# Under-whelmed/Disappointed - Nude Espresso



## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

Spent the day in London wandering round a few markets, Columbia Road on through Brick Lane and Spitalfields.

Decided not to have a coffee in the Daily Grind (corner of Spitalfields) although I have always enjoyed it in the past because I knew Nude Espresso was on the way back to the car and they "know what they are doing" 

There it is...... Nude Roastery and just opposite Nude Espresso so pop in with the Mrs... little table in the corner Mmmmmm this should be good....

Mrs Drewster isn't into coffee (she tolerates me faffing about) and normally just has an americano when pushed...

No!! Look says I - "They do slow brew! That should suit you..."

"4 quid for filter coffee!!! You are kidding!!!!" she shrieked!

"No No its not just filter coffee! They don't just chuck a couple of spoonfuls of Illy in a caffitier... they know what they are doing- thats why they charge a premium!"

So anyway we order an espresso for me and a Slow Brew for her........ "Which beans??" they ask Mrs D and explain a few of the options....... ("See - They know what they are doing!!")

"You watch" says I "they don't just chuck it in like Costabuck... they'll weigh it out, tamp it carefully look......."

Sure enough young barista working behind the counter.....

Knocks out puck.....

Wipes porta filter....

Inspect...

'nother quick wipe

Mahoooosive Compak grinder...

Flap flap flap into portafilter....

Level off, weigh, whip a bit off, level.....

Pop on tamper....

Press... twist.... another quick press.... looks like a true artiste!

Then same ritual for the next.... and the next... Looking good....

Waitress comes over.... "Were you cappucino?"....

Quick look at a couple of very pretty cappos... leafy arty things on top...... before she whisks them off to their true owners....

A minute or two later... along comes a different waitress.... with my espresso... in a nice dark espresso cup and saucer... well presented.

It looks like.... well to be honest it looks like a decent espresso, nice crema, thick body....

"Yours will be a bit longer I tells Mrs D... they make them individually"...... (Thinking.... You would think they could manage to serve two cups of coffee at the same time - given that I have had to wait for my espresso!!)

Sip my espresso....... Well it was OK! No that's it! It tastes OK!

Possibly a bit... how to describe it.... harsh? Possibly too dark a roast for my taste but certainly a drinkable drink... but nothing to rave over..... but nothing to moan about either. For £2 its an espresso....

Errrrr..... finish my espresso.... and wait..... (Thinks.... If they don't come soon I am going to.......)

Anyway back comes another waitress...... "Your pour over?".... placed in front of Mrs D....

A nice wooden platter with a small glass jug/pot of coffee alongside a bigger version of the espresso cup.... this is well presented! (Even if we are bored waiting.......)

Mrs D pours some of the coffee into her cup and...................

Looks at me...... "This is tasteless!!!!!" If I shut my eyes I wouldn't even know this was coffee!!"

I have a taste.... yep... dirty water...

£4 for a cup of dirty water... They are taking the p*ss!!!

I can make allowances for the espresso - possibly the roast was too dark and just "not me"!

Perhaps not being able to serve two cups of coffee together is.... well its pretty shoddy but lets say its excusable as they were fairly busy....

but £4 for tasteless dishwater is wrong.

Now you guys who know about slow brew and stuff might be able to shed some light on why it took so long... but unless I am missing something I really cannot believe that you drink tasteless, dirty water by choice... So I am afraid Nude Espresso won't be seeing anymore of my custom......


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

I hope you brought this to their attention and asked for the drinks to be remade?


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## Atilla (Mar 31, 2014)

I've been to Nude quite a few times, mostly when they were not so busy though, but never had any major gripes to date. The one thing I will say is that the times I have been the drinks have been just a bit shy of ideal heat for me.


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## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

Glenn said:


> I hope you brought this to their attention and asked for the drinks to be remade?


I was with my wife and daughter...... daughter in particularly doesn't like me "making a fuss" (I am no shrinking violet  )


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

What experience have you had in making or drinking pour over ? Im asking as to kind of get what your expectations are re taste .

