Circus Circus, Mt Eden

Circus Circus Cafe
447 Mt Eden Road
Auckland, New Zealand

Large Flat White: $4.80

This café, on Mount Eden Road, is VERY popular and almost has the NZ celebrity market sorted. I was a little apprehensive coming in here before uni for a coffee. I felt underdressed.

Coffee: It’s not too bad, but it’s got a funny taste to it. It’s kind of like meat fat, or creamy, or it could be me mouthwashing before I left home. Though it shouldn’t be colouring the taste the whole way through. (4/5)

Milk: It’s fine, but not as velvety as I’d like. Perhaps they were in a rush and the milk was not given the care it deserves? (4/5)

Presentation: The cup has its own branding, which is a first for a non-franchise café in this blog. Solid presentation. (3/3)

Verdict: I expected a lot better from here. Maybe my expectations were too high.  

Overall rating: 11/13. It’s reasonably good, but I wonder if I would get a better one if the place weren’t so busy? Or, should I have to wait for a place to get quiet before I get a good coffee? Not in Mt Eden, I think…

Tuihana Cafe. Foodstore

Tuesday 31 December
Tuihana Cafe. Foodstore
114 Dominion Road
Mt Eden
Auckland
http://www.tuihanacafe.co.nz/


Large Flat White: $4.90

This cafe is out of my initial area for the Flat White Review, but they were nice enough to send me a message on Twitter so I thought I’d give them a try. After all, it is New Year’s Eve and I’ve got all the time in the world.

Coffee: Wow. Strong, full of flavour and very tasty. Didn’t give a bad, ashy aftertaste.  I could drink a hundred of these if the caffeine didn’t kill me first! (5/5)

Image from: tuihanacafe.co.nz

Milk: Perfectly done. Gave me that thing where you get velvety milk dregs in your cup when you near the bottom. Yeah, that. Did not detract from the taste. Wasn’t too hot either which made it that I could enjoy the drink straight away. (5/5).

Presentation: Solid cup with a leak-proof lid, and tells me about the beans (Burton’s espresso). (3/3)

Verdict: This is the first perfect coffee of the review, and also outside of East Auckland. It’s a bit far away from me but I can say that if you want a GREAT flat white, then this is where you will find one. If this were going to be the last coffee I have in 2013, I’m glad it was this one. 2014’s first coffee will have a hell of an act to follow.

Overall rating: 13/13. Unlucky for some, but not for Tuihana Cafe. The first perfect flat white of the Flat White Review.