FRESH & CLEAN
Yoobi Sushi, London’s first temakeria, opened last month on Lexington Street in Soho. Its interior design is an exercise in constraint that has produced a statement of clean minimalism at its best.
London-based Gundry & Ducker Architecture Ltd. stripped the former warehouse back to its original brick and painted the walls dark steel-gray.
Taste Academy at Protein
2nd May 2012
On the 2nd we curated and hosted the Protein Taste Academy in the gallery 18 Hewett street which was attended by 40 individuals who came to enjoy a wonderful evening and experience a unique breakdown of taste and aroma with some of the country’s top creative minds.
The evening kicked off exploring taste as a gustatory pleasure with a talk by the Institute of Food Research chemist Dave Hart. He explained the science of taste in a fascinating interactive lecture that aimed to deconstruct our palettes and make us question certain flavors.
Design and catering studio Blanch and Shock produced six incredible canapes that each involved multiple processes to create complex tasters to test the pallete. From the ‘black bream ceviche, rhubarb, oxalis salt and sorrel’ to the ‘yoghurt sponge and Granny smith apple peel powder’, each dish was plated and explained to allow us to savour and contemplate the individual taste elements.
And finally The Whistling Shop’s Ryan Chetiyawardana created the ‘Ceres Joker’ cocktail which encapsulated every element of the academy. The cocktail (Dalmore 15 and sloe gin sour with ginger bitters) was served straight up in a coupette with a lemon scented balloon tethered to the glass with a fuse. The fuse, when lit, popped the balloon, releasing a burst of aroma into the air to heighten the gustatory experience.
For us taste is far broader than just coffee, we never approach coffee with a stereotype of what we think it should be, instead by applying your knowledge of taste & flavours in general, that everybody has obtained through life experience & consumption, we are open to new tastes, flavours, experiences & ideas. Taste is an experience, a surprise, an adventure, so enjoy it.
DunneFrankowski
Our first Independently written piece via our KickTable event.
Billed as a coffee cupping class with Dunne Frankowski, they promised to cover palette calibration, taste deconstruction, coffee origins, varietals and processing methods to give a unique experience of what coffee can be. I was pretty revved up about this as I love coffee and was keen to learn more. Given that this was taking place in the evening after my usual full day of espresso abuse, I expected to be even more revved up when I left!
”I strongly recommend this class to anyone wanting to know more – not just about coffee but also how to appreciate the flavour of life.”
Words by Anna Bang
London Through Coffee By Al Higgins
I met Al as a Photographer, through my best friend Pete Conway as a BMXER. Funny thing is now, I see Al as another Coffee guy. Al has an amazing eye for imagery, but as proven recently his good taste dosen’t stop there. He recently surprised many coffee based peers in Ireland by achieving 1st in the Cupping Competition at the IBC as an independent . He is in my eyes a true discerning customer, who knows what he likes and why he likes it.
Here is a walk through London via coffee and coffee experiences he compiled with his fair lady Meghan.
Dunne
The London Good Coffee Tour.
Myself and Meghan took advantage of our trip to London to scout out various recommended cafes. In order, we have…
-Notes Cafe
-Monmouth
-No.26 Tapped & Packed
-Flat White
-Dept. of Coffee & Social Affairs (Not Photographed)
-Prufrock
-Protein
-Kaffeine
Notes became our regular, being just around the corner from where we were staying. Great cafe, great atmosphere, great coffee and good food. I’d been there a year previous and was disappointed by their syphon coffee and general knowledge, but they’ve really up’d their game.
Considering Monmouth was just up the road, we paid a few visits there. I found the coffee all round to be very dark, and didn’t give as much as I’d hoped. The cafe itself was really nice, the staff members I talked to didn’t seem to have much information on the coffee, which was disappointing, considering it was all their own beans. We brought back a few bags, including a Guji which got particularly tasty after a week or two.
No.26 was nice. Busy, but nice. We didn’t get to talk to anyone in there, and it seemed very much like ‘drink your coffee, and out you go’. I shouldn’t complain, the coffee was well made, the treats were grand, and it was a nice place. I just wish it was a bit friendlier.
Flat White was disappointing. Very. I guess I had somewhat high expectations, but it was a bit dirty, the staff weren’t very pleasant and the coffee was a bit crap. We asked for a flat white and a cap, and got two cap’s, both covered with chocolate, which was a bit disappointing. Nothing about the place made me want to come back. Or try anything else on the menu.
