Category Archives: La Crema
Tango Turtle Retro Art Café – Willunga, SA
30 High Street, Willunga, SA, 5172
Willunga is quickly becoming the place to go for a ‘café crawl’ – with the Tango Turtle joining the ranks of my reviewed cafés in Willunga, with still as least three more to go. Situated in a reborn Petrol Station, the Tango Turtle is decked out to reflect the third and fourth words in its over long full name, replete with an eclectic assortment of linoleum topped kitchen tables and chairs from the 50s, 60s and 70s of last century. The walls of the Turtle are used to display the works of local artists, while the former drive through area features plenty of outdoor seating and umbrellas.
I ventured in mid-morning on a Willunga Farmer’s Market Saturday – when the town of Willunga is full to bursting with people – to find that other than a full table outside, and a woman sitting guard at the door – I was the only person in the place – and still, most of the waiting staff were too busy to offer me service – leaving it to the barista to eventually take my order. Then while I was waiting (not really any space in which to do so) I was asked to move so that an old lounge chair could be moved back into a 45 degree angle relevant to the table by a staff member who appeared out of nowhere – this despite the blackboard at street level saying ‘great coffee and great service’ – this is actually my third time here (first intentional review) and this was my best customer service experience – but to the coffee review. Read the rest of this entry
Corso Café – Mount Barker, SA
46 Gawler Street, Mount Barker, SA, 5251
If you have managed to survive taking your own life into your hands by either walking down, or carefully negotiating the congested traffic of the one-way Main Street of Mount Barker – otherwise known as Gawler street – and having bypassed Millies, Ground for Coffee, Sazo’n Espresso, Our Little Café, then the last chance you have for a coffee before you hit the organic cafés, the shopping centre cafés and the Home decorator centre coffee shop is The Corso Café – on the right hand side, just before the bank (Which Bank? – I hear you ask….not that one).
The first thing you notice about the Corso Café, is that it is orange – not sure what this implies – but the huge sign out the front is orange, and so are their business cards. Beyond making coffee – which they do – hence the review – according to the business card, they are also into ‘Fine food – Wood oven – Catering’ – which is all very nice. However, based on my brief – one off experience I wouldn’t be exploring the extent of their fine food (they have menus on the wall above the kitchen – but even with my glasses on I was unable to read them – and they had a selection of sweets and savories on display, which I assume you were allow to negotiate the purchase and consumption thereof) – as my presence was treated as an imposition. Is customer service too much to ask for? Do cafés want return patrons? Anyway, before I get back onto my soapbox, here is the review:
Latte Quality – Excellent – a touch hot – I do not understand how this happens, as most baristas I see have the thermometer in the jug – yet it comes well above the ideal drinking temperature.
Cost – $3.80 – which is above the average price – but ok for a take-away – $3.00 for a regular if you drink in.
Coffee Supplier – La Crema – but I had to ask as there was no promotional material to indicate – however, this question seemed to be another imposition. La Crema coffee is also served across the road at Our Little Café – so this gives you the chance to see how a different barista can change the flavour of the coffee, and how customer service can influence your coffee experience.
Fair Trade – Big Fairtrade Logo up on the side of the fridge – but no information to say what it meant, or what how it related to the coffee – but La Crema do an award winning Fairtrade Blend so we assume this is what I consumed.
Customer Service – 
– acknowledged my presence and value as a carbon based entity – but not much more.
Special Notes – Plenty of seating indoors, and a couple of tables on the footpath.
Venue Suitable for:
- Quiet Chat, Deep and Meaningful, Study – Not a problem for any of these activities – I was in at lunch time, and it was comfortably full – but not packed.
Our Little Café – Mount Barker, SA
37 Gawler Street, Mount Barker, SA, 5251
I suspect that Our Little Café is the mysterious ‘My Café’ that I was told to review in Mt Barker, but could never find. Who ever said that Google couldn’t answer any question? Well Our Little Café is nestled next to my old favourite salon – back when I had hair that needed the salon treatment – Spoilt Hair & Beauty – and from memory, the last time I had hair, and therefore was a client of Spoilt, this little cafe under a previous guise had bright purple walls. Now they are a bright shade of orange. They make good use of space for a small area, with plenty of tables and a good array of food on offer, including some gluten free options – my wife quite liking their Jaffa Slice! After I had ordered my coffee, I looked down at the counter and saw a mate’s CDs for sale, and then turned to my left and saw his bearded face (beards of the world unite!) starring back at me!! So this place must be good!
Latte Quality – Good heading towards Excellent – the coffee was served to me far to hot, and my tongue is still a bit funny, some 6 hours later. But the coffee flavour was really nice, ending with hints of mocha.
Cost – $4.00 – which is above average for a regular size.
Coffee Supplier – La Crema
Fair Trade – Didn’t seem to be any indication that what I was about to drink was Fairtrade, however La Crema does do a very nice Fairtrade coffee.
