SAGE ON ANN

I am beginning to relinquish my snobbery about anything being any good in Brisbane CBD.

My iced coffee explorations have been purposely focussed on coffee mecca West End, trendy Paddington, gritty Fortitude Valley and try-hard New Farm.

But I'm throwing off the shackles and about to bombard you dear readers with plenty of CBDIC goodness. 

Finally the CBD gets it.  People don't want polished concrete, stainless steel, LED lighting and cheap replica furniture.  We want to consume our iced coffees in a place with soul, individuality, beautiful ugliness and homliness. 

Enough capitulation.  City, prepare to be embraced.

And now to Sage on Ann.

This place does some seriously gourmet food so the Iced Coffee had to follow suit.  And it did.

Good cold milk, and a little sweetness.  I would have liked a stronger hit of coffee.

I liked the way they stained the glass with the coffee as it was made.  (I'm a sucker for this)

Rating - 7.5

Sage on Ann

140 Ann Street

Next to the Uniting Church that looks like a Gingerbread Cottage

Across the road from King George Sq.

THE CHELSEA

AFTER A GOOD MEETING AT SUBSTATION 4 A FEW OF US GATHERED AT THE CHELSEA (THE BARRACKS PRECINCT - PADDINGTON).  I'D RECOMMEND THIS PLACE FOR MEETINGS, THE SERVICE AND ATMOSPHERE ARE GREAT - AS IS THE PARKING.

MY GOOD FRIEND ORDERED THIS ICED COFFEE AND I WAS KEEN TO HEAR HIS REVIEW!

THE I.C. WAS THE "MILK, ICECREAM, COFFEE" VERSION - THIS ONE TOPPED BY SWEET COCOA.  MY REVIEWER WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT IT WAS FAR TOO SWEET FOR HIS TASTES.  WE SUMMISED IT MUST HAVE HAD A SUGAR SYRUP ADDED TO THE MIX.

THE COFFEE WAS STRONG AND THE ICE CREAM CREAMY BUT THE SWEETNESS DID OVERWHELM THE CONCOCTION.

Rating - 6.5

CUP (THE OTHER ICED COFFEE!)

I RETURNED TO CUP AT WEST END A FEW DAYS LATER TO TRY THEIR OTHER ICED COFFEE.  THIS ONE IS A COLD DRIP FILTERED VERSION. 

AS MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE ICED COFFEE LANDSCAPE OF QLD (AND BEYOND) CONTINUES THIS IS THE SORT OF DRINK THAT'S TAKING MY FANCY. SERVED UP IN THIS STYLE I CAN FEEL THE "CONOISSEUR" COMING IN OUT IN ME.  THIS STYLE MAKES ME STOP AND CONSIDER HOW MY TASTEBUDS ARE INTERACTING WITH THE COFFEE.  LIKE A FINE WINE OR THE BEST SCOTCH SERVED ON ICE, CUP'S COLD PRESSED COFFEE STOPS YOU IN YOUR TRACKS AND ASKS YOU TO BE MINDFUL RATHER THAN SIMPLY A CONSUMER.

Rating - 9

Cup Specialty Coffee - Russell St West End (next to Suncorp)

EVO

THIS LITTLE SLIVER OF CAFFEINE WONDERMENT WAS RECOMMENDED TO ME BY MARTIN HOOD OF BELLE PROPERTY SOUTH BRISBANE. (IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A FABULOUSLY GENTLE AND WARM REAL ESTATE AGENT WITH AWARD WINNING RESULTS MARTIN COMES HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

EVO SITS IN A SPACE ONCE OCCUPIED BY A GARAGE.  NOT A CAR WORKSHOP BUT WHERE YOU MIGHT PARK A CAR.  YES, IT'S THAT SMALL!  EVO IS ACROSS THE ROAD FROM YERONGA STATE SCHOOL.  THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE YUMMY MUMMIES AND EVO IS OBVIOUSLY NO ACCIDENT

I WAS ASKED HOW I'D LIKE MY ICED COFFEE (EITHER FRAPPE STYLE OF SIMPLY OVER ICE).  I OPTED FOR THE 2ND CHOICE.  THE COFFEE WAS STRONG AND TASTY.  IT WAS A SIMPLE ICED COFFEE WITH NO DISTRACTIONS.  IT GAVE ME A MUCH NEEDED BOOST ON A RAINY GREY DAY.  

