Better latte than never

Brisbane. It’s fair to say the long forgotten younger sibling to Melbourne and Sydney has had its fair share of criticisms. Cries of ‘just a big country town’ and ‘unsophisticated backwater’ have been heard across the southern states for decades. That is, until now.

Finally, it appears Brisbane has come into its own. Can Do Campbell steadfastly believes we are the next ‘World City’, whatever that might be. And most importantly, it seems great coffee has well and truly arrived in Brisbane.

Across Brisbane, excellent cafés, coffee carts, holes in the wall and independent roasters have seemed to sprout up everywhere, producing a veritable plantation of coffee institutions to discover.

Of course, when one thinks of coffee in Brisbane, thoughts immediately track to the big names such as Merlo, Di Bella and the multitude of chain cafes that seem to multiply like antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

However, if you’d like to detour a little way from the well-worn pedestrian coffee thoroughfares, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

First on the list is possibly my favourite café in town, Dandelion and Driftwood. A relative newcomer to the Brisbane coffee scene, this Melbourne ex-pat offers up one of the most delicious coffee brews in Brisbane in idyllic surroundings on the Northside of Brisbane. Located at 45 Gerler Road, Hendra, customers can choose from several constantly evolving single-origin or blend varieties as well as several brewing styles. Ranging from traditional espresso to French Press and Kamex filters, it is not hard to see why Dandelion and Driftwood has attracted a loyal following of coffee connoisseur’s through its short history in Brisbane.

A little closer to home for many of us lies Cup Coffee at West End. Serving up further single-origin options and their own 5-star blend, Cup Coffee appears a true contender for Best Brisbane coffee. While recent visits have offered varying quality and taste, when it’s good, it’s really good.

Nearby lies Blackstar Coffee, which undoubtedly serves up Brisbane’s best iced coffee. Brewed on site in recycled beer bottles, the coffee is strong and flavoursome, the perfect pick-me-up on a hot summer’s day.

Finally, the old favourite, Campo’s coffee at James Street deserves a mention. One of the most dependable and high-quality coffees going around, they too roast their own beans on-site offering both single-origin and blend options. Also a migrant from southern Australia (NSW this time), Campo’s must be regarded as one of the finer coffee spots in Brisbane, if not for the coffee, then at least for the ever-changing and ever-enticing menu.

Cold Pressed Coffee Conspiracy Revealed!

Cold pressed coffee. It's really easy to make at home with no special equipment! After a bit of a read, and a chat to some relevant experts, I have had some pretty good success. I'm going to share the love.

I use a 250g bag of beans, which I have ground (coarse) at the coffee shop. To the grounds I add about 1 - 1.5 L of cold water kind, of alternating grounds/water/grounds/water etc. to make sure the coffee is dampened. Leave to steep overnight...

The morning after, carefully strain your brew. I use a fine sieve, but cheesecloth, or a paper coffee filter would also be the go. Some peeps also use a french press / plunger for this too. Store the liquid in the fridge for your enjoyment, chuck the grounds in the garden for the enjoyment of your plants.

The resulting coffee is quite concentrated - normally I put a bout 1/4 of a cup of coffee and top up with milk or water. You could also add some sugar, maple syrup or whatever! The upside is it stays fresh and ready to rock better than hot brewed coffee, up to 2 weeks.


Tips:

• Stronger espresso roast beans work best
• Use filtered or bottled water
• Use clean containers so that your coffee will stay fresh
• Don't stir the grounds at all, just agitate a little at the beginning to remove air pockets
• Keep the stuff cool, if the weather is warm brew it in the fridge
• Steep time can be from about 8 hours to 16 hours - the longer the stronger
• Try out your favorite / different beans (my favorite so far is Saint Coffee's PNG sundried beans)
• Grind as per fresh press / plunger ie. quite coarse
  

I think this covers it all, hit me up with questions if I have missed anything. This is really easy to do at home, and I urge you to try it. For junkies like me, it's a good alternative when you have to be sleeping away from your espresso machine, at some philistine friend's house that doesn't have coffee facilities.

Enjoy.

D

Thai Chili Jam

Here's a quick and easy recipe favourite of mine. 

It's great on fish or even just as a spread for crackers and cheese. 

Thai Chili Jam.

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil.
• 6 red onions, diced.
• 10 red birds-eye chilies, chopped. 
• 6 cloves of garlic, thickly sliced.
• 2 knobs of ginger, chopped.
• 100g dried shrimp.
• 3 tbs tamarind paste.
• 70g palm sugar, chopped.
• 2 tbs fish sauce.
• 1/4 cup of water.

Heat the oil in a wok, add the onion.

Cook for several minutes until golden brown.

Add the chilies, garlic and ginger and cook for a further few minutes. 

Add the fried shrimp and cook for a further few minutes.

Add the tamarind paste, palm sugar and fish sauce. Stir and cook until sugar has completely dissolved and the tamarind paste has lost some of it's 'punch'. 

Remove from the heat and add the mixture, along with the water to a food processor and blend until the mixture has come together. 

Store in a sterilised jar with a bit of oil on top so it will keep and refrigerate.    

