M.I.C.E – Melbourne International Coffee Expo Time

I attended the M.I.C.E this year – having missed out on the opportunity last year. 2013 was the first year that M.I.C.E was in Melbourne and due to its resounding success it is back in 2014 – and is geared up to be the largest and most dynamic coffee event for the coffee industry in the Australasian region.

M.I.C.E is dedicated four day event which showcases 150 exhibitors – the list of exhibitors can be found here at http://internationalcoffeeexpo.com/visitors/exhibitors – and will showcase business leaders coming together to educate, inform, network and do business. Here, the World Latte Art, World Coffee in Good Spirits and World Cup Tasters Championships in conjunction with the AASCA coffee championships, including the prestigious Australian Barista Championship, amongst other events will be hosted.

The aim of the event is to showcase Melbourne’s specialty coffee scene and further cement the ever growing reputation as one of the best in the world. It also serves as a great networking opportunity to meet some of the world’s top coffee industry personnel, as well as testing out some great tasting coffee!

The entrance at MICE 2014 – Love the lighting and styling

Top Left Clockwise: Code Black Latte, Code Black Baristas at work, Teapigs Tea Variety, Teapigs Tea Tasting.

Code Black Coffee is one of my favourite coffees so I couldn’t walk past their stand and not try their coffee. The coffee was delicious as always – creamy, nutty and just perfect!

Teapigs was founded in 2006 by Nick and Louise – and aim to source the best quality tea. They also participate in a great ethical scheme, where they have made a pledge to directly help the communities they work with. Their motto is “We believe in something pure and simple – no airs. no graces. just fine tea.” They have really interesting flavours such as Liquorice and Mint, Popcorn Tea, Chocolate Flake Tea and Chilli Chai – just to name a few. I tried the Liquorice and Mint – I am not usually a fan of liquorice but the flavour here was quite light and the mint flavour was the stronger of the two. This is one of their most popular flavours I was told. It was nice, but I found the mint a bit over powering. I also tried the Mao Feng Green Tea which I found quite light and delicate and really enjoyed this tea. Another tea I tried was the Winter Spiced Tea – which was also very delicious and homely. You can find out more information about Teapigs at their website http://www.teapigs.com/

St Ali’s pop-up stall was labelled as a “Silent Disco Beans” party and the highlight – along with the coffee was the acrobatics that were on show!

Equal sweetener also had a cute vintage-esque stall – where they had iced lemon tea which had been sweetened using Equal.

Adore Coffee – I loved the setup – with its quaint and funky lights together with its wooden fitout. The coffee was strong with nutty undertones. For more information refer to their website at http://www.coffeegalleria.com.au/

 

  I am a hugeeee Chai fan – so had to trial some from Pranna Chai. The flavours were fresh, vibrant and fragrant all at the same time – definitely a really great chai! The process that Pranna Chai uses is natural and simple – they source fresh whole spices from different parts around the world such as India, Sri Lanka and Guatemala. They then blend these spices with tea and honey – all done by hand! And voila the end result is born. There are no hidden additives or preservatives added which is another great reason to check them out! In the pictures above you can see the tea and spice mixture – the smell is amazing! You can find out more information at their website at https://www.pranachai.com/

I am really intrigued in the new 3D printing technology and was excited to see it previewed here at MICE. The machine was making a coffee cup.  As you can see from the first picture – the cup being created doesn’t yet fully resemble the perfection of the cup in the picture below – but this must mean that the wandering hands of the patrons got to the machine. The finished cup really is quite strong and thick – to house the warm liquids be it tea or coffee – and I cant wait to see more of these 3D objects in the future.

If you love coffee and want to try out many different varieties then I highly recommend that you visit when it comes back to Melbourne in 2015. You will thoroughly enjoy, as well as experiencing different types and tastes of coffee and tea.

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Code Black Coffee – Delicious in Docklands

Inside Code Black

Inside Code Black

Inside Coffee

Inside Code Black

Coffee Machine at Code Black

Making Coffee

Making Coffee

Coffee

Chocolate Cupcake and Latte

Latte

Chocolate and Raspberry Cupcake

Interesting Coffee Cup

Latte

Pistacchio Slice and Coffee

Pistacchio Slice

Code Black Coffee Roasters has opened up at Docklands – right across the road from my work and I couldn’t be more happier! They have some of the best tasting coffee that I have had! Having previously been to their bigger store in Weston Street Brunswick – I knew what to expect in terms of the coffee.

Code Black roasts the highest grade beans from international farmers and growers and as a result have a huge variety such as single origin coffees, signature blends as well as decaffeinated coffee.

The Code Black at Docklands is a much smaller place than its brother at Brunswick but still oozes swank. From the wooden slatted bench to the funky design around the lights on the main wall to the minimal decor – it creates a fun and casual atmosphere. You are welcome to sit in and sip of your coffee or even stand behind the counter. There are cakes and sweet treats to try as well – and they are really delicious! I have tried the chocolate cupcake filled with a raspberry center and topped with a raspberry chocolate macaron – absolutely scrumptious!

