# Mental Monkey - Peterborough (poss Kettering)



## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

Apparently this has "just" opened in Peterborough (and there is/maybe another one in Kettering)

Has anyone tried it/them..... Although I live in Peterborough I haven't been for a coffee for ages (as there is very little choice) 
I think this may be "behind" John Lewis


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Hmmmm check their FB Page . . . It's frothy ?


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## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

The funny thing is a few weeks/months ago I was looking get some bathroom flooring.....
and after extensive googling for local places (and several visits to places found)...
I went to that very shop... only to discover that the flooring guys that had been there had... well.... gone...
and the shop was being refurbished... but not the slightest indication of it being a coffee shop!!

Although I live just a few miles away - I don't often spend an awful lot of time in P'Boro... and this shop is a little-bit "out of the way"/"round the back"... so I would rarely go past it by chance.

I guess there is a chance of me being in town picking up Xmas stuff - so I will try to pop in.


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## Yes Row (Jan 23, 2013)

Search Aaron Lambo on Facebook. It's him behind the business. 
A colourful character


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## Beanruined (Dec 21, 2019)

Does anyone know if this has opened yet, can't seem to find it on the internet, got five days in Peterborough over Christmas and rather hope there is somewhere to get decent coffee.


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## Beanruined (Dec 21, 2019)

Well it does exist, still not sure if it's open yet or not, will try again the next time I'm in town. Had to settle for Bewitched instead, perfectly serviceable and better than the chains but a bit too dark a roast for my tastes.


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## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

Beanruined said:


> .....couple of posts.....


 Sorry Mate - I've been away for Xmas so didn't see your posts.

I still haven't been I to P'Boro - so still no idea if it's opened yet (or possibly just closed over Xmas)...


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## Beanruined (Dec 21, 2019)

No worries, it looks finished, family want to go to the John Lewis sale today (joy) so I'll take another look, it does look finished so hoping it might open today. Rather wish there were a Mokoko here, I like that place. Reduced to chewing Whittard chocolate coated beans for my caffeine fix.


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## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

OK - I ventured into P'Boro (JL Sale) and decide I really should give this place a try:

Style &/or Substance
Style: It has in Spades...
A beautiful (I really mean beautiful) Astoria machine with wooden legs... it looks "The Dogs"....
Leather "Chesterfield" Setees... a few tables and chairs plus "bars" and stools....
A monster Motor Bike (Mental Hamster rather than Monkey??)
Various "Merch" and "Arty shite" scattered about, Stereo-Typical pseudo-industrial touches (Planks, rough wood etc). Probably all in about a dozen seats. A counter (with the Astoria), till and a display cabinet (cakes etc) with a working area behind it plus a couple of grinders etc on the back. There were 2 "baristas" on duty and they were both friendly lads - Branded Tees... not "Obvious Hipster"... (see below)

Substance:
A flat-white and a Hot Choc with Oat Milk.....
Oh Dear No 1: Short changed by a tenner (given change for £10 not £20)... Oooops Sorry....
(Obviously this could happen to anybody and is a trivial mistake)

Oh Dear No 2: After faffing about for several minutes interrupted by having a chat on the phone and seemingly swapping "barista duties" with chatting on the phone the Hot Choc turns up.... 
Is that Oat Milk? (Asked MrsD after not seeing any Oatmilk) Ooooops No - Sorry I'll make another 
(Fair enough but maybe concentrating on the actual job might pay dividends)

Oh Dear No 3: MrsD particularly un-impressed with what she described as cheap saccharine packed sachet chocolate.... The milk was "textured" but poured or more accurately dumped in the cup without even an attempt at "art"

Oh Dear No4: Well IF you like darker than night "Italian Roast" the actual coffee you might have enjoyed this... It wasn't bad... it was just black as sin!!! It was the right temperature and a semi-decent texture but (similar to the Choc) the milk had been dumped in without even an attempt at "art".... not even a basic "Blob" or "Heart" let alone Rosette or anything...

While I am no expert at latte art I have never been in even a basic Cafe let alone "Coffee Shop" where no attempt was made to do at least some basic Art....

Despite this if I go back to P'Boro I will still pop back in.... cos it is still probably the "best" coffee in P'Boro (and I am sure the "lads" will get the hang of pouring a blob/heart/rosetta at some point).


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## Beanruined (Dec 21, 2019)

Went in today as well, had a flat white, really not great at all, the milk was way too bubbly so the surface of the drink was all cratered and not at all smooth as I would have expected. Pretty disappointed over all. As mentioned above, looks really hopeful, although there is only one large central table with benches either side and a few stools in the windows, so quite small. Went on the Bewitched, slightly worse flat white than yesterday and a decaf oat latte which could easily have been a steamer, you just couldn't taste the coffee at all.


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## Jedi oh (Mar 17, 2015)

I haven't been to the Kettering shop, but have heard less than positive things about the shop. I'm told that it spend most of its time empty.

But in fairness I probably should try before being negative about it.


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