PLEASE TRY EVO.  THEIR HOME MADE SANDWICHES AND CAKES ARE WORTH ADDING TO YOUR COFFEE ORDER.

Rating - 7.5

Evo - School Rd Yeronga

CUP SPECIALTY COFFEE WEST END

I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THE OPENING OF THIS CAFE WITH GREAT INTEREST BECAUSE IT'S CLOSE TO THE WEST END POST OFFICE WHICH IS A DAILY DESTINATION, IT'S BEING OPENED BY A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF VENEZIANO COFFEE (AMAZING COFFEE EXPERIENCE)  AND BECAUSE THIS IS A START-UP BUSINESS BY A YOUNG PERSON (ONE OF MY PASSIONS)

I'D HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU SEEK OUT THIS LITTLE NOOK OF HEAVEN IN RUSSELL ST WEST END.  THE COFFEE IS GOOD, THE PASSION IS EVIDENT, THERE'S A BIG BIG TABLE FOR MEETINGS AND IT'S WORTH SUPPORTING NEW BUSINESSES ESPECIALLY WHEN THE RISK TAKER IS YOUNG AND DETERMINED.

THE ICED COFFEE WAS STRONG AND SMOOTH.  I LIKE THE WAY THE BARISTA ASKED ME ABOUT MY PREFERENCES RATHER THAN JUST CHURN OUT A COOKIE-CUTTER CONCOCTION.  INTERESTINGLY, HE BLENDED THE ICE CREAM INTO THE COFFEE - SOMETHING NEW FOR ME AND PLEASINGLY GOOD.  A DASH OF HONEY ALSO SET THIS COFFEE APART FROM THE REST.   I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT THAT YOU GET A BOTTLE OF WATER AS SOON AS YOU'VE SAT DOWN.  ATTENTION TO THE CUSTOMER IS EVERYTHING.

AS I ALWAYS SAY, THE SIGN OF A GOOD BUSINESS IS ONE THAT TALKS TO THE CUSTOMER ABOUT THEIR NEEDS AND THEN EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS BY VALUE ADDING AND CREATING INDIVIDUALITY IN THE PRODUCT.

CUP HAS A LOYALTY CARD AND ALSO ANOTHER CARD THAT RECOMMENDS YOU TRY OTHER COFFEE ESTABLISHMENTS LIKE VENEZIANO, ONE DROP AND PIONEER COFFEE.
THIS REALLY STRUCK A CHORD WITH ME.  THIS IS AN AUTHENTIC ATTEMPT TO  LET CUSTOMERS KNOW WHAT YOU VALUE AND WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS WORTHY OF THEIR BUSINESS.  JUST LIKE SOCIAL NETWORKING THEN, YOU BECOME SEEN AS A KNOWLEDGABLE PLAYER IN THAT INDUSTRY.

WILL RETURN SOON TO HAVE CUP'S COLD FILTERED ICED COFFEE - SIMIAR TO VENEZIANO'S THAT I RATED SO HIGHLY.  STAY TUNED

Rating - 8

Cup Specialty Coffee
85 Russell St West End
http://www.cupcoffee.com.au/

DESMOND AND MOLLY JONES

THIS BLOG HAS BEEN A NICE LITTLE SOCIAL EXPERIMENT IN THE STUDY OF "GOOD BUSINESS" - THE ICED COFFEES HAVE MERELY BEEN THE VEHICLE IN WHICH TO EXPLORE "THE BUSINESS OF ENTERPRISE" - HOW IS THE CUSTOMER PERCEIVED?, THE VALUE PROPOSITION, THE NICHE, THE VISION, ETHICACY AND THE LOVE MARK.

SO AS A CUSTOMER WHY DO I KEEP RETURNING TO DESMOND AND MOLLY JONES?

