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Rating: Standard, mid-range Roman coffee
The Lele e Marte Bar Caffè is small. A monolocale that has about 4 tables outside, and barely two inside. You walk in, and you’re confronted by the bar on the left hand side. Two hipster Roman guys run the place. An older one, that looks like the owner, and a younger one. When I walked in both were busy cleaning up the place, and immediately took notice of my taking photos of the coffee. Things got awkward very quickly and I had to resist temptation to photograph the espresso machine. Which was hidden behind some stand with chewing gum, etc. on it.
This is what I was served:
Presentation: Familiar cup, large, bowl-shape, and clean. No water offered. The spoon would have stirred any sugar I could have added without a problem.
Temperature of Cup: Good, not boiling, that’s a plus!
Quantity: Yup, look at that espresso, extra ristretto that’s for sure. No joke, it was short! Who needs water when the damned coffee is just a drop in the bucket?
Temperature: Good, we’re on a super roll here.
Volume/Consistency: It was silky, a bit chalky-powedery, but good. Oily, for sure.
Crema: Looked a bit light for my taste, and for the size of the espresso. Definitely not enough coffee in the portafilter. It was persistent, and seemed to add to the espresso drinking experience.
Odor: Nope. Just the smell of cigarettes drifting in from the outside.
Taste: It was a nutty, acidic, and bitter taste. No rancidness in there anywhere. It was good, balanced, and I think what did it was the brevity of the drink.
Overall: It was a solid Roman espresso. It’s finish was very bitter and left a dark, pungent taste in my mouth as I left the locale. It’s what Romans like. When you have Casa Manfredi just a few steps away, I would chose this latter, with a very nice flavorful espresso, over the Roman café we have here.
The setup: I couldn’t figure out what machine it was. Since the grinder was a solid squat square Anfim, it would probably be paired with a Royal Espesso, but not sure. The coffee was the Roman coffee Braccio Caffè. So yes, no photo of the espresso machine... didn't seem that it would make them happy.
Lele e Marta Bar Caffè
Luzzi Emanuele
Viale Aventino 57
00153 Roma
Tel. 340 173 6186