Another Flat White Please

We are Costa fans and have a coffee there almost every day.  We have ONE favourite Costa outlet and that is our local one in Chichester. 

Why is it our favourite?  Because the staff are polite, friendly and take the time to remember who you are.

Not only that, they also are keen to make a great cup of coffee and as far as I am concerned make a “benchmark” Flat White. 

Now we also have to recognise that a Costa branch in Brighton, perhaps not as friendly as Chichester but certainly as efficient, is also very good in terms of their Flat White’s.

Without doubt whilst we have sampled Costa coffees in Salisbury, Guildford, Portsmouth and Southampton I have to say that the Southampton branches are far and away the very worst coffee drinking experience in terms of our Flat White’s.  We have tried four out of the five outlets we know of in Southampton and not one has been able to produce a really good drink.  The staff are polite but that is as about as far as it goes as I don’t think they have a passion for coffee making.

Our last Flat White experience in Southampton was so bad I was compelled to be honest with the poor unfortunate barista who had made the drinks.  Who, despite my declaration that “this coffee is not very good looking” to “frankly,  this coffee is not at all good” and “can I have the milk topped up please” – was met with a somewhat odd, bemused or uncomprehending grin from the unfortunate barista on the receiving end of my rather restrained tongue lashing.

All in all the drink was not made with any degree of care.  The milk slopped in and the finish (normally a sort of tulip shape) was just not present!

So sorry Southampton, outside Waterstone’s the one inside Waterstone’s plus the one at the top of the West Quay Mall, you have failed us in our search for a really good Flat White!

Chichester however scores a resounding 10/10 if you combine the welcome, the service and the coffee.

A “Flat White” please!

All I have to say about this arrival in UK coffee shops from Australia / New Zealand is that we are hooked.  Val and I were both hardened Latte [extra hot] and Americano [with hot milk] until this coffee masterpiece arrived.  We are now both hooked on this creamy “coffee beverage prepared by pouring steamed milk from the bottom of steaming pitcher over a single shot (30ml) or double shot (60ml) of espresso” – yes, it’s a winner.  There is however a very big “but” to warn those of you who may wish to try one of these drinks out.

1.  The barista must take time to make the drink.  You don’t want it to be rushed as to do so ruins the effect.

2. It has to be hot!

3. Don’t let the surly barista with the indeterminate non-British dialect slop the coffee all over the saucer and then all but throw its replacement at you when it arrives back at your table.

4. Make sure you praise the barista who makes you a good one and tells you which is the better of the two [if you order two that is]

Recently we visited two Costa Coffee outlets in Southampton and suffered a Flat white as I have described in points 1 & 3 and in an outlet in Waitrose in Chichester also had a bit of a “devil may care” prepared flat white that left much to be desired and me with 1000 extra loyalty points on my Costa card by way of compensation! I just love Whitbread now and not just for its beer either!

By far the best flat whites we ever had were from a Costa in Brighton which in fairness we have to say that our local Chichester branch is very close indeed. 

I commend this little gem of a coffee to those of you who may prefer a novel beverage and yet not lose the taste of a espresso!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_white