Caffè Lungo [topic: review 10]

'Un caffe ti ristora per la giornata' - 'With coffee you restore your energy for the day'

This may apply all the time except when coffee is served with inferior quality despite being a coffee shop serving a good number of coffees per day. That's when you would expect better all the way! This time I paid a visit to Molly's Cafe in Mosta. At this place they serve Saquella coffee which is very common on the island, yet acceptable quality.

I got this coffee to TRY and restore my day.

Firstly, I wouldn't consider the time taken to serve the coffee (only three tables were being served - with less than 10 metres of distance) to be relative to the quality of what I got. Apart from the presentation which is way too rough (clearly from the picture) the cream had already started to dissolve itself which most probably was left either standing or else did not have the right amount of coffee as well as pressure to brew. The temperature was OK, yet could have been better especially in our warm climate whereby coffee will not lose temperature so quickly indoors.

Serving sugar is only a matter of courtesy and not an issue for a cost-cutting exercise. Also, please note that being a CAFE, you are encouraged to serve coffee as it should -temperature; creamy; sugar; clean and including a glass of water PLEASE!

The place is very sweet and I suggest you upgrade your quality to make this experience even more pleasurable.

Stay tuned! In the mean time, keep spreading the love for the BEAN!

Why and how do I drink water with coffee?

In several review posts I have written in the past weeks and months, I have stressed the importance to serve water with coffee in order to be of service to clients. This is not just a tradition but a necessary feature in drinking coffee. In this post I will be giving reasons for this MUST in the coffee service.

Quality of service is the secret in a proper caffé

One wouldn't dream of going into a bar for coffee and not being served with a glass of water (preferably sparkling). Drinking this water is to be done both before the coffee as well as after, for two different reasons.

Water BEFORE the coffee is done in order to clean and clear the palate from any tastes or excess of saliva, both of which alter the coffee experience. Water AFTER the coffee is to be consumed after a few minutes in order to re-hydrate the palate as well as clear the coffee aftertaste in order to continue with the day's activities without the tedious coffee aftertaste.

Apart from the coffee experience per se, the water re-hydration is also important health-wise due to a well known fact that coffee does in fact dehydrate the body, so it is also healthy to compensate with water the volume of coffee consumed.

So please, dear bar-owners, augment the coffee service by adding a small glass of water (preferably sparkling) not only bec


ause it's polite to do so, but also to show your clientele that you care for them and not only their money!

Stay tuned! In the mean time, keep spreading the love for the BEAN!

Caffè Macchiato [topic: review 9]

It's time for a new review post. This time I paid a visit to Bean & Loaf in Santa Venera. I ordered an espresso macchiato as the place was just opened just seconds before I went in.

I noticed that this place uses Kimbo as their coffee brand. I am not much impressed with this coffee brand, yet I find it acceptable for an early morning start.

my morning coffee at Bean & Loaf

I ordered an espresso macchiato. To be honest, I'm not much of a fan for macchiato due to the fact that sometimes it ends up as a mini-cappuccino, which is surely not the case if it is well made. At Bean & Loaf, the end result was not the perfect one you would expect, yet it was bearable. The taste and temperature were OK, yet I strongly suggest to clean the tazzina just like a chef cleans his plate after plating, a barista cleans the tazzina after brewing.

Still way to go for the water service with an espresso ... is it too much to expect from a coffee service? Come on ... your name stresses the importance of the BEAN and apart from the brand you use, the coffee service needs an upgrade please to reflect your brand!

Stay tuned! In the mean time, keep spreading the love for the BEAN!