Texture Cafe, Flat Bush

Texture Café

1 Arranmore Drive

Flat Bush

Auckland

Large Flat White: $5.50 (jeepers creepers)

Texture Cafe - by night, one would assume.

This place has had a flood of recommendations from locals on social media so I had to go and try it. It is situated near the new Ormiston Senior College, and is near a dairy and opposite a childcare centre, along with all the new subdivision houses. It should have a ticket to print money.

Coffee: Reasonably good, but only reasonably. It’s not the strongest tasting cup going. (4/5)

Milk:  Awesome. Solid, foamy, velvety. Good milk. (5/5)

Presentation: Black cup and black lid – very fashionable no doubt, but I’m so used to white lids that it seems a little odd. Nothing structurally wrong though. (3/3)

Verdict: A good cup, and not bad café to have in your neighbourhood. But at $5.50 for a large and $4.50 for a small/regular, it’s overpriced for what it is. I guess when you’re the only player in your area then that’s what you can do.

Overall rating: 12/13 A good, but expensive coffee.

Cigana St Heliers

Cigana St Heliers

5 Maskell St, St Heliers,

Auckland

Large Flat White: $4.80

The 'famous' red Cigana cup

I’ve done Cigana before (their St Johns outlet) and this one in St Heliers provides a more bricks and mortar presence. It’s a shame this wasn’t here when I was a younger man, as it would have been right at the top of my street.

Coffee: It’s a strong flavour – I almost think a 5, but it just falls back. Made me think though. If only I gave quarter marks. (4.5/5)

Milk:  Awesome. Solid, foamy, velvety. Good milk. (5/5)

Presentation: The red Cigana branded cup is very distinctive. You aren’t going to confuse this with anything around the place. (3/3)

Verdict: A really good cup, better than its cousin in St Johns. Nearly perfect, I’d definitely go here if I was in the neighbourhood.

Overall rating: 12.5/13. Very, very very good. It’s nice to find a place that lives up to the hype every now and then!