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2011-07-17
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Cook Light Cafe in Quarry Bay is my go to cafe when I am in Quarry Bay and want an espresso. However, it's up the ante to another level by teaming up with Mike and Shing of hkcoffee.com, an Indie roaster in Hong Kong since 2005, to come up with a weekend edition of Cook Light Cafe called MS Project from 10AM to 5PMMike, the first M in the project, will take care of the food which will be vegetarian per the theme at Cook Light Cafe. Nevertheless, it has a feel of home cooking in a sense that thi
Mike, the first M in the project, will take care of the food which will be vegetarian per the theme at Cook Light Cafe. Nevertheless, it has a feel of home cooking in a sense that this is the kind of food I like to have after I wake up during the weekend without a sweat. As such, easy and comfort food but true to its nature is the theme here.
Coffee part is a rarity as you 'name your price' here. In a way, it reminded me "Hoffmann's Penny University" which is more of a trial model though Shing, the S in the project, goes extra mile to have his drinker as a judge of sort, voting with one's particular pocket on how the coffee one drinks is like.
Let start with its food offering first. French Toast comes up often in the list of what I want to have over the weekend though I ended up skipped it as I'm too lazy to whip up things to make it myself. Now, I can have a very similar version to what I typically did for myself over the weekend without a sweat!!!! The toast wasn't the oily style local cafe typically served. It's light and fluffy with a hint of cinnamon. This french toast was a lean and clean which is closer to what is typically served at diners elsewhere. Nevertheless, the toast was quite eggy and buttery vs. my liking of more to the bite. Though the maple 'flavor' syrup used wasn't too bad at all, I prefer a lighter flavor of medium amber genuine maple syrup. Still, it's way above honey that most local cafe serves. I could just carry my maple syrup with me next time there so I can enjoy the type of French Toast...
Now, it's a cafe so coffee should be our "Star/Focus" I have been repeating myself that Crema Coffee is my #1 for espresso but I have been holding back one important place. Bar none, the number one shot I have been consistently having in Hong Kong is actually at hkcoffee.com. However, I couldn't say it out loud as at the time they are a roaster, not cafe. Now I CAN and you can too at Cook Light Cafe
With its patent pending pressure profiling modded espresso machine, I can easily get a nice and smooth mouthfeel with a pronounce sweet orange peel with a dark chocolate and exotic spice ending... Though the cup wasn't as transparent as what I have from Synesso, everything in the single origin coffee showed up you don't need to really find it as it's front and center... This is one of the hope that Indie cafe wants, showcasing all nuances of Single Origin coffee that was limited by the contemporary 0-9-0 bar of pressure from the existing espresso machine.
While this SO was roasted a bit too dark for my liking, there's absolutely no roasty and ashy note one typically finds in dark roasted coffee. I am sure that coffee lover would prefer the blend to be lighter, ie more pronounced fruity and sweetness in the cup. Nevertheless, this kind of roast level may be good for newbies as the dark chocolate tone is easy to live with vs. fruitiness (sour in non geek speak). I think this SO coffee and roast level provides a good bridge to induct those newbies who's interested in seriously good coffee by giving the familiar tasting note of chocolate and some introduction to what good coffee is these days which is acidity... YMMV.
For its milk drink, lots will definitely choose the top cup over the bottom as the latte art was much better. However, they tasted the same!!!I like what Mark Prince, a head honcho at coffeegeek.com, comments about latte art, "Latte art is the Milli Vanilli of coffee."!
In essence, put less emphasis on the art. If the milk was nicely frothed at the right temp, ie not too hot, one should get a great texture with some hint of sweetness if it is free pour with no spoon involved in the process.
Both cups of milk drink were very decent though I provide some nit picking but bear in mind that this is among the best milk drink I've ever had. While the mouthfeel was OK, it wasn't sweet (Pura Master milk). The texture wasn't as velvet and luxurious like what one typically gets from Crema Coffee, my number 1 cafe for milk drink. However, the amazing thing is that toward the end of the cup, one can easily sense the exotic spice and nice chocolate tone the base coffee contributed to the cup. Amazing.
With all those great cup above, one wonders what creates them. Don't be the surprise it was from tools that looks 'simple' but beat all those complicated machine with names not in English that were widely used I wonder they know how to use it or just want to romanticizing anything Italian.This is probably the first time the pressure profiling enable espresso machine is used on a commercial basis in Hong Kong.
The prosumer Expobar was PIDed and pressure profile modded with a silver grey control box below. It is couple with a try and true Anfim Super Caimano.
Don't look down on the mod kit. PID was once a mod kit which was later picked up by all the biggies in the espresso machine industry. Don't let the look fool you. The great thing inside this stodgy box and the capable barista are what makes things work. And the most important thing is the cup won't lie!!!.
Well, you will be asked to pay what you feel like AFTER you finish your coffee. Comment and opinion are more than welcomed and they actually love to hear about it. So keep it coming!! In all, MS Project, a weekend project at Cook Light Café, is the place that I highly suggest you come out of your way wherever and whenever you are in Hong Kong to try it out while it lasts as the nature of the business is more of an experiment. You are lucky if the roaster at hkcoffee.com is around to pull your shot though whoever there to pull your coffee are capable of making a good cup that can easily knock your sock off and beat other cafes in Hong Kong.
With its 'name your price' model on how much you want to pay for your coffee, I highly suggest you compare the level of the cup you have with what you have had before anywhere, be it Hong Kong or outside, and you can "judge" accordingly by paying what you think it's worth.
Lastly, better drop by at MS Project at Cook Litght Cafe in Quarry Bay sooner than later coz I don't know how long this project will last... Only on weekend from 10AM to 5PM... Enjoy!
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