Coco Cubano

Where: Coco Cubano, Lower Ground Floor Piazza, Central Shopping Centre, 1 Central Park Avenue, Chippendale, NSW 2008

Coffee Bean: El Presidente Espresso blend

Lunch and coffee at Coco Cubano. This place is pretty well known. It’s the sort of hideout uni students flock to – not only because it’s a nice café and good restaurant, it also serves alcohol at midday. There’s a branch at UNSW Kensington campus. We went to the one at Central Park, across the road from the UTS Tower.

Decorated with plush leather armchairs, black and white old-timey photographs, carefully arranged knickknacks and showy hardcovers on polished wooden shelves, it’s ritzy and Cuban-inspired. You’ll find a number of Cuban specialties (we think?) on the menu: Cuban cigars, Latin American rums and tapas.

Cappuccino

We both had a coffee and gourmet burger. Julia had a Spicy Chicken Burger ($10.90) with a cappuccino ($3.70). Erin had a flat white and a Wagyu Classic Burger ($9.90).

The coffee was nice and strong, and decently sized for a small (though I suppose the price speaks for it). The cappuccino had a nice layer of chocolatey foam on top, but not too thick so you don’t miss out on the actual coffee. Smooth, slightly acidic flavours. The milk, though, was warm: it could have been a bit hotter, especially as it was ordered with a meal. Erin’s flat white was nice but, unlike the cappuccino, the top layer of foam was a bit too thick. There was no latte art, which was disappointing.

Spicy Chicken Burger

The burgers were tasty. They came with a cute flag-skewer holding it together, on a little red tray. For the Spicy Chicken Burger, the hint of spice on the chicken worked really well for the burger, though the bun was quite thick. Same problem with the Wagyu Classic Burger. The Wagyu Burger, though nice enough, was somewhat unremarkable and a bit bland.

If we’d been hungrier, ordering a side of wedges ($5) or sweet potato chips ($5) would also have been nice.

Coco Cubano is a great establishment with a unique atmosphere and vibe. Perfect for a uni crowd. It’s hard to feel stressed or anxious while you’re sitting listening to jaunty Cuban music, with a cup of coffee and your best friend, or munching on a tasty meal, having a chat. It’s the kind of place you find yourself returning to, every once in a while, and finding exactly what you want every time.

Yays:

• Nice food, items; some Cuban specialties 
• Lovely atmosphere 
• Great décor 

Nays

• Coffee temp – hot coffees are always better! 
• Some items can be pricey for what you get 

Overall experience:
75% -- Distinction!