Check back soon
Once posts are published, you’ll see them here.
Rating: Standard, lower-end Roman ‘designer’ coffee
I would’t normally go and do a review of a place that doesn’t look 100% solid ‘coffee house’ if not… I’d have to go into every single darned store in Rome that has a front door and window. As almost every single restaurant or thing that sells something seems to invariably sell coffee. But here, the story was different. I walked by this place and they had an amazing espresso machine. Man… I said to myself I HAD to go in there and see what kind of thing they were squirting out of it! The locale is called ‘Blue Ice’, it’s more of an icecream and cocktails place, and it was full of 15-year olds. I was under the assumption that it was a ‘gelateria’ (ice cream parlor)…. But let’s see what’s going on with their coffee.
Walking up to the bar, and asking for coffee, got me a surprised look asking, do you really want it ‘here’ (i.e., at the bar)? I said yes, and go this:
Presentation: We’re off to a great start- water immediately, and then a logo on the cup that I didn’t recognize. This was going to be a new coffee experience!!
Temperature of Cup: It was good, I could hold it in my hands without a hint of pain or burning sensation.
Quantity: Short shot, I was happy. The cup was rather tall and slim, so interesting…
Temperature: Good, could go at it immediately. I was happy so far.
Volume/Consistency: Until I got here. It was very watery, no body, nothing to grab onto…
Crema: Crema thin, not very dark, yet persistent. Speaks of the roast, the mix of beans, and of course the temperature. Nothing impossible not to fine tune.
Odor: Nope, none here, yet again!
Taste: Given that the espresso was so watery, the taste felt very thin. I couldn’t really make out anything special.
Overall: Well, besides being disappointed at the whole ordeal, especially because the machine was kick-ass, I have to say that the coffee was on the lower end because of the lack of body and taste palette… and even more so, because of the fact that it was a ‘designer’ coffee… see below.
The setup: Yup, look at her there, it looks like a San Marco three-group lever machine model 85 Leva. Super sleek, super cool. The grinder was a Faema, and the coffee …
It was a ‘Creation by: Aldo Palombini, Secret Recepy, Mix No. 0’…. Gheezz…. talk about pomp without substance!! I haven’t been able to locate this particular mix or sub-brand, but it seems to be a local EUR production by Palombini. Unfortunately, it didn’t shine. Yet it was indeed better than Palombini, which is just a hop away from here.
Blue Ice Caffè
Frau S.R.L.
Viale America, 135
00144 Roma