Damn Fine Joe bored of brighton

You can now see updated reviews from Damn Fine Joe on the excellent blog:

http://boredofbrighton.co.uk/

+ lots of other interesting things to read there so get stuck in.

Nia, Brighton, UK

This restaurant cafe is situated on the edge of the North lanes and with the large windows is very welcoming. Inside it is bright, light and certainly kid friendly with enough room for prams. The menu is quite wide and seemed very appealing.


My brother was a fan and took me here. We had all our girls plus our near teenage nephew in tow. It was a good choice being able to sit down right away with all our host of vehicles and clutter and the staff were unfazed by this circus. Unfortunately our waiter didn't process our order. The manager was great and not only immediately offered free drinks but what sold us was she had the waiter come over and personally apologise. This personal touch and fast management when the problem was discovered is to be applauded and removed any anger on our part. The food was probably rushed out too us and this resulted it in all being a bit mediocre but I have had good reviews from others so I think we were unlucky this time.


But I write about coffee not food or atmosphere. Well as much as it pains me as I wanted to like this place there is not much to see on this front either strong, smooth but very bitter. We both had the americano and on tasting our faces said it all. Watery on the front of the pallet but with considerable strength it seemed over espressed. The bitter after-taste was not too gritty but not at all pleasant.

Taken early in the morning. Not quite open yet.

• Black Americano
• Strong 
• Generally smooth for overly bitter aftertaste
• No Crema
• Medium
• £2.40

Sadly not very good at all but it was free so what can you say? 

http://www.nia-brighton.co.uk/
Map

Black & Blue, London, UK

Another in the pantheon of great restaurants in Borough Market, Black and Blue does good meat and is a nice place to eat, it certainly utilises the arch space it inhabits well. A lobby like bar flanked with high tables for those waiting sees a narrow corridor area to the left and a large American style diner area to the right. Cows adorn the restaurant including this fellow who meets you as you step out the lift that takes you to the toilet.  

The food is focused on meat, steak to be precise and the t-bones we ordered were of the highest order. A glass of cab-sav on the side made it all slip down a treat. Onto the coffee; time being short an espresso was  ordered.

The espresso came in a largish mug and was itself quite big. The aroma was fantastic and the first taste was a great big hit to the pallet.  Touching all the right notes, smooth and flavoursome it was not quite an espresso, more an americano due to the strength and the size. It didn't seem overespressed in flavour as it was sweet and not overly bitter but the amount of water reduced the strength. Still even at this size there was enough raw coffee there to keep the taste and a nice oily sheen.

• Double Espresso
• Strong (but could be stronger)
• Great aroma and a full flavour
• Good Crema
• Large
• £3 

A very nice tasting drink and the only criticism is one of definition, a little large and therefore a little weak for the drink ordered.


http://www.blackandbluerestaurants.com/restaurant/Borough-Market/1
Map

Top 5 in Brighton 2010

A new year, a fresh desire to find the best coffee in the world. The mission is not over yet and there are many coffee houses in Brighton alone to sample.

The top 5 (in Brighton) in no particular order:

9 Bar
Ground
Coffee@33
Bills
Taylor Street Baristas

Feel free to send suggestions of where to try next.The sad but honest fact is that most places will get a middling to poor review, only the very best coffee will get a thumbs up.

Remember this is all about the coffee not about the ambience or staff or food, just the black stuff.

desVins, London, UK

Before stepping on a morning train to Derby I searched St. Pancreas for the best shot of Joe I could find. desVins looked the best bet, whether it was the train arch location (I can't get enough of these, see Black and Blue next) or the pretty girl wrapped in layers outside that drew me in I cannot be sure.

The outside stall sold coffee's and wines by the glass or mini bottle. A little early for wine so the Black Americano it was. I was promised that "it is very good coffee" and although being frozen and blasted by fire alarms and a live band the barista did her job admirably. 

I didn't sample till on the train and found the good and the bad. Smooth as silk no doubt but too large and watered down (or not enough coffee).  The coffee had a milky after taste which I couldn't place as the natural cream of the bean or something else so have placed it down as a slight sour note

Sorry for the very bad photo taken just before running for the train. This does not do the lovely arched premises justice. To be fair grabbing the coffee from the outside stall may not either.

• Black Americano
• Weak
• Smooth with a creamy/sour after taste
• No Crema
• Large
• £2.50 

Publish Post
Not too bad but with a few off notes and lacking the strength one needs. 

http://www.desvins.co.uk/

Map

Roast, London, UK

The majestic Roast sits above Borough Market and is a fine restaurant. Quite clearly full of city types rather than the normal borough mix up of the city, market, creatives and journos it is still a great place to eat even if a little steep. If you want to sample it then Roast To Go down on the market floor is (try devil's on horse back and the roast pork sarnie) well worth it.

We both went for the roast rib of Welsh Black sheep, Roast's awesome roast potatoes, sprouts with stuffing and lardons and a lovely bottle of merlot. The food was excellent and so to finish off we thought we should, for the sake of the blog order a coffee.

The organic Columbian Roast special blend had to be sampled as a filter. Although a little weak it had a fantastic full earthy flavour. This Columbian was one of the freshest tasting coffee's I've ever consumed, you could taste the raw beans. Unfortunately the aftertaste suffered from a little fuzzy muddiness but it was not too bitter so far from a bad experience.

(This photo was been borrowed from the Roast website. Sorry for lack of permission. Will replace asap)

• Black Filter (french press)
• weak to medium
• Great taste but with some fuzz
• Pressed
• Cafetiere for two
• £3.00 a head

A good coffee no doubt. Incredible taste but not enough strength and for the price the overall package this joe did not transcend time and space.

Roast
Map

Grace's Place, Brighton, UK

They boast the best fresh coffee on Brighton beach front and they probably do have it. Although confusingly they have the word "filter" written after Americano this is only to help punters who don't understand what an Americano is, that is, it is a coffee. Situated right on the beach next to Peter Pan's playground Grace's could easily be a lazy tourist trap but they seem to make a genuine effort with what is on.

It was terribly cold and the coffee hit the spot nicely. Apart from a bizarre overly bubbly crema the coffee had a good taste and aroma. There were no nasty after taste surprises and it had a good strength. This coffee didn't lack anything specifically and certainly was not bad in any way but overall the taste itself did not reach the very top tier  of coffee out there.

• Black Americano
• Strong
• Smooth with a generally good taste
• A huge amount of very bubbly crema
• Regular size
• £1.40

A surprise hit right by the sea. good taste, good strength but not quite top tier. Well worth a taste and certainly nothing better right on the front.

Map - could not find a perfect address so this will have to do.