Espresso or French french it isn't ( if its v60 etc ) , dirty dishwater it shouldn't be ...

Do you know what they were brewing ( bean wise ? , method etc ? )

And as Glenn says did you mention it ?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Pour over is easy to mess up. If you want to know how good a barista is - ask them to prepare a Chemex or V60. Few places are able to nail it. Did the place flag up the pour over's tasting notes - that way you can compare your experience to what's written down? Sadly, when the coffee doesn't deliver, the customer puts it down to their poorly educated taste buds, when the actual reason is poor execution.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

It would be worth making contact with Nude to talk through options to have the drink remade the next time you visit.

It is only right that the establishment should have a chance to rectify before expressing concern on an open forum.


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## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

Boots

I have never had anything claiming to be "special" in terms of pour over.... I have drunk all sorts of "filter coffee" and ground coffee "filtered" in various ways..... but I have no idea what "slow pour" or "slow brew" is meant to be......

I was just reading some threads the other evening - where the premium cost was being excused/explained because of barista time required etc.....

If on my own I would have:

1) Complained about the wait (not the actual wait - just the fact that my espresso came and went before the other one even showed its face)

2) Complained or at least queried the "slow brew" - it really was tasteless

I probably wouldn't have complained about the espresso - it wasn't bad per se just ott for me.


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## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

Glenn said:


> It would be worth making contact with Nude to talk through options to have the drink remade the next time you visit.
> 
> It is only right that the establishment should have a chance to rectify before expressing concern on an open forum.


Sorry mate - You have one chance to make a first impression....

And it is not just the actual coffee I take issue with...

I ordered 2 coffees.....

I was served one coffee....... (After a noticeable wait)

after I had finished that drink (noticeably after)

I was served a 2nd drink....

That is (in my view) pretty poor service.....

If a couple order two drinks it is pretty likely that they are expecting to drink them together - I don't mean that they have to be served at exactly the same time to the second!! But if I have to wait for the first drink I really wouldn't expect to have finished it and then wait again for the second.

If the second drink takes an appreciable time to make

a) That could be pointed out (and an option to have "seperate" drinks or "both wait" be offered?)

b) (If no option offered) some attempt to serve the 2 drinks together.

I don't know if you know Nude Espresso but it is (or was today) waitress/table service - so they control when the drinks are delivered.

The poor coffee was just the final straw....

All the faults are plainly evident to the company - or they should be... with the possible exception of the actual taste of the coffee.....


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

I recon if the coffee had blown your mind you would have quickly forgotten the service niggles


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## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

garydyke1 said:


> I recon if the coffee had blown your mind you would have quickly forgotten the service niggles


I reckon you are right!!


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

All fair points, and i would be frustrated too but places don't get better unless they are told why they aren't up to scratch and wy

and given the chance to change it .... Cafe's or anywhere.


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## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

Mrboots2u said:


> All fair points, and i would be frustrated too but places don't get better unless they are told why they aren't up to scratch and wy
> 
> and given the chance to change it .... Cafe's or anywhere.


I make my living selling my advice to organisations - sometimes this means stating the bleeding obvious, telling them things they must already be aware of... the difference being I sell this advice!

I won't lose sleep over £6.... I'll just go to another coffee shop.

They probably won't lose sleep over losing my custom.

They may or may not care about me voicing my opinion here.

If they don't - see above.

If they do - they can always pm me


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## ShortShots (Oct 2, 2013)

Just a bit random, did they have the Loring hooked up/running when you went?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

It becomes really difficult when companies grow their business and start employing others who may/may not share the same passion they do. In the growth to ever larger commercial business usually this passion and attention to detail can get so diluted that they become unrecognisable. Look at that coffee business that Tesco bought...I'll bet they were quite good once. Responsibility for this "loss", sometimes it's the owners, sometimes it's the employees, sometimes it's both.

