiled servery has the appropriate technology to do just that, deftly pulling crips, glossy lattes and heart-starting espresso shots for passing commuters and lingering arcade denizens.

Your cup will arrive with citrus and caramel aromas, seducing with its balance of sweetness and bitter grip, and leave memorable notes of flint and cedar. The test of truth lies in the country-style honesty cup on the counter, where you place your payment and sort out your own change.

Rating: 2 beans

Article from fivesenses.com.au

The word is spreading across Melbourne, murmured amongst passengers crammed together on trains, passed from commuter to commuter as they alight from trams: the secret espresso bar tucked into the Degraves subway, aptly named Cup Of Truth, is just beneath your feet.

Cup Of Truth (otherwise known as COT) is the brainchild of hospitality stalwarts, Courtney Patterson and Verity Govett. It’s embedded in the tiled subway underneath bustling Flinders Street, between one of Victoria’s busiest train stations and the iconic caffeine lovers’ haunt, Degraves Lane. Verity and Courtney have followed the time honoured tradition of a hole in the wall, owner-barista run espresso bar. Sporting a shiny Synesso Cyncra and Mazzer Robur, these guys are attending to the fast moving schools of CBD workers and locals alike.

With minimum breathing space behind the counter, COT is focused on serious coffee, served seriously fast! They’ve jam packed their 2m² with barista and coffee geek gear, and offer tampers, Hookturn cups and beans for sale. It’s truly amazing what a funky, energy-packed space Courtney and Verity have managed to create with such limited options! If you’re dashing off a train on the way to work or to tour the city, the wafting aroma of freshly ground coffee tempts you to wander in the direction of COT, grab a cup and continue on your way down the subway, more energised and ready to take on Melbourne’s hustle and bustle.

With a focus on takeaway coffee, COT is pioneering the growing trend towards reusable coffee cups. Hookturn cups are environmentally clean and allow regulars to personalise their experience, washing and using their coffee cup for fabulous coffee again and again. Perfect for the environmentally conscious. Along with this unique takeaway option, COT offer a handful of hot espresso cups to espresso drinkers, allowing them to down their sweet shots, European style.

Unable to overcome their inquisitive coffee geek nature, Verity and Courtney instead decided to embrace it, and offer a rotating single origin for intrepid caffeine explorers. They’re currently showcasing a delicious Sumatran Lintong which has great fresh, herbal characters, while the Ethiopian Yirgacheffes, with their sweet, tropical fruit and bergamot characters remain a customer and staff favourite.

They’ve paid the same meticulous attention to their house blend. Created in conjunction with the current Victorian Barista Champion, Caleb Podhaczky (our head roaster!), COT’s custom blend presents a slightly fruity front palate with a rich body and dark chocolate lingering aftertaste. Key to the blend is the Sumatran Lintong, a bean which is close to Verity’s heart after her trip to Sumatra with the Five Senses crew.

For such a small site, Cup Of Truth certainly manages to pack a quality coffee punch. Thinking creatively, Verity and Courtney are pioneering a great espresso bar, and serving delicious coffees with practiced ease. If you’re in the city and need a coffee, Cup Of Truth will serve up your salvation: head along to support this great, barista-run project!

By Ben Bicknell, article from www.fivesensescoffee.com.au

A Winter's Tale

I’ve had enough. Enough of this cold winter sunlight colouring my world. People hurry shivering along the streets, wrapped in thick winter coats and black leather boots as if to protect themselves from its rays.

So long, fine coffee, the time has come to return underground. On this sad note, I take the subway stairs from Flinders St.

What should be waiting for me there, but this cool little cafe? “Welcome!” – Serving kind words and real coffee.

Zehi, via Dengon Net (dengonnet.net, Japanese Entertainment and Lifestyle Magazine)

Melbourne Coffee Review

I had the pleasure of visiting COT on a couple of occasions during my recent caffeine fueled visit to Melbourne.

Hidden away in Campbell Arcade this miniscule espresso bar with a two group Synesso with  Five Senses blend in grinder one is producing some pretty amazing espresso to tantalise the taste buds of the bustling steam of commuters going to and from Flinders Street Station.

On my first visit Courtney produced a brilliant short mach for me from grinder two, it had a familiar taste profile with ripe berry notes, I enquired as to it’s origin and was informed that it was the Ristretto Blend from artisan Perth roaster Emanuele Muratore whose espresso bar I attend regularly “small world eh?”

Both of my visits were a totally enjoyable taste exprience, if you are in the area seek out this little gem, you will not be disappointed!

Small in stature but huge on quality, two well earned beanz here………….!!