Finally It Opened

"I take it you are into coffee?"

I looked up from smelling the buckets of beans with a grin. "How long have you been open?"

"Two days. Try this while you work out what you want?"

Mmm, chocolatey with a slight caramel scent and texture to match. Definitely finishing this cup. This Monday has hardly been a great one, and I probably need all the good coffee I can get.

"Cold drip Costa Rican. I think this is the best bean on the cold drip we have had so far. Why don't you fill out this form so we can help work out which bean we have today that you will really like?"

OK, sure, why not? Yes I prefer berries to mango or grapefruit. I take my coffee black or milk with no sugar. I prefer the smell of freshly baked cookies to roast nuts.

"All right. Uh, this black or milk with no sugar..."

"Sorry, it depends on whether it is a blend or a single origin as well as time of the day."

"No worries. Based on this profile I would suggest a Costa Rican La Luerva (editorial: this is where my spelling goes all fuzzy) either in siphon or pour over filter. If you want something on the espresso machine I would recommend our S3, a blend of Guatemalan and Costa Rican."

"Pour over please. Now can you tell me why the Kenyan keeps ending up on the siphon?"

"Now you put 15g of the fresh grind into the filter, pour over 150g of water. Let it drip for 30 seconds or so. Simple but incredibly effective method of coffee extraction, designed by Monmouth in London. This year we have had a great harvest of Kenyan beans so that is why we keep using it. We will change the coffee menu based on green beans that come in though. This should be at the right temperature for drinking now."

Rats, my tastebuds have gone to sleep now. But I know I am enjoying this white cup of pour over filter coffee immensely. Good old Monmouth, I certainly never regretted only having their coffee when I was in London.

"Take it you will be back?"

Furious nodding from me. Welcome, Sensory Lab, to the scene. You may be Toshi's baby and St Ali's sibling, but if what we have heard about this place potential-wise and what you have offered is anything to go by, then I am coming back for certain.

Sensory Lab, enter via David Jones Little Collins Street entrance.
Opening hours: same as David Jones Bourke Street.
Stars: (at this point) 4.5 out of 5 stars. Helps when the coffees were served with a smile and as a cheery note during my suffering the Monday blues.