Many years ago, I was at an event where speciality coffee was being featured, with expert Baristas, I went for an espresso and the chap ground, tamped, placed in machine and produced me a 12 second gusher. He proudly bought me the espresso and I asked him why he would do this to me. He immediately took it away, went back to the grinder, adjusted it (twice) and had 2 attempts until he finally got the shot right. I thanked him for his efforts, but did wonder why he even tried to serve me the crap in the first place....when he obviously knew it was wrong?

The answer sadly, most people don't know the difference between good and bad where coffee is concerned, if they did, Costabuks etc.. would have gone out of business years ago. As businesses grow they realise this sad fact and people get either lazy, careless or both. Sure the people that frequent these shops may consider themselves aficionados, but in the main, don't know anything. The focus of these places broadens to fit the market, they sell food coffee tea and other drinks usually. Most of their customers are not people on specialist coffee forums. Just take a look at the reviews on trip advisor. It also tends to be true that businesses who try to "educate" their customers either fail or never expand. Most customers don't want an education, they want marketing....they need to believe.

It may have simply been a bad day, or it may be the way it's going as a result of business expansion....you didn't mention whether they had a feedback card on the table...which is about the only way someone is ever going to give feedback as people don't like to complain. If I'm out with my family, I don't like to complain publicly, especially if it's just £6.

Trouble with feedback cards of course can sometimes be:

http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/blap22-the-valued-customer

P.S. I read all the comments about feedback and how you should have given, it my view is that for businesses.... "feedback is a privilege, not a right"


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## dsc (Jun 7, 2013)

Sometimes I think people / baristas know less about drip / brewed than they know about espresso. The number of times I've tasted underextracted brews in high qualities cafes is probably higher than badly brewed espresso. What most cafes lack in my opinion is daily internal testing (I'd say both taste and TDS) and making sure the brew recipies used are able to produce a decent cup. Brewed coffee takes time and effort as well, it's not just dumping water over coffee and leaving it to brew for X minutes.

Regards,

T.


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## Drewster (Dec 1, 2013)

ShortShots said:


> Just a bit random, did they have the Loring hooked up/running when you went?


On the assumption that a Loring is a roaster.... I don't know as I was in the shop on the other side of the road from the roastery bit..... :-(


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## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

DavecUK said:


> Look at that coffee business that Tesco bought...I'll bet they were quite good once.


If that business is Harris and Hoole I think they still are good.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

dwalsh1 said:


> If that business is Harris and Hoole I think they still are good.


The one in Moorgate is pricey but good


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## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

Glad someone else agrees. Thought I was gonna be on my own with that quote.



jeebsy said:


> The one in Moorgate is pricey but good


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

dwalsh1 said:


> If that business is Harris and Hoole I think they still are good.


It's not good where I am.


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## dwalsh1 (Mar 3, 2010)

Do what Glenn suggested by having a winge to the manager. All their baristas have had good training by Taylor Street Baristas.



DavecUK said:


> It's not good where I am.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

dwalsh1 said:


> Do what Glenn suggested by having a winge to the manager. All their baristas have had good training by Taylor Street Baristas.


I had a chat and was politely told that they had had no complaints and that it was what it was....nothing they could do. I don't think they care TBH, as long as they're doing the numbers and there seem to be plenty of people happy to lap up the offering, in the same way as Starbucks has no shortage of customers. I Tried a few times, always bad, so i simply don't go to H&H any more. believe me a decent coffee shop at the supermarket, where I could relax while the wife was shopping....ideal!


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## Geordie Boy (Nov 26, 2012)

You could serve anything in a cafe in a Tescos or Sainsburys and people will flock in. The ones round me have made a fortune converting their bland restaurants (which no one used to go into) into Costa's and Starbuck's respectively which are rammed. At least at Waitrose the coffee is free


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## Scotford (Apr 24, 2014)

There is way too much mention of starbucks and costa in this thread.

I have been to Nude quite a few times and the first few were great, then it was just 'better than the average' and most recently was a bit underwhelming. I think some of the passion has started to fade from the baristas there.


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