TO COIN A PHRASE FROM A WANKY ART DIRECTOR I ONCE MET - "IT'S THE VIBE"

THE FIT OUT IS GROOVY, THE STAFF ARE LEFT-OF-CENTRE AND THE FOOD HAS KNOCK-YER-SOX-OFF FLAVOUR!

AS FAR AS COMPARING ONE ICED COFFEE TO ANOTHER, I'VE HAD A FEW DISCUSSIONS WITH BARISTA'S ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF AN ICED COFFEE.

• THERE ARE THE PURISTS (GOOD COFFEE, ICE)
• THE TRADITIONALISTS (COFFEE, MILK, ICE CREAM, AND SOMETIMES ICE)
• THE BOGANS (WITH WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP)
• AND THEN THERE IS DESMOND AND MOLLY JONES. IF YOU KNOW GOOD BUSINESS THEN YOU KNOW THAT THE BEST CATEGORY TO BE IN IS THE CATEGORY NO ONE ELSE IS IN.

THIS LATEST ICED COFFEE CAME CLOSE TO "DESSERT" BUT BY GOD IT WAS GOOD!

STRONG HEARTY COFFEE, CAFE GELATO, DREAMY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE, COLD MILK AND VIOLET CRUMBLE! IF LOOKS COULD KILL!

(UNFORTUNATELY D&MJ ARE STILL ADDING THIS (GORGEOUS) DOLLOP OF CREAM INTO THE CONCOCTION AND I JUST THINK IT'S OVERKILL. SAVE THIS FOR THE LEMON TART!)

THE PURISTS WOULD BE SHAKING THEIR HEADS, THE TRADITIONALISTS WOULD BE WONDERING WHAT THE FUSS IS ABOUT AND THE BOGANS, WELL, THEY'LL BE REPLICATING THIS NEXT YEAR.

FROM A BUSINESS POINT OF VIEW D&MJONES TICKS A BOX FOR STICKING IT TO THE MAN!

615 STANLEY ST WOOLLOONGABBA

Rating 9

FIRST POUR - THE ALTERNATIVE

FIRST POUR - THE SHOWROOM FOR VENEZIANO CAFFE RATED VERY HIGHLY IN MY RECENT REVIEW OF THEIR COLD DRIP FILTERED ICED COFFEE.

THIS TIME I RETURNED TO TRY THEIR ICED COFFEE FRAPPE BUT WAS SADLY DISAPPOINTED.

THE ICE (CRUSHED THROUGH THE PROCESS) REALLY WATERED DOWN WHAT I KNOW IS GOOD COFFEE. THE MILK WAS PRETTY SOULESS AND I GUESS THERE WAS ICE CREAM THERE BUT IT WAS LOST IN THE ICY MESS.

SIGH! BACK TO THE ORIGINAL ICED COFFEE (SEE PREVIOUS REVIEW)

Rating - 5

STOVE

STOVE IS A COOL PLACE TO HANG OUT - JUST NEAR DAVIES PARK WEST END

(I WONDER IF IT'S OPEN ON MARKET DAYS?)

THE ICED COFFEE WAS PRETTY DAMN GOOD AS FAR AS THE FLAVOUR OF THE COFFEE (STRONG ASSERTIVE DISTINCT). IT'S SERVED WITH ICE (BLERK!) AND A MODEST SERVE OF VANILLA ICE CREAM (COULD BE MORE)

I DID LIKE THE GLASS IT WAS SERVED IN - SETS STOVE APART FROM THE USUAL AND REFLECTS IT'S MINIMALISTIC DECOR AND "LET THE FARE SPEAK FOR ITSELF" ATTITUDE.

2 PERKY YOUNG WOMEN RAN A TIGHT SHIP - VERY WELCOMING OF THE JUMBLE OF HUMANITY THAT WEST END OFFERS AS CUSTOMERS.

91 JANE ST WEST END

Rating - 7

LUCKY DUCK EXPRESSO

LUCKY DUCK EXPRESSO IS A NEW LITTLE CUTIE ON GLADSTONE RD HIGHGATE HILL.

THE ICED COFFEE WAS QUITE CLASSIC IN IT'S STYLE - JUST COFFEE, MILK AND ICE.

