Cremosa Espresso Bars

Excellent coffee, glad to see some good
quality competition around CBD

Cremosa Espresso Bar- Brisbane CBD. There are three different locations scattered throughout the Central Business District, with each one aiming to provide quick, Italian-style service in what is literally a hole-in-the-wall. From the other side of the street, a sharp eye out will be required to find it. How it is as a cafe: you walk up to the counter-cum-window and place the order. It is so small that only the staff can really fit in. As opposed to its more - albeit stylishly - black neighbour, Cremosa is a little more colourful. There are a few tables and chairs on the pavement, so there is the possibility of having the coffee there.

When I was passing by, it was getting to the point when the coffee shops start to pack up. It was definitely at a quieter hour. Heck, I was in the middle of business and a intermission pick-me-up was needed. Plus, an excuse to try a new coffee place. This is an offset of a coffee roaster, plus the beans can be bought over-the-counter to make at home. This is often a great indication of the care to the craft and the quality of the coffee and the place.

It can be predicted what I had, and that was a double shot cappuccino. For those wanting something with their coffee, it will be the "coffee + x" paradigm as opposed to having a coffee with x. One notable aspect is a small stand with a variety of sweets and pastries for various prices: one that took my fancy was a jam doughnut.

While not a big shock to the system in terms of strength, and it is not bitter at all, the espresso here when done well is more of a smooth and creamy texture and flavour. The doughnut would have been brilliant warm. The amount of jelly inside was pretty generous, if off center somewhat; it was the usual raspberry or strawberry flavour. It was a plump little snack that complimented the coffee perfectly.

The lady that was the barista at the time was a pleasant lass, and could make quite a good coffee. She had good customer service skills and possibly rendered the visit a bit more memorable. In a less commercial, more relaxed section of the city center this is a good stop-over for a cup of coffee and cake.