Steaming Mug

Steaming Mug @ Parramatta

Where: Steaming Mug Espresso Bar & Deli, 33 Argyle Street, Parramatta, 2150

Coffee Beans: no idea…

I’ve been coming to this little café for a while. Located just outside the big building housing various services for Aboriginal people, it’s only five to ten minutes’ walk from Parramatta train station and Westfield.

A fairly new business, Steaming Mug contains everything you’d expect to find in a café despite its size: handmade muffins and biscuits, sandwiches and toasties, various salads and, of course, hot and cold drinks variety. The staff are friendly and service is speedy; I have never seen it crowded, but it does a fairly brisk business in the mornings as office workers drop by for their morning dose of caffeine. Behind the café is a surprisingly spacious open seating area—though I’m not sure what they do when it rains.

Seating Area Behind Café

I usually order a small latté ($3.50) to takeaway. Though difficult to see in the picture (I had to take the lid off first before taking the photo, which smudged the coffee a bit), the latté comes with the classic latté art and is just the right temperature to be hot and drinkable. The first sip gives you a pleasant hit of coffee, and it has a sweet undertone that makes it perfect for a morning pick-me-up before work. In terms of size, taste and presentation, I was quite happy with what I got in my cup of coffee.

Latté

The only food I have tried at Steaming Mug is kale salad, which contains kale (duh), quinoa, pumpkin and feta. It was a crisp and refreshingly light lunch that I wish had a smidgen more flavour. There’s a limit to how long you can chomp on fresh kale leaves before you start feeling a bit like a rabbit. On the other hand, it was healthy enough to ease my vague guilt at having eaten an enormous blueberry muffin in the morning, so that somewhat balances things out.

Steaming Mug is simple. It doesn’t pretend to be what it is not. There is no snobby or fancy atmosphere (with accompanying inflated prices) that some City cafés aim for. And, despite the roomy seating area, its real charm is in its quickly-served takeaway coffees to bleary-eyed office workers way too early on Monday mornings. In this, it certainly lives up to its slogan: I will start working when my coffee does!

Yays:

• Nice coffee; good temperature
• Quick and friendly service
• Reasonable prices
• Spacious seating area
• Cute slogan

Nays:

• Location can seem somewhat awkward
• Kale salad is for health-nuts only

Overall experience:

80% -- Distinction!

Caffe Cherry Beans

Where: Caffe Cherry Beans, 62/80 Rowe Street, Sydney, NSW 2122

Coffee Bean: some kind of Arabica bean.

Miserable, rainy weather cast a gloom over us when we met at Eastwood Station for our next cup of coffee. Having lived here for two years, Julia was familiar with Caffe Cherry Beans from previous visits.

Caffe Cherry Beans

Caffe Cherry Beans is on the ‘Korean side’ of Eastwood, at the entrance of a small recently built shopping plaza containing ALDI. Despite this, Cherry Beans retains a dim and warm ‘café-like’ atmosphere. Rough wooden panels and black walls, lit by low-hanging orange lights create that relaxing space ideal for solitary luncheons or afternoon tea breaks with coffee and a light snack. Cherry Beans has free Wi-Fi: just ask for the password, it’s a great place to catch up on some work while you eat.

Cherry Beans has classic café food options, with a variety of breakfast items, burgers, salads, sandwiches, pasta and desserts. Drinks are about the same, with some Asian touches like green tea latte or frappe, and occasional specialties like seasonal drinks and drip coffee.

Latte

Erin ordered a cappuccino ($3.50) and a plate of pancakes ($14.90).

Julia went with a latte and a slice of New York cheesecake. Yes, they have really good cheesecakes – creamy and soft. If you’re in the mood for a snack, I highly recommend them.

Coffees come out quickly, and with a cute little sugared shortbread resting on the spoon. The latte art was really something. The cappuccino was, in particular, beautifully done: the chocolate had blended with the silky milk on the surface. They could have been a smidgen hotter, especially given the chilly and overcast weather. On the other hand, the taste was mild but sweet, quite pleasant to the palette. The acidity of the coffee was well-balanced with the milk, such that it did not overpower the drink and become bitter. Overall, not outstanding coffees, but nice enough and well done.

Pancakes

Likewise, the pancakes are skillfully presented with a variety of sides. Caramelized bananas, fresh strawberries, ice cream, chocolate syrup and topped with chestnut cream. The pancakes themselves are fluffy and moist. Yet, beware: pancakes at Cherry Beans are definitely more a dessert than a breakfast food! It was hard to discern the taste of the buttery pancakes over the sweetness of the inescapable sides and toppings, especially that chestnut cream. The ice cream is at least contained in a little pot to the side. The rest is simply heaped on top, meaning you can’t really pick and choose what you want. The strawberries at least provided a little tartness to go some way in combatting the overwhelming sweetness.

If you’re after breakfast food, something savory with eggs or toast would probably be a safer option.

Caffe Cherry Beans is not exceptional or brilliant. You wouldn’t go out of your way to go to Cherry Beans. But if happen upon one of its many stores scattered throughout Sydney, know that they do decent coffee and good food at reasonable prices. Staff are happy for you to sit and linger, making Cherry Beans a good place to study or read the paper. For a local café, what more can you ask for?

Yays

• Good food – try the cheesecake
• Good atmosphere, despite the fact it’s in a shopping centre
• Coffees come with a cute little biscuit
• Great latte art 

Nays

• Coffees could be served better: a little stronger and hotter
• Pancakes are too much of a good thing

Overall Experience

75% -- Distinction!