There’s been a corner of the 140 William concourse that’s been hidden behind mysterious, lurking, canvas drapes and wooden hoardings for some time now.

Emerging from the shadows in all it’s shiny glory is a slick new coffee bar, Max & Son. An expansion of Mo Espresso in Trinity Arcade, it has an altogether different vibe. The 5 Senses coffee is still the same and there’s a range of tasty nibbles to fill a hungry corner. The flat white I had was up to the usual standard, and as is the current trend, comes out very drinkable instead of being the temperature of molten lava. Comfy chairs inside or out, it’s uber trendy location suits the out of the way feel for a relaxed cup o’ joe. 79%

So here’s a good idea: open a coffee stall with some limited seating right next to the back door of a shop every waking teenage (and post teenage) girl is going to wNt to get taken to by dad/boyfriend/partner/husband. Make it look suitably cool an sophisticated so the attending chaps can feel at home idling away the shopping hours sipping a tasty cup o’ joe and you’ve got yourself a canny idea. Not to mention a ready made captive audience. BLK Espresso have done just that. Nestled as close as you can comfortably-be-without-getting-personal to the back of the uber hip Top Shop emporium , they offer a refuge for the retail weary accompanist. All the usual options available in terms if draw, it’s nice to see ristretto and genuine macchiato as standard offerings, hinting that the guys know their stuff.
The house blend is a four bean affair from Rubra. In flat white form (my standard tester) you can get a sense of some soft citrus and a hint of caramel on the finish. Interesting combination, with the caramel accentuated by my own home made cheese and onion sandwich enjoyed with the joe. As the temp drops the citrus comes to the fore making for a nice interesting cup all the way through.
A nice cup overall, though you do need to get dangerously close to fashion to get it. 71%

Like fast food and bungee jumping, coffee from a standalone dispensing bar often seems like a good idea at the time…… I was in that situation after battling Coles at lunchtime, where the thought of a coffee chased off all reasonable doubts about location and production values. I spied a coffee bar in the middle of Raine Square mall that looked as inviting to me as a cold frosty beer does to a ’70s fast bowler, Maven Espresso. With hardly a second thought and cavalier attitude worthy of D’Artagnon, a regular flat white was ordered. “What beans were they?” you cry with monotonous droning. “No idea” comes the predictable response. But you know what? It was a very acceptable cup o’ joe.

If I were picky, I’d say it was a touch hot, but rather that than like warm. Full flavour, nothing outstanding, but then again, nothing really missing either.
All in all, a welcome oasis in the desert of stand alone coffee bars that so often clog up a shaping mall. 69%

There are obviously not enough hip breakfast joints open on a Sunday in the Suburbs!! Piccolo’s is looking to set that straight. Opening at 8, chockers by 8:02, we managed to snag one end of a big table. 5 senses is the bag, speedily and well made, it has the trademark acidity of Crompton Road blend. Lovely staff, offbeat contemporary design, full of trendy suburbanites. 70%

So here’s the thing. One of my other pleasures and privileges
is riding an old Triumph Bonneville that my father in law sold me at a fair price. It’s not something that usually works with the coffee experience, as expeditions with friends more often than not focus on the licensed establishments for refreshments. Such was the brief on Saturday when a relaxed sojourn to Toodyay and the Chittering Valley was on the cards.
Arriving at Toodyay a bit before lunch really called for a coffee, but the group was heading for a table at the pub with all the focus of a cruise missile. Then, whilst perusing the bar, a real, proper coffee machine was spied. It had portafilta ta and everything! In a pub!!
This raised a risky proposition – a pint puller making a coffee?!? Hmmm. As it was someone else’s round, I thought it was well worth the risk……
Ta-da!! If it’s not a very acceptable cup I’ joe! No idea on the beans, but the bar-person crated the brew with he same attention to detail they give to pouring a frosty schooner of Emu draft. The slightest minor comment would be the mold flavour, but this could be the blend.
All in all this was the exception that provokes the rule about pub coffee – a nice shot at the end of a glorious ride. 73%

Upstairs in NX100, this Italianesque cafe has its java bar facing out to accommodate the passing throng – and throng it is. Jeez it’s noisy up there! Anyway, thought we’d give it a go. That dark wood decor couldn’t lift the coffee though. I’m no barista but I thought the tamper thingie needs to be firmly pushing those grinds around in the portafilta to show them whose boss rather than politely making their acquaintance and apologizing for brushing up against them!! This rather pleasant respect for personal space results in the water cascading joyfully through the beans without so much as a howdy-do, let alone a joyous dalliance and slushy socializing that gives a rich complex draw that lingers delightfully on the taste buds. Ahh well, the old disappointment of under extracted unfulfilled promise. 42%

How’s that for a piece of window art? Made me jump as I came round the corner, and actually took a few seconds to register it was a java joint. The feathers having been suitably ruffled, a reviving cup of joe was definitely in order. Tontine is a 5 Senses establishment, offering not 1, not 2, but 3 blends, plus a decaff!!!!

A middle sized helping of the house blend seemed appropriate under the circs. Advertised as “double shot pulled short” expectations were high. Sure enough, I got what it said on the box. Interesting to try and classify this one…. Smooth and rounded, and by no means bland, there was none of the over extracted tailings (funny that!) that can be used to make up for lack of flavour. I couldn’t make out any stand out features in the taste department, suffice to say, oddly, it was a very calming cup of joe. Weird and pleasing in equal measures. Will definitely return to try the other blends on offer. 74%

Nestled deep in the bohemian strip of Park Row, rubbing shoulders in complete comfort with the adjacent Banksy’s, lies an oasis of calm within the Costa and Costco desert that is the English coffee scene. Offering speciality Joe – this week from Ethiopia or El Salvadore – this is a genuine coffee made by genuine enthusiasts! Tried the Ethiopia – light, plenty of acid, full of flavour, perfect temperature, all in all delightful. 79

So after the arduous task of filling in 64 squares on an early voting ballot paper, you really do need a cup of fortifying joe to gird up the loins. Hitting the Plaza level of the QBE building, as if by magic the Low Down coffee bar appeared. Appealing to the hip office dudes finding work at the ritzy end if the terrace, the coffee itself is an interesting, if unknown, brew. Lots of flavour and despite being a little under temperature, the speed of delivery was reminiscent of seagulls around a discarded chip packet. Pleasant experience all around, made all the better by the glitzy coach work on the well worked machine. 64%