THE COFFEE IS BLACKSTAR (FROM WEST END) AND IT WAS TASTY AND STRONG.

JUST A CLASSIC ICED COFFEE.

Rating - 7.5

THE BIRDS NEST

OPEN ONLY 2 WEEKS NOW WE DISCOVERED THIS HOLE-IN-THE-WALL CAFE ON ONE OF OUR POWER WALKS DOWN MONTAGUE ROAD (JUST NEAR THE JOYNT)WHAT CAUGHT OUR EYE WAS THE TINY SIZE OF THIS CAFE AND THE COLLECTABLES INSIDE AND OUT.

THIS GUY IS PRETTY PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS COFFEE AND BELIEVES AN I.C. SHOULD HAVE ICE IN IT. I DUNNO - THE JURY IS STILL OUT ON THAT ONE!
I DID ENJOY THIS ICED COFFEE - IT'S DONE VERY MUCH THE SAME AS ALOT OF ICED COFFEES IN BRISBANE. THE FLAVOUR AND STRENGTH WERE PERFECT.
I'VE INCLUDED SOME PICS OF HIS COUNTER TREATS - WE DIDN'T SAMPLE - AND BOY WERE THEY HARD TO RESIST! MAYBE NEXT TIME.
Rating - 7

CIBO RESPONDS

OUT FOR OUR EARLY MORNING WALK ON SATURDAY AND NEEDED A PICK-ME-UP.

WE JUMPED INTO CIBO WEST END AND ORDERED OUR ICED COFFEES.

WE'VE BEEN DISAPPOINTED LATELY - CIBO SEEMED TO BE SCRIMPING ON THE EXPRESSO GELATO, THE MILK SEEMED TEPID - IT DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME MAGIC.

SO WHEN OUR FAVOURITE BARISTA TOLD ME HE'D RUN OUT OF EXPRESSO GELATI I TOLD HIM GRIMLY THAT CIBO WAS SLIPPING IN THE RANKINGS.

HE RESPONDED WITH A HEFTY SERVE OF A SUBSTITUTE GELATI (TASTED LIKE A FERRERO ROCHER CHOCOLATE) AND A NICE STRONG SHOT OF COFFEE IN OUR ICED COFFEES.

AS OUR MAN SAYS - WHAT IS A "REAL ICED COFFEE?" IT'S LIKE ASKING "WHAT IS ART?"

THERE'S A VERY WIDE CONTINUUM WITH DESMOND AND MOLLY JONES SERVING WHAT IS CLOSE TO A DESSERT AND AT THE OTHER END FIRST POUR SERVING UP SOMETHING CLOSE TO A FINE WINE.

DESMOND AND MOLLY - PLS NO CREAM!

WE JUST HAD TO RETURN TO OUR FAVOURITE ICED COFFEE NICHE. WE'D BEEN DREAMING ABOUT THESE ICED COFFEES SINCE OUR LAST VISIT (AND 9/10 SCORE).

THIS TIME WAS NEARLY AS GOOD BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE GOURMET EXPRESSO ICE CREAM THAT WE'D FOUND IN THE BOTTOM LAST TIME - WAS GONE! (GASP)

REPLACED BY A GENEROUS SCOOP OF DOUBLE CREAM. THIS WAS JUST A LITTLE TOO OVER-THE-TOP FOR US. BRING BACK THE ICE CREAM - DITCH THE CREAM (EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE FINEST QUALITY)

STILL BRISBANE'S TOP PLACE TO GO TO HAVE YUMMY FOOD IN HIP SURROUNDINGS

Desmond and Molly Jones - 615 Stanley St Woolloongabba

Rating - 8

FIRST POUR - IS FIRST CLASS!

I'VE JUST READ "THE ELEMENT" BY KEN ROBINSON. THE ELEMENT IS WERE NATURAL TALENT MEETS PERSONAL PASSION. WHEN PEOPLE ARRIVE AT THE ELEMENT THEY FEEL MOST THEMSELVES AND ACHIEVE AT THEIR HIGHEST LEVELS.

AND THE PEOPLE AT FIRST POUR HAVE CERTAINLY FOUND THEIR ELEMENT!
THIS WAS A CAFE AND ICED COFFEE EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER IN BRISBANE.

