# Workshop Clerkenwell



## MangoSand

Tried this place out with a friend who hadn't tried specialty coffee before, his mind was pretty much blown.

Great cafe, helpful friendly staff, big ole synesso pouring double 'strets off naked PFs with coffee roasted in house, I went in kinda late in the day but the barista there was no fill in guy, really fantastic flat white and short black

The kiawamururu (sp?) they had pouring was so dang good. Had to buy a bag.


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## MikeHag

Workshop good. Naked PF in a shop is something I've never bought into. No singles. No trad caps. Seems a needless use of a good training tool.


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## MangoSand

I'd agree if they weren't roasting their own coffee; using naked for something that the roaster has designed to be best poured as a traditional single or double would kind of be like second guessing the roaster's ability. But the coffee here just tasted great and i guess they're pouring it just how they like it.


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## MikeHag

How do you mean? You're saying they are roasting coffee to work best as a double shot rather than a single??

Either way, guess they are happy without single shots. I've had too many people requesting singles to do away with spouts.


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## MangoSand

more like a double ristretto, could be wrong though.


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## funinacup

Went here for the first time earlier. Really lovely sweet Kenyan through AeroPress. Bought some Cult of Done beans to try when I get home too.

The barista on the espresso machine looked to be getting himself a bit flustered for no real reason though!

Michael

Fun in a Cup Coffee Training


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## fatboyslim

Appears to be 2 threads for this cafe, other one is here.

I've been to Workshop far too many times and even when I go just to buy some beans I always end up chatting to the baristas.

Its clear some are more talented than others, I don't suppose it was the tall Australian guy was it? He made some pretty insane shots of cult of done and seemed really knowledgeable.

Was pretty funny when I told them I wanted to fire some of their Kenyan (Kagumoini AA) through an espresso machine, they all thought I was a mad man.

The Aeropress offerings have been consistently great for me, specially the El Sal.

Next time you're there Michael you absolutely have to try the pain au chocolats. They are out of this world.


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## funinacup

Ahh thought I saw another one somewhere!

Nah the barista was medium height, blonde & not aussie. He looked to be churning out good coffee but not hugely organised. Nice to see him taking shower screens etc off but maybe not when there's 12 people at the door waiting to be seated.

Michael

Fun in a Cup Coffee Training


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## funinacup

And I'll remember that about the pain au choc, gonna try to get back this week. Here til wed evening.

Michael

Fun in a Cup Coffee Training


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## Earlepap

The hot food is consistently good there too - I had the pork tacos on Friday and they were lovely. Tried the Guatemalan they currently have which was pretty good, though outshone by the SqM Kagumoini aeropress I had earlier in the day down the road, at the Giddy Up cart at Fortune park near the Barbican. Other than it using the inverted method I didn't notice anything else of how it was made, but it was the juiciest aeropress I've ever had - like diving head first into a basket of fruit.


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## fatboyslim

I walk past that giddy up place nearly everyday and only noticed the aeropress for the first time today!

Will stop and ask them about technique if I get a chance. Did they use the SJ with cup as hopper for the aeropress?


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## Earlepap

Nope, used a bloody Hario hand mill! Makes me think my water is total muck, even after filtering.


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## fatboyslim

A really ridiculously epic espresso this morning.

They have changed the blend for Cult of Done and whilst not being as fruity as perhaps I normally like, its just perfectly balanced with a lovely lingering finish.

Cynesso and Robur is one hell of a combination.


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## Earlepap

I popped in there a couple days ago and picked up a bag of Rwandan coffee called Cynia. It makes a great brew - different fruits going on, very sweet, with a sticky, tangy acidity. The packet says rhubarb, which I doubt I'd have picked out without reading it, but it's certainly there!


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## fatboyslim

I've had an aeropress of that Cyiya stuff and I did indeed get rhubarb but possibly only because I read it on the menu.

Certainly a very tasty and fruity brewed coffee and probably my next bean purchase.


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## origmarm

I've currently got a bag of the new cult of done. They recently changed it and I find it much mellower. There is a cafe in Balham (Milk) that uses their beans. A good Barista in there, knows his stuff. Its a good sign when the head guy writes dosage, temp etc in marker on the bag for you I find. They sell the beans and I tried a new and an old blend. Overall I prefer the new. A good (and unfortunately rare) example of a (very) light roast that's not overly acidic. Overall too light for me in general but that's just my preference. Good roaster from what I can tell


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## origmarm

As an aside, is it just me or is the new blend a pain to extract? It produce some nice shots even when out of the sweet zone but it's a PITA to keep in the zone. Have to adjust grinder continuously at the mo. Could be the weather but I suspect otherwise.


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## fatboyslim

Felt I just had to continue this on going review of what now is my favourite place to go in the whole of London.

I went yesterday with an ever so slightly small hangover and definitely needed some tasty food.

During the week they have lunch and then dinner available and you can even book a table. At the weekend they serve brunch until 4pm.

The brunch menu is quite small but I would happily eat anything on it. After an absolutely excellent shot of cult of done, I decided on the rare breed hamburger with cheese, crispy split new potato things and homemade mayo.

It could only be described as ridiculously unbelievably epic. The meat was cooked medium-rare and it could quite possibly have been the best tasting hamburger I've ever experienced.

I challenge anyone to try that burger and not be absolutely blown away by the quality of the meat. Also the current cult of done is pretty epic.

Love Workshop!!!


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## lookseehear

What percentage horse meat are the burgers? ?


