# What is everyone's idea of the perfect espresso?



## hilltopbrews (May 17, 2013)

I went to a nice French restaurant in London. They use a wega commercial coffee machine and I thought I'd give their coffee a try. I ordered an espresso but was surprised to see no crema at all! It was very bitter and the texture was like water. Waiter said it's how they serve espresso. I just kept quiet and stared at it. Nice cup tho.

My perfect espresso has to have a really thick crema, balanced taste, not bitter at all and have great "thick" texture. Attached is the photo of that so-called espresso.










Rant over.

Have a great day.


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

I'd have no hesitation in returning that to the waiter.

Then I'd write to the Restaurant & explain my reasons for so doing.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

More than likely stale over roasted beans put through the machine by someone without any real knowledge or training. As for the waiter's comment - what happened to: 'the customer is always right?'


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## hilltopbrews (May 17, 2013)

It was definitely stale beans. I'll just drop a short email to the manager.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

I never take up the offer of after dinner coffee/espresso - it's invariably rank and badly made and spoils a good meal. A good brandy or port though is a different kettle of fish


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Sounds a grim experience but one where you could (maybe) leave good comments about the food and the ambience on Trip Advisor with an improvement suggestion about the coffee.


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

Looks like some of that stuff referred to laughingly as barista style instant advertised on the goggle ( was offered a cup recently by someone well meaning, but clueless, as to real coffee and it looked just like the above, eughhh!)

John


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

The Systemic Kid said:


> I never take up the offer of after dinner coffee/espresso - it's invariably rank and badly made and spoils a good meal. A good brandy or port though is a different kettle of fish


They make espresso in a kettle of fish.......no wonder it's rank


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Actually, would it be possible to add buttons alongside the 'Thank for this post' and 'Like this post' which we could use to respond to pictures by saying 'Like the look of that' and 'That looks disgusting'?


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## No big name! (Oct 25, 2012)

The Systemic Kid said:


> More than likely stale over roasted beans put through the machine by someone without any real knowledge or training. As for the waiter's comment - what happened to: 'the customer is always right?'


Reminds me of a recent trip to Nero (my mate loves their Hazelnut syrup:bad. I ordered a ristretto, and watched the 'Barista' make an espresso! After pointing out the error of her ways and the ensuing disagreement, the queue was getting restless and obviously wondering why I would question the knowledge of a professional....so i conceded that I also like espresso and sat down to drink it.

5 mins later, a very humble looking girl came out to the table and 'fessed up that her manager had overheard the tail end of our discussion, aked what happened and explained that I was, in fact, correct. Free Ristretto was delivered to my table!

I did end up feeling like a bit of a coffee snob, mind.


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## hilltopbrews (May 17, 2013)

I have just emailed the restaurant. Also mentioned the fact that none of their waiters/servers/barista were wiping the milk wand and that it had a really thick layer of burned milk. That really put me off ordering further coffee and pretty much why I didn't bother returning the coffee!

They probably should have just stuck with filtered coffee!

Shame, I actually had the best dessert there! Indulgent and rich chocolate soup with black pepper ice cream.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Sarah0817 said:


> I went to a nice French restaurant in London.


I went to Le Gavroche....paid a fantastic amount for everything. The meal and wine was incredible but got an espresso after and got near a 12oz cup full of honking coffee. No guarantee of good coffee.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

jeebsy said:


> I went to Le Gavroche....paid a fantastic amount for everything. The meal and wine was incredible but got an espresso after and got near a 12oz cup full of honking coffee. No guarantee of good coffee.


Name dropper


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Michel Roux Jnr came round after to chat, couldn't bring myself to raise the coffee issue - should have though, Noma have caught on. Coffee will be the last area where they realise they need to up their game.


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## hilltopbrews (May 17, 2013)

Frankly, if they can't be bothered to make good espresso, they should just stick to filtered coffee.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Simpsons in Birmingham uses capsule machine for their coffee. Fantastic Michelin stared food followed by the caffeine equivalent to lambrini !


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## Daren (Jan 16, 2012)

Mmm Lambrini


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

This is the reason I went to the restaurant show with the l1 and rave, nobody here was going anything special with coffee, but I think with the right prompting they will come round. People thought the ethopian I was banging out was fab, just need them to consider espresso like wine


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## hilltopbrews (May 17, 2013)

Well I guess we'll all have to bring our aeropress next time we go to restaurants.

Minipress , travel espresso machine,

Might be a good idea.


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## Daren (Jan 16, 2012)

Chap - I'm not sure banging out an Ethiopian is the done thing?

Out of interest did you shift many L1s to restaurants? If they care about the coffee then the food should also be good and worth a visit. Name em!


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Time will tell, but they were very interested in the l1 and orders have come in, once I know where they are gojng I will update


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## Ferdy (Jun 9, 2014)

You should try the espresso at Peterborough City Hospital! All the kit looks impressive...

10 sec max for a "double" and didn't even wipe the pf after knocking it.

Sour, orrible stuff


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

urbanbumpkin said:


> Simpsons in Birmingham uses capsule machine for their coffee. Fantastic Michelin stared food followed by the caffeine equivalent to lambrini !


Urbs is pretty much spot on. When I read the first line of the OP's post I knew where this was going. OK I don't generally eat in *real* top-notch places but so far the only decent coffee I've ever had was at the end of a posh fish dinner at Pescatori, they do a nice espresso corretto con grappa. Although I dare say the grappa hides a multitude of sins. I have heard, and read, that some of the very best restaurants just bang out a Nespresso as an afterthought. It seems that coffee requires too much effort/knowledge. But I find that a bit ridiculous - surely places that charge £100+ a head could have a guy on drinks who could make a reasonable coffee. I mean, people who are as into their food as the customers for this calibre of restaurant are generally (I'd like to think) persons of taste and discernment, who would indeed no more drink Nespresso than Lambrini. Ironically, I think even dear old Heston serves Nespresso in the Fat Duck (which is down the road from me but I've never been in as you could buy a year's supply of beans for the price of a meal there).


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## grumpydaddy (Oct 20, 2014)

You did what?


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

I read nespresso gets used a lot because it's consistent, and consistency is the name of the game at that level


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

jeebsy said:


> I read nespresso gets used a lot because it's consistent, and consistency is the name of the game at that level


You're right about the consistency thing of course. But I'm not sure it's to do with 'level'. McDonald's have succeeded by producing predicable mediocrity that brings no surprises. You almost can't be disappointed because you've already accepted what's coming, if you expect lukewarm cardboard keech and that's what you get then it all passes without incident but will be equally unmemorable. Personally I'd accept the occasional coffee that wasn't quite up to scratch if there was at least a chance that it might be good some of the time. With Nespresso you know exactly what it will be like: ok but nothing more. I still think a place that is selling a 'luxury dining experience' (I.e. any decent restaurant) ought to make a reasonable effort to at least manage the standards that Costafewbucks churn out.


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

hotmetal said:


> Personally I'd accept the occasional coffee that wasn't quite up to scratch if there was at least a chance that it might be good some of the time.


Michelin wouldn't



hotmetal said:


> I still think a place that is selling a 'luxury dining experience' (I.e. any decent restaurant) ought to make a reasonable effort to at least manage the standards that Costafewbucks churn out.


Nespresso is probably > Starbucks


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

The canteen at the place where I'm working this week has got an in-house Starbucks. You should see the beans: Black and oily. I'm almost inclined to agree but the other place I work does Nespresso. It's a lot less offensive than Cluster*ucks but still only one notch above instant. I drink a lot of it there because a) it's free, and b) the alternative is instant. It's ok for drinking at work but not what I would expect in a Michelin establishment!


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