WE MET SIMON FROM THIS CAFE/SHOWROOM FOR VENEZIANO COFFEE. I WAS SO IMPRESSED BY THE TIME HE SPENT WITH US AND THE PASSION UNDERLYING THIS CUSTOMER APPROACH. HE DID THIS NOT BECAUSE WE WERE HOLDERS OF THE WALLET BUT BECAUSE HE TRULY BELIEVES IN WHAT HE IS DOING AND WHAT HIS COMPANY IS ACHIEVING.

THIS PLACE OOZES PASSION AND PROFESSIONALIM.

WE CHOSE THE COLD DRIP ICE COFFEE. (see apparatus pictured)

AS SIMON SAYS (HA HA!) THIS IS HOW COLD COFFEE SHOULD BE MADE - WITH COLD WATER DRIPPING THROUGH THE BEANS - ONE DRIP EVERY SECOND - TO PRODUCE AN AUTHENTIC ICED COFFEE.

IT COMES ACCOMPANIED BY A JUG OF MILK - AND NEXT TIME I WON'T ADD THE MILK - IT WAS GORGEOUS JUST ON IT'S OWN. YES THERE WAS ICE - BUT IN THIS FORM IT SEEMED RIGHT. THIS IS AN ICED COFFEE WITH INTEGRITY.

369 MONTAGUE RD WEST END

Rating - 9

CAMPOS COFFEE

WHY WHY WHY???

THIS PLACE HAS JUST WON - BEST CAFE IN AUSTRALIA BY THE FOOD CHANNEL (FOXTEL) NOT STATE WINNER - AUSTRALIAN WINNER!!!!

WAS MY EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS I.C. HIGH? YOU BETCHA BOTTOM DOLLAR THEY WERE!

VERDICT?

YUKKY CREAM!!!!

ICE!!!!!

BITTER COFFEE!!!!! - MUST I GO ON?

ADD POINTS FOR SOME FORM OF GOURMET ICE CREAM FOUND IN THE BOTTOM

Rating 5

POSTO

THIS PLACE IS IN BOUNDARY ST WEST END

THE ICED COFFEE WAS "GOOD" BUT STILL NOT REMARKABLE.

COFFEE FLAVOUR WAS GREAT - ICE CREAM WAS "ICEY"

(CAFES MUST REMEMBER TO KEEP THEIR ICE CREAM COVERED AT ALL TIMES OR FACE SERVING INFERIOR PRODUCT)

Rating - 7

PEARL

This is one of my most Favourite places in Brisbane. I love it's dark coolness inside, its exposed brick, amazing menu and the jaw-dropping goodies sitting on cake plates on the counter.

I also like that for lunch and dinner their BYO policy is that if you take your empties home with you there's no corkage charged!

You must must must visit this little cutie.

Now to the Iced Coffee. Big Disappointment. The milk was room temperature. The coffee flavour was OK. I think Pearl can do much better than this. (Remembering that the Barista's across the street at Crosstown Eating House are refusing to serve any coffee with milk. Pearl has an opportunity to do milk based coffees which are remarkable and draw you away from the black coffee brigade across the way)

Rating - 6

JEREMIAH'S CAFE ASHGROVE

MET WITH @MIKEBOYD AND @REBECCALEIGH AFTER WE JOINED @MICHAELDONEMAN TO SPEAK TO MT ST MICHAELS STUDENTS ABOUT 16 HABITS OF MIND #ENTREPRENEURSHIP
THIS IS MIKE'S HANG OUT PLACE AND I THINK IT WAS A GREAT RECOMMENDATION. THE SURROUNDINGS WEREN'T VERY SPESH - I THINK IT NEEDS SOME WORK THERE BUT THE COFFEE WAS PRETTY DAMN GOOD!
THE ICED COFFEE WAS SIMILAR TO DUDLEY ST AT ANNERLEY. TASTY, GUTSY, DELICIOUS IN IT'S SIMPLICITY AND HAD NO ICE OR GARNISH CRAP. JUST A GOOD WHOLESOME HONEST ICED COFFEE
RATING - 8
Dalton Street Village 338 Waterworks Road Ashgrove Phone:33664518