Venue Suitable for:
- Quiet Chat, Deep and Meaningful, Study – most likely, but it would depend on number of customers and the time of day. I was in – after having to work out how to use the door – they have recently installed a new door closer that is a bit stiff – at around 2:30pm, and the place was quiet, but when I had driven past earlier in the day I think it would have been full.
Bocca – North Adelaide, SA
152 Melbourne Street, North Adelaide, SA, 5006
This was my second coffee stop during my short break in Adelaide – pre-zoological experience coffee – the first, of my first full day. As an aside, I think it is pretty rich that Peter Goers calls Victor Harbor the Agapanthus capital of the world, when I am sure that North Adelaide has more of the great age indicative botanical specimens per square metre, than South Australia’s premier sea-side city…but I digress. Located on what could easily be called ‘Coffee Corner’ if it weren’t for the Old Lion, Bocca is an Italian style, full menu café – which from a long dark memory of a time when I flew back to SA from VIC for a short stay, does a great hearty breakfast.
Latte Quality – Excellent – although a little hot to begin with, my fingers prompted me to hold off sampling the first caffieney goodness of the morning so as to avoid the tongue burning incident of my Najjar’s experience. When sampled, the coffee was full, rich and wonderfully smooth. Due to its heat, it lasted the walk from Melbourne street all the way to the reptile house at the Adelaide Zoo.
Cost – $3.40 cup; $3.90 mug; $4.70 grande take-away
Coffee Supplier – Adelaide’s own La Crema
Fair Trade – No indication in store about it – but La Crema have a medal winning Fair Trade blend which I use at home.
Venue Suitable for:
- Quiet Chat/Deep and Meaningful – Outside of the busy meal times, this place would certainly work – plenty of space, both inside and out.
- Study and Reflection – As long as you are going there outside their peak periods should be fine. This part of North Adelaide is also handy for grabbing a take away coffee and walking the streets, if that works well for conversation. The Cibo across the road also has an Internode hotspot – so you can sit in Bocca – enjoy a good coffee, and use their internet!
The Little Leaf & Bean – Blackwood, SA
Shop 7/19 Coromandel Parade, Blackwood, SA, 5051
I am having a great week coffee wise. The Little Leaf & Bean up at Blackwood (at least up for me – just look at a map, and you’ll see what I mean) is a gem, as far as coffee shops/cafés go. Nestled in a quiet group of shops, far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Blackwood’s busy wannabe arterials (read: Coromandel Parade and Shepherds Hill Road – which at times are as busy as Springvale Road in Melbourne) this is a retreat – an escape – inclusive of a specially marked doorway into another world! Only very new on the scene, The Little Leaf & Bean (become a fan if you are on Facebook) has a great feel to it, with a variety of indoor and outdoor seating – including some specially built and very comfy couches. There is a great menu for light meals, a vast selected of tea and coffee – and you can purchase it to go! Next time you are up that way – as Molly would say – ‘Do yourself a favour!’,
Latte Quality – Lattastic! – this surpasses the one I had yesterday (see below) as the best coffee I have had in a while (just not that long a while) – so good, I would have ordered a second one but was due back down the hill for another meeting which included coffee – just no where near as good. I ordered a large latte (see picture) which was a beautiful colour and included the first bit of latte-art I have come across in SA. I am reliably informed that the manager/barista is an award winner!!
Cost – $3.50 for a regular; $3.90 for a large mug – so really good value.
Coffee Supplier – La Crema Coffee – South Australia’s own!
Fair Trade – Yes! A big sign in the window – and upon asking, was informed that all coffee served is Fair Trade – so not only great tasting coffee, but also guilt free (just don’t think about calories – I meant ethically guilt free).
Venue Suitable for:
- Quiet Chat – If you can get a table outside, most definitely.
- Deep and Meaningful – again, Yes – see above – and if the place is a bit quieter – inside would work just as well.
- Study and Reflection – I spent some time reading a book, in between meetings – and it is also an Internode Hotspot.
COFFEE CRAFT – Glandore, SA
Latte Quality – Lattastic! – the first cup was free, so hard to tell if I loved it because it was free – so I purchased a second cup and it was just as good!! Even being paid out for having sugar in it, did not change the taste experience for me!! 😉
Cost – $3.00 for a regular cup.
Coffee Supplier – La Crema – which is their own brand, which is roasted in house – and have won medals for it!!
Fair Trade – Yes – they are proud suppliers of Fair Trade Coffee – and won a silver medal for their Fair Trade Blend.
Venue Suitable for:
- Quiet Chat – If the chat was about Coffee – then certainly, but otherwise…No.
- Deep and Meaningful – No – the place is a fully functioning retail shop, and repair place for coffee machines.
- Study and Reflection – No.
Make Coffee...Not War! 