Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Because it's about time we had another coffee post

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  • Ian Dalziel,

    The Open Late - was that the one on the corner of Richmond Rd and K Rd? (staggering distance home at the time...)

    and didn't Charlie Grey's cafes have good coffee
    (one in Victoria street and then in Symonds st - hazy memories? See staggering above...)

    but Dominos' Tofu - Yes! yum, fond memories...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    corner of Richmond Rd and K Rd?

    That truly is a staggering corner. Displaced by about a kilometre, by most accounts. Ponsonby Rd, I think.

    Was a pleasant place to spend an evening drinking hot chocolates.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Marion Ogier, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    That's the way it was so that's the way we recorded it. I consulted the guru of our catalogue who said "Expresso is an accepted alternative spelling.
    The original photo has no caption and the person who added to our collection used the 'x' form.
    Memory seems to tell me that in time past 'expresso' was widely used in NZ - probably still is" Our subject heading in the catalogue is spelt espresso.

    Fails was an awesome place with the most amazing cast iron tables and served a mean whole flounder and chips.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2010 • 20 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Beard,

    Beyond the coffee-specific snarkiness of the article, there's a sense in which it fits into a typical neo-con trope: if you object to globalisation and corporatised homogenisation, then you're an elitist.

    Self-consciously cool middle-class liberals might sneer at shopping malls, SUVs, McMansions, disposable Chinese-made fashion, reality TV and Starbucks, but real people lap them up. The market has decided, and if you object that these things might not be in the best long-term interest of the planet or local communities, then you're not only ignorant of economic realities, you're a snobbish macchiato socialist. A "senior equity analyst" just can't get his head around a place where we prefer to spend our time and money with businesses that aren't publicly listed.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report Reply

  • Jacqui Dunn, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    but Dominos’ Tofu – Yes! yum, fond memories…

    Do they not do that any more? If they do, I'll be in there....

    Burgerfuel used to do a delicious tofu burger, then removed it from the menu, sans notice of any sort. I sent a mildly complaining (well, whingeing really) email to them, which they kindly ignored, so I've never been back.

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    That truly is a staggering corner.

    aaah yes!
    no wonder that cab never arrived!

    the physics of memory
    can bend time and space

    everything that rises must converge...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    Oh, look now you've done it. I loved the Open Late so much. We used to go there after we'd been to Peppermint Park, along the road, or in town at Cause Celebre or any number of clubs, for a boogie. Or just wander along from the varsity flats in Collingwood St for a late night chat and piece of cake.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Marion Ogier,

    Fails was an awesome place with the most amazing cast iron tables and served a mean whole flounder and chips.

    Aw, you're just making me feel even more sad that it's not there any more.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    can bend time and space

    It's a wise man who knows he's farther,

    [Taxi]

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • HORansome, in reply to Jacqui Dunn,

    The Tofu Burger is back and it is just as delicious. It's not universally available at Burgerfuel, however; at the moment you can get it at the Mt Eden, Ponsonby, Parnell, New Lynn, Takapuna and Glenfield stores.

    (The tofu is now vegan-friendly as well, by the way. Previously it used a honey-based marinade.)

    Tāmaki Makaurau • Since Sep 2008 • 441 posts Report Reply

  • Jacqui Dunn, in reply to HORansome,

    Ooh, thanks for the info! I thought it always was vegan-friendly. Lashings of guacamole and aioli....fantastic. (Never thought of honey though.)

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    was most pissed off that the RH in Taupo shut it's doors. On a road trip, is there anything quite as fabulous as asparagus rolls for elevenses?

    My recommendation for a pit stop in Taupo would be the Bodyfuel Cafe on Tongariro Rd. Mostly because they sell a seriously awesome and enormous venison pie (mmmm pie). And the coffee is pretty good, too.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to recordari,

    look eye, mmmm. yore farther...

    yaws
    daft evader

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso, in reply to Marion Ogier,

    I consulted the guru of our catalogue who said "Expresso is an accepted alternative spelling.

    I suggest you find yourself another guru. Consult your Yellow Pages.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    The fore ist wrong wit,
    you young pad,
    awe.
    Win?

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Isabel Hitchings,

    As a teenager in the very early '90s I had a regular after-school coffee date with my Mum at Robert Harris (Trafalgar St, Nelson). I felt so grown up with my cappucino.

    We've been frequenting C1 pretty much since it opened and it kind of feels like 'home' but a tiny bit of me does miss the old days when the service was terrible and the coffee unpredictable (though sublime on a good day). We also live close to Ristretto (on Barbadoes St near the Warrington St shops) which has very good coffee and excellent baking - and a playpen for the littlies.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report Reply

  • Isabel Hitchings, in reply to giovanni tiso,

    Once upon a time every cafe around these parts served 'expresso' and I can remember feeling very sophisticated and cosmopolitan when I learned to replace the x 'x' with an 's'.

    Christchurch • Since Jul 2007 • 719 posts Report Reply

  • Dismal Soyanz, in reply to recordari,

    Starbucks to Starwars?

    Tis' art thread 'roids,
    Yew hour lurking furore.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2010 • 310 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Christopher Dempsey,

    Hmmm, city multiflora honey can be really good ( Christchurch friends of mine have 5 hives in their amazing garden, and have out personalised jars of their first crop for Christmas presents last year. Much appreciated. ) It's a tad early for the manuka, but can send an email when it's available, and would happily swap...honey is one of my passions: I dont have a sweet tooth as such but love trying new honies (while still enjoying the old favourites.)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Ross McA.,

    That coffee place in Chancery Lane was neat: I patronised it as a 'varsity student (1968/69). We'd had a percolator at home for many years, but couldnt always obtain beans. (We also had a tiny hand-operated grinder that was brought out from the Orkneys.I still have it.)
    Stewart's was my eating & coffeeing place of choice in Dunedin when I was working on "Playschool" there (as a director, I hasten to add.) And it was the marvellous aroma that drew me down those stairs...

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Islander,

    stiffwhisker honeydew

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Patrick Reynolds, in reply to Tom Beard,

    Tom Beard, above, is completely on the money, what prompted this article? Did the performance of Starbucks mess up Restaurant Brands numbers? Pulling down the silly money they make selling heart disease at KFC? Did our 'analyst' have his calls spoiled by our simple desire for a decent cup of coffee not in a paper cup? He could always go and do something useful instead of taxing us all with this parasitic activity posing as meaningful employment.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2010 • 40 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Russell Brown,

    And Marion made me feel sad too: Fail's was one of the 'treat' places* for us kids when we 'went into town.' The atmosphere & the food were great, but I cant ever remember trying the coffee.

    The tribe took it over in the late 1990s, and it failed (sic) within a year...

    *The other one was afternoon tea at Hay's or Ballantynes.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Sacha,

    Heh!

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Marion Ogier, in reply to giovanni tiso,

    Being a literal sort of gal I consulted the Yellow Pages as advised.13 results for expresso, 392 for espresso and 46 for guru. Gumboot guru, rug guru, parts, dogs, gardens, food, information, even a glue guru(???). But we think we'll stick with our catalogue guru - he knows his stuff and he is clear that expresso was commonly used at the time the photograph was taken - 1950s. I searched our catalogue and indeed the dreaded word expresso appears a number of times - some Portuguese items, the notes to a BBC Sounds Effects cd where we would copy their liner notes and a collection of short stories by Norman Bilbrough, one of which is titled Expresso. We really do try to be accurate but in the context of recording the details of the actual item we are listing.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2010 • 20 posts Report Reply

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