Cibo Meets Its Match - DESMOND AND MOLLY JONES

WE HAD HEARD GLOWING REPORTS OF THIS LITTLE CAFE IN STANLEY ST WOOLLOONGABBA. I HAD A PERSONAL INTEREST IN IT ALSO BECAUSE THIS LITTLE GEM HAS BEEN OPENED BY TORI GARRETT (DIRECTOR) JAMES GREVILLE (PRODUCER) AND JONAS MCQUIGGAN (DIRECTOR) OF TWO LITTLE INDIANS

SO THAT THEIR PRODUCTION COMPANY CAN HAVE A DECENT COFFEE IN WOOLLOONGABBA AND TO KEEP THE WOLVES AT BAY IN THE LEAN TIMES OF FILM MAKING

WOW! WE'VE FINALLY FOUND IT! AN ICED COFFEE WORTHY TO SHARE THE EXHALTED HEIGHTS OF OUR CIBO EXPECTATIONS. A BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED AND GENEROUS ICED COFFEE BRIMMING WITH COFFEE GELATO AND TOPPED WITH A HUGE SCOOP OF CHOCOLATE MOUSSE. THE COFFEE ITSELF (GENOVESE) WAS STRONG RICH AND SWEET. THE ADDITIONS (MILK, COFFEE GELATO, GOURMET QUALITY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE) RESULTED IN A DECADANT EXPERIENCE OF EYE POPPPING PROPORTIONS.

WE CHOWED DOWN ON TOASTED PANINI'S THAT WERE ALSO EXTREMELY PLEASING! THE CHEEKY BOHO STAFF WERE PRETTY DAMN COOL TOO!

WE'LL BE BACK!

DESMOND AND MOLLY JONES 615 STANLEY ST WOOLLOONGABBA

RATING 9

LURE PADDINGTON

WE WENT ALONG TO LURE AT PADDINGTON ONE GORGEOUS SUNNY SUNDAY.

THE COURIER MAIL HAD RECENTLY REVIEWED THIS RESTAURANT AND CLAIMED IT TO HAVE "THE BEST CHIPS IN BRISBANE".

I GUESS THEN GOING TO TRY BREAKFAST WAS AN UNRELATED INVESTIGATION BUT NEVERTHELESS WE WENT - AND WERE VERY IMPRESSED BY THE AMAZING FOOD ON OFFER. ADDITIONALLY, THE SERVICE WAS SUPER FRIENDLY AND VERY FAST.

ALAS ALACK THE ICED COFFEE DID NOT FOLLOW SUIT.

ICE! ! BY NOW DEAR READER - YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS ADDITION.

BUT WORSE THAN THAT ! ! FRIGGIN' WHIPPED CREAM FROM A CAN ! W.T.F ?

THEN THERE WAS THE TASTE - ARTIFICIAL! SO BIZARRE THAT WE ENQUIRED AS TO HOW THEY MADE THIS BEAST.

REAL COFFEE, MILK, ICE, WHIPPED CREAM A N D . . . . VANILLA ESSENCE! AHA - COULD THAT BE THE CULPRIT? IT CERTAINLY WAS THE UNDOING OF BLACKSTAR COFFEE (SEE PREVIOUS REVIEW)

THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE WAS BLAND AND BOGAN. A COMPLETE CONTRAST TO THE BREAKFAST EXPERIENCE BEFORE US.

RATING 4

Two Cups

Two Cups at 474 Upper Edward St Spring Hill was unknown to me until today.

Perhaps I should have heard of it - it won 2 awards in the Courier Mail Lifestyle awards in 2008. Hmmmm

As you can see by the pic - this iced coffee comes with Ice. Not happy Jan. Ice waters down the drink, gets in the way and just seems like a cheap attempt to jshuooshie it up. Nope.

The coffee was medium strength (although my research partner thought it was far too weak).

It had a nice sweetness to it - but over all - it didn't ring any bells for flavour, innovation or a memorable experience.

Check out the Muffin! The iced coffee tasted better than the Muffin........

Rating 6.5