The coffee is nothing short of divine, and you can tell the staff are really passionate about coffee and actually enjoy preparing each and every coffee for you. The result (for my latte) was a nutty taste with a hint of caramel finished with silky, creamy milk that left a gentle aftertaste.

The staff are super friendly and always happy to chat. Rita runs this site and is very knowledgeable about coffee. Definitely check it out!

You can refer to https://thegrazingpanda.wordpress.com/2013/08/21/code-black-coffee-black-elegance/ for Code Black Brunswick Review

Rating : 4.5 Pandas
Atmosphere / Ambience: Funky, Great Tunes and Relaxed
Restaurant Details and Location:
Code Black Coffee
Kerra Way, Docklands
(near 800 Collins Street, Docklands)

Code Black Coffee – Black Elegance

Broccoli, Almond & Chia Fritters with Grilled Corn Salsa, Coriander, Avocado & a Poached Egg

Flat White at Code Black Coffee

Fried Eggs with Chorizo, Ham and Mushrooms

Latte at Code Black Coffee

Orange Juice at Code Black Coffee

N & I headed to Code Black Coffee on a Saturday for brunch. Code Black Coffee is one of the latest cafes to open up in the Brunswick area and is located off Sydney Road, behind Barkly Square shopping centre. Code Black Coffee is not only a cafe but a roasting house as well – with roasting equipment present on site.

Code Black Coffee comes to you thanks to Joseph Haddad who is the man behind the Cafenatics stores that can be found all around the Melbourne CBD.  The chef behind the deliciously flavoured menu is Laura Neville and makes you want to try out all of the dishes.

Code Black Coffee exudes elegance and class yet staying casual and welcoming from the moment you step inside. As the name suggests, the main colour theme is black together with an industrial metallic and stone feel.  When you walk inside the main feature you are greeted with is the large counter and barista station which in the centre of the room, which creates a division of the rooms. To the left of the counter there are tables for groups and to the right are smaller tables enough for couples or singles. As you keep walking past the kitchen – which has a glass window that allows you to peek in and see the chefs creating food magic – there are booths for a more private catch up.

As the name suggests there is a main focus on coffee and it sure doesn’t disappoint. There is a variety of coffees available – both black and milk. Code Black Coffee roasts high grade beans from international farms and growers, and there is a Code Black seasonal blend, as well as a rotating single origin which is roasted in house, signature blends and decaffeinated coffee. These different varieties of coffee can also be bought over the counter as well and staff are willing to assist to so that you walk away with the perfect coffee.

N got a house-blend expresso and I got the house-blend latte. I thoroughly enjoyed my latte with its nutty and velvety smooth flavours. The expresso comes with additional water which I think is thoughtful in order to modify the coffee if need be. Later on we also got a flat white which was just as delicious and creamy. Definitely one of the better coffees that I have tasted – and I do want to go back and try out some of their other types of beans.

Moving onto the food options – where do I start. There are plenty of dishes for people who are vegetarian, gluten free or require vegan food – which I think is really fantastic. The menu covers a variety of flavours and dishes – there is a baked egg dish that comes with polenta fingers, belgian waffles and even two different burgers – one veggie one and one meaty one. There are also a selection of Baker goods – such as breads, crossiants, toasties, Salads and Sandwiches. There is also a menu for the little peeps (as the menu states) – consisting of smaller sized dishes. I was struggling to pick a dish to have and in the end decided to try out the fritters (after all I do have a thing for fritters =p)

The fritters at Code Black Coffee had ingredients that I haven’t usually seen in a fritter dish – Broccoli, Almond & Chia Fritters with Grilled Corn Salsa, Coriander, Avocado & a Poached Egg. When the dish came out it was beautifully presented on Japanese style plates – with the fritters as a base, topped with the avocado and poached egg, with the corn salsa and coriander surrounding the elements. The fritters were absolutely delicious! They were full of broccoli, almond and chia and were flavoursome. You don’t usually think of this combination but it really did work – and coupled with the avovado and corn – there really was a party of flavours that happen in your mouth. I loved this dish!

There is also a selection of cakes and pastries which look fresh and tasty which are displayed at the front counter. Code Black Coffee is wonderful place that exudes class and style and the menu is one of my favourite cafe menu’s that I have come across – there are so many dishes that I want to come back and try – its a shame you can only do one dish a visit =p I will definitely be back to visit and try out as many dishes as I can.

Rating : 4.5 Pandas
Price: $
Menu – Refer to http://codeblackcoffee.com.au/wp-content/themes/codeblackcoffee/inc/CODE%20BLACK_MENU_18_05_13_1_0.pdf
Fullness: 100%
Atmosphere / Ambience: Elegant, Classy and Stylish yet welcoming and engaging.
Standout Dish: Broccoli, Almond & Chia Fritters with Grilled Corn Salsa, Coriander, Avocado & a Poached Egg
Service: Friendly and Knowledgable – they really do know their stuff about coffee and are always ready to help.
Online Booking: No
Restaurant Details and Location:
codeblackcoffee.com.au
15-17 Weston Street, Brunswick
Tel No: 9388 0005

Opening Hours:
Monday to Sunday: 7:00am – 5:00pm