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## fatboyslim

Horse meat is pretty lean actually and so has less saturated fat and could therefore reduce instances of coronary heart disease if consumed instead of beef









The Workshop burger definitely didn't have any horse in it. It was from a cow that had been hugged and had been told bedtime stories and had lullabies sang to it.

It was quite distinctive with a certain 'well nurtured' note running through the mid-cup


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## origmarm

So was the burger lighter or darker roasted?


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## fatboyslim

Definitely dropped before second crack


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## Earlepap

I'm a sucker for a good burger, I'll check it out next time I'm in the area. Finished the bag of Cyiya yesterday and loved every drop.

If you ever find yourself further East, there's a place called Duke's in Haggerston that does a mean burger. It's not a cafe but last time I was there during Sunday brunch time I had two cups of batch brew (free refills!), and once cooled down from tongue-searing it was pretty good. I think the beans were from Caravan and tasted like a Kenyan.


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## Earlepap

Tried the burger at Workshop today: pretty damn tasty! Nit-picking, I didn't think the Comte worked with it, but a great burger for sure. Also had a cup of a pulped natural Brazil - Pasaio or something - which was fantastic. It tasted of Ferrero Rocher.

Toddled off down the road to Prufrock for an amazing shot of Sweetshop afterwards. Best espresso I've had in ages. Topped off with the Duchamp thing at the Barbican - good Sunday!

This post is turning into the sort banal drivel that's meant for Facebook and Twitter. SOZ! LOLS!!!11!!

P.s.

I forgot to post a picture of anything I ate or drank. Whoops


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## Danm

Re: sweetshop @ Prufrock

Is it just me or does the +40p per shot seem a bit of a try-on

Not sure what the commercial price difference is but this is like £2 per 100g which i'm sure its not...


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## Earlepap

I was a little alarmed when I got to the till.


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## unoll

Headed to workshop on saturday for the first time and gave the latest cult of done and the yukro a go as straight espresso's. Pretty amazing shots - very fruity. Friends who met us there were amazed that coffee could taste like that. Staff were really friendly and accomodating and the barristas seemed to know their stuff. Definately not the cheapest place but worth a visit.


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## fatboyslim

I have to admit, I've been going to workshop regularly over the last year and the quality of the food, the service and (most upsetting) the coffee are not quite what they once were.

The tragic loss of the Cynesso espresso machine was the first step (replaced by a volumetric LM Linea). The coffee roasting side is still top notch but the place itself fills up quickly on a weekend meaning 30-40 minute queues, which changes the feel of the place. Its become a bit commercial to be honest.

Definitely still one of the best cafes in London but not my favourite anymore....


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## CallumT

Danm said:


> Re: sweetshop @ Prufrock
> 
> Is it just me or does the +40p per shot seem a bit of a try-on
> 
> Not sure what the commercial price difference is but this is like £2 per 100g which i'm sure its not...


I hate it when people reel this off, cost and price are very different and there's a lot of factors to think about (dry throating, quality / consistency, order quantity of guest coffee, wastage and then justifying even purchasing a grinder to offer the option); I'm not justifying anything I just know how hard it is in independent coffee. Definitely not the money printing company that everyone assumes.

Bottom line when I last went it is clearly stated that sweet shop costs more, and if you didn't want it don't order it.

Interesting, about what has been mentioned about the aeropress recipe at workshop, might give that a try. Sad to hear about the downfall in service mentioned but it is nice to know the roasting is still top notch, workshop are often my preferential roaster I just wish they had more crops on!


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## unoll

Is it right they had a slayer machine there once upon a time? Do you know what happened to it fatboyslim?


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## fatboyslim

unoll said:


> Is it right they had a slayer machine there once upon a time? Do you know what happened to it fatboyslim?


It wasn't a slayer, it was a Cynesso cyncra pressure profile machine, so similar to a Slayer. Really beautiful machine that made excellent shots.

I asked the Manager Joe and he said one morning they'd just bought this (new LM Linea). I think someone else said there was a problem with the Cynesso and the LM Linea was a free upgrade or something.

Sad times though.


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## unoll

fatboyslim said:


> It wasn't a slayer, it was a Cynesso cyncra pressure profile machine, so similar to a Slayer. Really beautiful machine that made excellent shots.
> 
> I asked the Manager Joe and he said one morning they'd just bought this (new LM Linea). I think someone else said there was a problem with the Cynesso and the LM Linea was a free upgrade or something.
> 
> Sad times though.


Ah I see, I read here: http://www.thecafehunter.co.uk/2011/01/st-ali.html and a few other places they had a Slayer a while back, was that before you started going or do you think they made a mistake?


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## TimStyles

unoll said:


> Ah I see, I read here: http://www.thecafehunter.co.uk/2011/01/st-ali.html and a few other places they had a Slayer a while back, was that before you started going or do you think they made a mistake?


Actually, you're both right.

Originally we had the Slayer, but some ongoing reliability issues meant that we chose to move away from it.

We switched to a Synesso Cynchra for a couple of years and, while substantially more reliable, we started experimenting with the latest La Marzocco machinery and were really impressed with what we could achieve by switching to the Linea PB for our seven bars. We now run the Linea on all our bars with the exception of Marylebone and feel that we achieve a better quality, (and more importantly) better consistency espresso across four locations.

We had no issue with the Synesso from Clerkenwell, but did want to move towards consistency across all our stores, so we sold the machine to Continental Stores in Bloomsbury.


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