Coffee Enquiry L: Two birds down in Spitalfields (Department of Coffee & Social Affairs, and Rapha)

You present an interesting dilemma. Each of you seemingly has a legitimate claim to the bicycle, and yet the bicycle can have only one rightful owner. Quite the conundrum. As a federal employee, I believe the law is all we have. It's all that separates us from the savages who don't deserve even the privilege of the daily mail. Stuffing parcels into mailboxes where they don't belong!

Newman (Seinfeld episode “The Seven”)

I love coffee as you know, so the other day while in Spitalfields market couldn’t resist getting a couple macchiatos.

 First stop: Department of Coffee & SocialAffairs

A nice place in one of the corners of the new market. Quite simple and neat place, plenty of seating outside to watch the action in the market.

The place

Beans: Department of Coffee & Social Affairs

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Score: 4/5

Lovely coffee, nice acidity, some fruity notes, good balance with mild bitterness, medium body, and short aftertaste. Latte art top marks.

Small cup

Department of Coffee & Social Affairs

Coffee Shop

Approx Damage: £5pp

Area: Spitalfields

Borough: Tower Hamlets

Twitter: DeptOfCoffee

Second stop: Rapha

My second coffee was in the cyclist shop Rapha, you can get yours while watching a video of the latest tour de France.

Rapha

Beans: Alchemy

Espresso Machine: La Marzocco

Score: 5/5

Great balance with long aftertaste, sweet notes coming from chocolate, and decent latte art.

Coffee or treats?

Coffee time

Rapha

T: 020 7426 2000

Cycling Shop

Approx Damage: £5pp

Area: Spitalfields

Borough: Tower Hamlets

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Bean Review: Exmouth Espresso Blend

A lot easier to blend in a sea of people in Staten Island than China believe me

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Invitations”)

I had the chance to get my hands around a couple coffees from Exmouth. So the first one I’m trying is their Espresso Blend with origin from Ethiopia and Nicaragua.

Roaster: Exmouth

Medium Roast

Espresso Blend

Varietals: Not specified

Score: 2.5/5

Cortado time

The coffee has a light body with short aftertaste and mild bitterness. Citrus acidity with some apricot notes. A bit mild for milk based drinks as milk overpowers the subtle notes of the coffee. Espresso not strong enough with thin crema layer.

The beans were grinded with a Rancilio Rocky grinder and the extraction made with a Rancilio Silvia

Exmouth

Coffee Roasters

T: 020 7377 1010

Area: Bricklane

Borough: Tower Hamlets

Twitter: ExmouthC

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You new Dum Dum! You give me Gum Gum

You also shouldn't use a donut

Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld episode “The Muffin Tops”)

While in Brick Lane I bump into Dum DumDonutterie and I couldn’t resist getting some treats back home. Chef Paul Harley is behind all this, looking to give great donuts or should I say doughnuts to London. They bake the donuts every day, and don’t close until all are sold out.

Cros' Time

As usual I went for their cronut version called the cros. Nice flavours, not the best ones I have had around but quite decent flavours and fillings, and they were at 2 for 1.

You can find Dum Dum in different places including Harrods.

Dum Dum Donutterie

T: 020 7426 0436

Donutterie / Cafe

Approx Damage: £10pp

Area: Bricklane

Borough: Tower Hamlets

Twitter: dumdumdoughnuts

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Back in Moo

Elaine's down there causing all kinds of commotion. Somehow she got a hold of his recipes and she says she's going to drive him out of business! The Soup Nazi said that now that his recipes are out, he's not going to make anymore soup! He's moving out of the country, moving to Argentina! No more soup, Jerry! No more soup for any of us!

Newman (Seinfeld episode “The Soup Nazi”)

The other day I was looking for a place to eat in Bricklane and bump into Moo Cantina. Moo is an Argentinean restaurant specialised in street food classic Lomitos, a toasted steak sandwich.

Sandwich time

I went for the Lomito Porteño, ribeye steak, roasted peppers, rocket, and provolone cheese. The service was a bit slow but the food was spot on as usual, nice flavours, and a nice steak sandwich. Don’t forget to wash out all that food a cold Quilmes beer.

Three locations around London to get these Argentinean treats

Moo Cantina

T: 020 7377 9261

Argentinean Cuisine

Approx Damage: £20

Area: Brick Lane

Borough: Tower Hamlets

Twitter: MooCantina

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