The Coffee Club, Highland Park

Coffee Club Highland Park
Unit J, 20-22 Dunrobin Place
Highland Park 2010
AUCKLAND

Regular Flat White: $5.20 (Were the beans made of gold? The most expensive ‘medium’ coffee to date)

The coffee club strikes a black and white figure in many parts of Auckland and other major centres. Hopefully, a franchise that has “coffee” in its name will make good coffee.

Coffee: A good coffee, it gives a kick at first but fades very soon after. (4/5)

Milk: The milk is steamed very technically well, but lacks a punchy creaminess that I’d expect from a good one. (3.5/5)

Presentation: The cup is black and plastic. It’s also very hot to the touch – either they’ve made the flat white far too hot, or it is a poor conductor. (2/3)

Verdict: Looks like the coffee in the name is all talk. It’s also VERY on the nose to have to pay over 5 dollars for a MEDIUM coffee. It’s a shame I don’t deduct points for things like that.

Overall rating: 9.5/13. Go there for the food instead.

Kitchenette, Highland Park

Kitchenette

Highland Park Shopping Centre.

(next door to Westpac)
505 Pakuranga Rd, Highland Park,

Large Flat White: $4.50

This café got recommended to me by my masseur, and is an interesting looking Israeli/Kiwi kitchen hybrid. They seem very proud of their cronuts!

Coffee: Not bad, but not a good kick in the pants. Reminds me very much of the taste of an iced coffee. (3/5)

Milk: The milk is quite delicious – creamy enough but not overpowering and overdone. Some bubbles in here but not just velvety enough. (4/5)

Presentation: The cup is very solid. The cup looks very on trend. (3/3)

Verdict: This café claims that life is too short for mediocre coffee. This one sits just above mediocre. It’s a nice enough coffee, and certainly wouldn’t interfere with a meal you had there, but I feel it’s holding back a bit.

Overall rating: 10/13. Lacking a bit of flavour but doesn’t leave you feeling bad afterwards.

Bamboo Garden Cafe and Restaurant

Bamboo Garden Cafe & Restaurant
503 Pakuranga Rd
(Shop 15, Highland Park Shopping Centre)
Howick
Manukau, Auckland

Large Flat White: $4.80

This cafe is right next to another one in Highland Park and has an Asian theme to it through its menu. What a shame I’m only after coffee today!

Coffee:  Solid but not spectacular. It wears a little thin on you as you go through it. (3/5)

Milk: An attempt at foam but a bit too bubbly and aerated. (2.5/5)

Presentation: One of these faux plastic cups - are they better to hold or something? The lid felt a bit flimsy at first but held up. (3/5)

Verdict: It’s a solid enough coffee in the morning but you get the feeling they’d much rather sell food to you.

Overall rating: 8.5/13. Next time, try the Happy Meal there!

Drive Thru Cafe, Highland Park

Drive Thru Cafe, 481 Pakuranga Rd, Highland Park

Large Flat White: $4.70

This place stands out like a lemony beacon next to Placemakers in Pakuranga. Coffee is not something I would normally think of using as a drive through (just like ATMs) but I got to try it.

Coffee: Tastes like the beans have been burned. What a shame. (2/5).

Milk: A bare layer of foam on top but it quickly dissolves to give me a milky coffee. How disappointing. (1/5)



 

Presentation: The mid blue on the cup is appealing for some reason, and the lid is a solid construction, not like I’ve seen on any others to date. (3/3)

Verdict: When we get something in the drive through, we tend to think less of it and expect less of it. Expect less of this coffee and it’ll live up to your expectation.

Overall rating: 6/13. People who rave about the coffee here need to see a doctor. Tastes like what I expected a drive through coffee to be.