Campos Coffee

Breakfast & Brunch seems to have been the biggest craze in food for the last little while (right behind the horrific amounts of Spanish/tapas inspired eateries...I'm yet to be converted still), and as a result everyone seems to be on their own individual search for 'the best' breakfast spot in Brisbane. Is it Gunshop? Tognini's? Perhaps even Anouk? A special mention must go to Anouk by the way, whose menu had my dining buddy and I in a painfully slow decision making process - a heads up: if your indecisive and hungry, Anouk will tease you with its tasty menu, and once you think you have finally decided, you'll spot the extensive list of delicious daily specials and be back to square one. But this isn't a post about Anouk. It's a recommendation for another breakfast hot spot - the favorite of my Anouk dining buddy - and certainly the current front runner in my own search for Brisbane's Best Brekky.



Campos Coffee is the name, and a consistently good brekky experience is the game. The coffee brand was started in Sydney originally, and they consider themselves 'the coffee specialists'. I'm definitely not a coffee connoisseur - although I can tell between good and horrific - but if the food is as good as it is and it's only their second priority, then I'm gonna agree with my taste buds and say that the coffee is definitely a solid brew.


I visited Campos for the second time, mid-morning on a Thursday. Even at this time there was only one table free, but thankfully nothing near the crowds of Gunshop. The weekend, however, is a completely different story. The first time I visited I was in the mood for sweet, so I tried the banana and pear bread with vanilla mascarpone. It was just perfect, and if I hadn't discovered my own personal recipe for a killer banana bread, I'd say it would be the best I've had. My dining aquantences on this occasion had the traditional eggs benedict, which looked fantastic, and apparently (Ok, I MAY have snuck a taste in myself) tasted delicious too.



On my second visit I decided it was time to get the real hot breakfast experience. I ordered the bubble & squeek hash with semi-sundried tomatoes, watercress, grilled haloumi, a perfectly poached egg and amazing chive hollandaise (see above). Again it was unfaultable and simply delicious! My friends both ordered the Asparagus with sourdough bread, fried pancetta, poached egg and brie (see below). Equally as perfect and great! The Campos 'Fry Up's were coming thick and fast out of the kitchen and looked fantastic and huge, giving me a clearer idea of what I will order next time. Although, with a food menu that is changed every couple of weeks by the head chef, who knows what breakfast goodies I'll be tempted with next time!


You definitely have to check this place out: 11 Wandoo St, Fortitude Valley (behind James Street Markets). The entrance leaves something to be desired, as you feel like your walking into the back-dock area, but once your inside you can forget about all that and get stuck into, arguably, 'Brisbane's Best Breakfast'

Food Inspiration

Possibly my favourite blog is Szymon Błaszczyk's 'Inspire Me Now'.

BBQ at the Story Bridge

I feel  ashamed to say it, but today was the first time I had been to the end of Kangaroo Point, in the park next to the Story Bridge. The area almost feels surreal; you've got the river and CBD in addition to the over-towering bridge almost encapsulating, but certainly separating this quiet suburban pocket (if you choose to ignore the busy Story Bridge Hotel further up the street). The ability to view the city from afar, as well as the traditional stress reliever that is the Sunday barbeque was, to say the least; an enjoyable experience.

Late night snacks + coffee? ...or Gelato?

So I'm a sucker for devouring my bodyweight in desserts well past bedtime, in the past this has usually found me at pancake manor in the city, which to be honest is pretty shit, but a bit fun due to the 24/7 aspect of it. Thought it was about time for a change, so I've been on the lookout for cool spots around the place, found a kickass place last night...

Three Monkeys Cafe

Actually, this isn't the place I found last night, but just incase you hadn't heard of it, Three Monkeys in West End, kickass. Go there. Great coffee, great cake. Each time I've been there, the service has been pretty good, coffee within a couple of minutes of ordering it, cool interior, shit all over the walls, and anything from cafe style seats + tables to lounge chairs + coffee tables.

Milany

This one is a bit more out of your way if you live around the Kenmore area, but totally worth it in my opinion. It popped up on Urbanspoon the other night, and definitely don't regret pursuing it. It's in a little cluster of shops, think there's a pizza capers + few Italian restaurants that I walked past to get there, so could always do dinner and then wind up at Milany for dessert.

So the place does gelato, and does it well. I've heard that the best way to judge a gelato bar is to try their pistachio, I decided not to last night, partially because I didn't want to, but also because I don't know what it is supposed to taste like, so I could hardly judge if it was a good one or not. What I did end up getting was a banana split, with bounty, fererro rocher and mango gelato, well, that and a heart attack. Worth it.

My partner in crime got a scoop of cherry ripe and of their dark chocolate gelato. Both of which were amazing, also cheaper than what you'd pay at somewhere like cold rock / baskins, and a hell of a lot better.

Inside is pretty cool, very clean + shiny, huge ass counter showing off all of the different flavours, great menus giving the option of anything from a $4 icecream to a $30 monstrosity that'd feed a family for a week. Seats were cute little couches, and the staff (which were all asian females for some reason...) were lovely, seemed to be enjoying themselves, provided great service.

Thought I had hit absolute gold until I found the downside to it all. My mate also got a flat white. Awful. Holy crap. McCafe does better coffee. Beans were super burnt, milk may as well have been microwaved, and it was hotter than the sun. It is up there with some of the worst stuff I've ever drunk, along side with Dr. Pepper and fish sauce.

All in all, I am definitely going there again, but not if I feel like a coffee. I rarely get coffee late at night anyway, so not too much of a bother for me really, but a bit dodgy knowing it is never really a good option. The gelato was awesome, and the crap they have in the menu looks like it'd be great, so definitely heading back there to try some more out. Worth a visit in my opinion.