NY coffee you let me down

I had great hopes for you NYC. What with your Italian heritage and cosmopolitan feel, surely you could serve up really really good coffee. 

But, no, the best you gave me was drinkable. 

I love you, NYC. I so wanted you to pass the test. 

You gave me Broadway and Central Park, Times Square, Greenwich Village and more. But just passable macchiato. 

The best you offered was at MoMA and I couldn't even drink it!

In desperation, we travelled across the East River in a last desperate hope to find a better than 6(out of 10). And here, we looked to have a candidate. Well presented, a funky coffee shop...

...and a pretty heart. But just not as good as San Francisco, or Melbourne!!

Cuppa de SF. Coffee 4 - Chai 0

In the spirit of the Copa America, today's wrap of the San Francisco coffee scene comes as a sports report. 

Coffee started well in the first quarter with some excellent macchiato and latte performances across all parts of the ground. 

It looked like a near perfect game until Chai made an entrance. Of course, with Chai being tea, it was always on the back foot, but its first play with a horrible sugary mixture that had been described as not too sweet. Fail. The second attempt from Chai was a complete blunder with an undrinkable concoction from Philz. 

So, in a clear win, San Francisco coffee delivered an outstanding victory, worthy of any of the great coffee cities in the world.  

Couldn't find coffee but found Curry

Here is a tenuous link between the coffee blog and Steph Curry, the superstar guard for the Golden State Warriors. 

Now the Golden State Warriors had not won the NBA championship since 1976, but they won it last year. Crowd goes wild!

And this year, they've had a brilliant season. The best ever. But come the playoffs and they hit a snag. Nearly down and out, they came back in Round 3 and won the last 4 games straight to make the Finals.

And that's where our story of coffee and Curry begins. On Sunday 5th June at the Oracle Center in Oakland. 

Yep, that's it. And that's where we sat. To see the Warriors win Game 2. Not just win. They obliterated and embarrassed the famous Cleveland Cavaliers. 

And what do you do after a win like that? Do you have a coffee? No way. These fans have a party with a DJ outside the ground. All captured on TV. 

Happy days. Bring on Ohio. They won't drink coffee there either. Curry shoots baskets, not cups. 

Mint St winner

Around a few corners and there was Blue Bottle on Mint. There was nothing around this attractive stone building. There it was like an office or maybe a quiet gallery in a side street. 

But everyone knew it was there, proving that you don't have to be on the main strip to be successful - particularly in foodie-ville.  

So, the big test, with dozens of coffee varieties, could they make a decent macchiato and soy latte?

And the verdict...it could have been in Melbourne (except for the extra large size of the latte).

Oh, the food was good too. The chia pudding was really interesting with black sesame. The eggs and bacon was great as well, with one teensy problem - no gluten free bread. 

Blue Bottle. So close to perfect but let down by toast!

Maybe not coffee

At Venice Beach, among all the touristy stores, opposite the basketball and tennis courts is Muscle Beach Juice bar. 

At this juice bar, they sell smoothies for $9 while the guy up the road sells for $5.47. Why? Because they are organic and their flavors are delicious. 

I had a Coco Columbo smoothie. With a shot of espresso for an extra buck. That's where the coffee comes into this edition. 

Muscle Beach espresso laced smoothie. Fit only for our muscle car. And obviously, I didn't leave any! 😜

Cheers from JABAA

Mark S

Coffee. The big test

So here we are, about to leave Melbourne. By my parochial reckoning, the coffee capital of the universe. MoVida's airport cafe has served me a very decent macchiato

So, the big question is - will we have a hope in hell of getting a decent coffee in the USA? And which cities/States will serve decrepit brewed coffee as a poor excuse?!

Yes, sports fans, these are the big questions. And look forward to upcoming sports fans blogs about actual sports. 

Cheers from JABAA

Mark S