Late Night Coffee
February Issue 2023
The Coffee Archives
Roses are red, violets are blue. And I have found a new adorned love. Shamefully something that has been a secret the past couple of weeks. That is my new Pret subscription. Yes, I caved into the classic capitalist chain and am now on a caffeine drip, counting down every thirty minutes until I can grab another free coffee. For £12.50 I was swayed, and I do the walk of shame past my favourite local coffee shop: Little Man Coffee, clutching my *ahem* vanilla iced matcha latte with rice and coconut milk.
I know, I know it isn’t even a coffee. And if you read the Hong Kong issue you may know my previous opinion on matcha and reluctance to be converted. Well now it is my go too order, even if it drastically plays into the white girl stereotype.
If you do have the courage to ask for such a pretentious order, let me know what you think because it is hard to look back.
Caffeine Hit of the Month
Well, even though I’ve been opting for a slow releasing caffeine hit from matcha, it doesn’t mean I have substituted my daily coffee. Although recently I have found there isn’t enough time in the day to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee. Coffee shops close quite early and sometimes in the evenings I want to socialise with friends but have the relaxed atmosphere of coffee culture and less formality of bars.
In Europe this is normal, in Paris many people are seen sipping coffee outside in the winter, and when I was in Greece people would be having a casual coffee at 8.00pm. In the UK the average coffee shop closes around 6.00pm latest. This was my monthly mission to find a coffee shop that could transport me from Cardiff’s city centre evening antics to the romantic streets of Paris. Coffee Barker was close enough.
Located in Castle Arcade this coffee shop has a cosy interior with dim lighting and gentle jazz music adding to the perfect ambiance of a New York coffee shop. With seating also outside in the arcade, you are sheltered from the cold while also feeling like you are in Europe due to the French Ratan seating. As you may tell, this a popular spot and Coffee Barker have expanded their empire by opening a tearoom in another arcade, and two bars called Gin and Juice, and Rum and Fizz.
I have been into Gin and Juice before with my sister, where she asked the bartender if they had any vodka, to which he thought she was joking. I have been too embarrassed to go back ever since.
However, I decided to venture in again but this time to order a coffee which could be as shocking as ordering vodka at a gin bar.
When Coffee Barker closes at 5.30pm you can simply walk through to Gin and Juice and continue your leisurely conversation and drink. The arcade seating area are high bars, or you can opt for a view around the front, where you can people watch under the shelter of heaters.
The coffee itself was good. It wasn’t a usual bar coffee, as it is part of the coffee shop, so it actually had a great taste. It was quite expensive, however for an evening coffee with good atmosphere it was worth it.
Coffee criteria:
Taste: 3/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Price: 2/5
Latte art: 1/5
Overall experience: 3/5
Dose and Drip
Continuing from my last newsletter instalment of book reviews, I have continued exchanging books with my friends and have recently read Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson. To say I flew through this book is an understatement, and I was glad to exchange my morning scroll on Instagram with reading a chapter of this novel. It is written in a second-person point of view which I initially found hard to grasp, but as soon as I realised which character point of view it was it was easy to read.
I found this novel completely poetic and challenged how masculinity is viewed within society, along with the complexities and misunderstanding of relationships, and as The New York Times said” It’s Sally Rooney meets Michaele Coel.” By writing in the second person, it is self-reflection and almost anecdotal of the writer which helps the reader to have a slight understanding as we are placed into a Black man’s body. Of course, as a white female I will never know the racial injustices faced on a daily basis, but this book helps to raise awareness and ask the much-needed questions on masculinity and what it is like to be vulnerable when you are only respected for your strength.
