The Place

It wasn’t a good start when we went to look for {sfs}, or otherwise known as Saint Francis Street in Wanchai.  The place was next to impossible to find, also not helped by the little coffee joint not opening on time; so we walked by a number of times before finally finding the door that led down some steps to the funky little cafe that backed onto an awesome little art studio.  Well, I only discovered this later on in the day when we checked back to see if it had finally opened.

{sfs} itself is tiny, barely room for half a dozen seats and a tiny little counter that held the equipment to make our coffees.  As you’d expect for a spot that backed onto an art studio, there was an avant-garde and eclectic feel to the space, which had funky music playing in the background and was surprisingly full of people enjoying their brew.

If you’re looking for the place, it’s actually off St Frances Street and follow the somewhat faded brackets {  } up some stairs and then look for narrow steps down to the back of a shop.  Be patient, you will find it.

The Equipment

A La Marzocco Linea 2 group Auto and a couple of Anfim Super Caimano 75 Barista coffee grinders.  I also spied a Fuji Royal R-220 grinder for those special drip filtered brews.

The Beans

Beans from Nude Espresso roastery and sourced from Brazil, Costa Rica and El Salvador.

The Package

Our visit to {sfs} didn’t start well, not only was it hard to find, the place didn’t open at the advertised time, but we persevered and went back in the afternoon.

Our lattes were made individually and came out a few minutes apart.  The aroma was mild and nutty and quite inviting, with a medium body that was impacted slightly by an overly burnt taste that settled down as the coffee progressed to an earthy flavour.  Milk was spot on, prepared well and presented at just the right temperature, adding a slightly caramelised undertone to the coffee.  In fact, there was a distinctly coffee aftertaste that was quite pleasant, especially after the initial burnt hit.

The latte art was there, with tulips attempted and while not as precise as other coffee specialists around Wanchai, they were still OK.  My takeaway was nearly identical in flavour to the sit in, with one exception, that slightly unpleasant burnt taste was missing, which was a bonus.  However, there was no real effort put into the latte art for the takeaway.

The Rating

The Details

Where: 14 St Francis St, Wan Chai (but it’s hidden up the side alley)
Web: http://www.stfrancis.com.hk/
Cost: Moderately priced
Visit: If you’re up for a geocaching adventure