bellissimo coffee - fortitude valley, brisbane. for ages, my dining buddy has had this on his hit list of places to visit. many times in trying out other places in the neighbourhood, the path always seemed to pass by here and eachtimethere was a crowd out the front. the firsttimewould have piqued the interest, but with consistent returns to the neighbourhood (fortitude valley is a good place to be a foodie) that interest could only grow. eventually, investigation was set out about bellissimo - one thing it had going for it was that it was a roaster, always best to get coffee from the source. further investigation found this place to be a recipient of numerous awards right from the start. one thing is for certain, all those awards that they have on the front sign are not out there as decorations.
guaranteed upon arrival, there is going to be a lineup outside the door; it is that popular. often it would be said good luck getting in the door, but people here are orderly enough that the ordering system ushers them along in a quick and sufficient manner. maybe by design, to lessen the cluster there is a window to the baristas' right where the orders are handed out: they get a name, and sometimes it is written on there sometimes there is a sticker. even the police really like this place, as they get a discount whenever they go there. all the different models of coffee preparation are on display, down and up-stairs in the warehouse.
you might have your usual to-go order in mind, but then another decision has got to be made: what blend do you want with your coffee? there is at least half a dozen different types of blends, servicing all preferences for roasts (from dark to mild) and flavour notes (whether you prefer fruity, nutty, chocolatey et al) to different origins - single or otherwise - and even (if it is your forte) decaf. a brief description is given of each one. these blends can be brought in bean form for blending at home, or in beverage form. this is a coffee roasting haven.
the orders were a couple of cappuccinos to go. my dining buddy went for the ultimo blend. this one was rich in flavour and had chocolatey notes to it. this is the darkest and strongest of the roasts, and it shows with a sip. it would be pointless in trying to get this in a mocha, as the flavours of mocha are already present enough in the beans. for me, it was the mocha java. compared to the ultimo the flavour and taste was more subdued and a medium roast, with the blend have fruitier notes (also, if it comes from ethiopia there is a better chance for me ordering it). getting those two descriptions out of they way, the actual construction of the coffees was masterfully done: this is well textured milk, fantastically extracted espresso, a good crema all combining into a lithe, warm drink. both tasted fantastic and were certainly worthy of being amongst the best that the city might have to offer.
to go with coffee, there is a range of sweets and sandwiches - nothing too complex. on the side of the coffee - to share - i got an almond croissant. there was an offer to get it toasted, which i said yes to.this croissant was delicious, it had a buttery flavour throughout its flaky texture. it's filling was a generous amount of almond custard. being toasted made the custard more buttery in texture and even enhanced the flavour of the butter in the pastry. this mid-morning snack was a great example of joy in simplicity - coffee and pastry simply well done.
a nickname for this place is "the idiot's guide to coffee" as it covers all the bases to please an aficionado. on a secondary aspect, it also allows those not so familiar with coffee to be able to get straight into the know beyond the cream and sugar variety. again, the popularity is certainly indicative of its quality. from a perspective of aesthetics, it really would not look like much without the crowd there; it is really low-key and has the wide, spacious look of many a roastery. whenever it is one of the best in your area, for the most part it is only a matter oftimebefore you wind up visiting it; this goes double if what it serves is something you truly love, for me it is coffee.