Our trip to the Dept. of Coffee & Social Affairs was an odd one. We asked what was on filter and was told an African coffee, but not much else. We ordered it, and it tasted grand, nothing special, nothing terrible. The cafe itself is really nice, bright and pleasant.
Luckily, Prufrock was just down the road, which was great. The staff were really friendly and knowledgable, even though the place was really busy. We managed to get through a filter, an espresso and a flat white. It was definitely one of the best cafe’s I’ve been in.
Protein was definitely our best coffee/cafe experience in London. Rob Dunne is running a pretty tight ship in there. Everything looks good, tastes good, everyone is chatty, and Rob’s experiments with coffee/cupping are great. We probably could have spent the whole day in there. It’s great to see a cafe trying to experiment and look beyond just the cup of coffee they’re serving.
Our last cafe was Kaffeine. And it was great. Again, we managed to get through an espresso and a flat white each. The staff were friendly and we had a chat with the owner/manager who was great, interested in feedback and an all round sound guy. I’m looking forward to getting back there.
I think a trip back to hit up the multitude of other cafe’s is due, very soon. Also, a minor request; Wifi in your cafe’s - Please!?!
An Informal Cupping
This past Thursday we were asked to host a larger than the usual coffee cupping with a twist. We were approached by SongKick to facilitate their morning coffee for their staff day out. As they had planned an adventure around London through Food & Beverage, we were their first stop.
This wasn’t your normal morning coffee, with 25 people, 25 spoons, 30 bowls, 10 coffees and a multitude of flavours both synthetic and natural, we discussed acidity, sweetness and bitter during a rapid 90 minute session. Finishing with a micro lesson on milk and pouring techniques before they all bundled into black cabs highly caffeinated and hopefully a little more discerning with their future coffee choices.
DunneFrankowski
The latest video from the good people at Kinfolk. One thing that I think London misses is more local artisan bakeries.
Frankowski
Over the last few months we’ve been working on a bar for Protein creating a new café model, which works under the ethos of functionality over form, focusing on presentation, service and design.
Creating a modular multi purpose space that is profitable, affordable to set up and can be run comfortably by a maximum two people. It can also be taken and re-created in a variety of spaces.
Through events and collaborations which will surround it, we will be trying to bring together creative’s from a multitude of areas which might not always be obviously associated with one another.
Conceptually designed by Dunne & Frankowski and executed by furniture designer Dean Edmonds. Machine sponsorship by La Cimbali, currently serving Union and Hasbean coffees. Open 7 days a week at 18 HEWETT STREET, SHOREDITCH, EC2A 3NN.
DUNNEFRANKOWSKI
(Source: dunnefrankowski.com)
The Independent Coffee Book, an insider’s guide to London’s foremost cafés, espresso bars and coffee roasters by Vespertine Press
&
Big Apple Hot Dogs are hand-made in London using only natural casings and quality ingredients, our dogs are 94-98% meat (and gluten-free) so you’ll get none of the nasty bits you’ll find in other sausages. We use free-range pork, prime beef and our amazing buns come fresh from the ovens of our local family bakers.
What’s not to love?
Did I mention the FREE BEER. oh yeah there is free beer also.
DunneFrankowski
(Source: prote.in)
Digital design and fabrication methods
For about 4years I’ve been wanting to design a space which made the customers sit flush to the floor level, just like those 7o’s style sunken sofa’s which resemble jacuzzi, or that of old japanese restaurant / tea room design. Today I found this incredible restaurant which uses many forms of Digital Design and fabrication.
program: restaurant
construction area: 629 m2
status: completed
design date: 2009
completion date: 2011
location: polanco, mexico city
architectural project: rojkind arquitectos + esrawe studio
Dunne
So coming up to Christmas over the next month London is going to be having a food night market in Abbot St Dalston. From Bootstrap Company who brought you the Dalston Roof Garden, Nuno Mendez and the Loft Projects brings together some great London names under one roof along The Long Table. All kicks of next Friday night from 6pm till midnight.
Frankowski
Get your two-wheeled friends polished up and roll ‘em down to the Brewery this Saturday.
(Source: londonfieldsbrewery.co.uk)
Taco’s, surfing and community in NY. A great short by Todd Selby.
Frankowski
(Source: edibleselby.com)
Cage by ~Kennethy512
Pencils. Decor.
Freddie Gibbs featuring Young Jeezy & T.I. – Pull Up
