My roommate told me about Prufrock when I told him about this 'project' so we went along one day. Bear in mind that he doesn't actually LIKE coffee...he drinks it for a buzz, not for the taste. Which is the opposite for me; caffeine has very little effect on me and I drink coffee purely for the taste.
The clothes store that houses Prufrock is pretty fuckin' Shoreditch but don't be put off. The menu is as follows:
-espresso
-4oz espresso with milk
-6oz espresso with milk
-8oz espresso with milk
Basically that is espresso, macchiato, flat white, latte. But why write that when you can look extra cunty? I love it.
It's a pop-up coffee bar run by 2009 World Barista Champion Gwilym Davies. The coffee itself is impeccable, totally blew me away. Best I've had since Intellegentsia (sigh...). 8oz espresso with soymilk (which the awkward barista told me smelled like 'custard'...k buddy) makes me so happy.
But can we take a second here... both times I've got coffee I have had the same blobby not even half-assed attempt at presentation, while other customers get foam art. I am not an idiot, I drink coffee whatever it looks like, but I can't help feeling like I am getting unfair treatment. I have low enough self esteem without being denied my pointless and pretentious heart or rosetta or fern GOD FUCKING DAMNIT.
I think I am having a minor Boyd Rice-induced meltdown. Go to Prufrock, don't be put off by how it appears from the outside.
just to lighten your annoyance, gwilym only just got hold of a soya that doesn't curdle with square mile (and other more lightly roasted) coffees. until now soya milk has always been very hard if not impossible to do art with.
ReplyDeletehe's been working with alpro soya (and i think tim williams who used to work with square mile) to come up with a soya for baristas, and they did it, and it's the one in the UHT carton with a coffee cup logo bottom left.
so go back, don't think it was to spite your lactose intolerance.
Hey Gavin,
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to comment!
I am going to have to disagree with the soy milk point. I frequent many antipodean coffee shops who use soy milk and produce fantastic art, including Flat White who I know Square Mile provide a house blend for.
That's great that he's working on producing a suitable soy milk for baristas but I believe Bonsoy is already regarded as being excellent, and in my (extensive) experience it produces excellent foam art as well as not interfering with the taste of the espresso.
I have recently been to the new Prufrock in Farringdon (there's an entry about it on the blog) and was very impressed. I hold no grudges, it would just be nice to enjoy a flat white at the shop!