Auction Rooms – North Melbourne. Overall Score 18.11

103-107 Errol St, North Melbourne 3051
03 9326 7749
Google map link
Coffee Brand: Small Batch (Auction Rooms Brand)

If you’ve been following our reviews of this place, then what we are about to write next will not surprise you. We highly recommend Auction Rooms.

For a place so large and so busy, the true meaning of consistency is found and delivered. There are some gaps of knowledge between floor staff and baristas, however it is a humbling experience to have a waiter apologise for not knowing or being able to pronounce the single origins whilst smiling.

Our coffee journey at Auction Rooms has gone from strength to strength across our review cycle. Each being better than the last, even when it seemed impossible. It would seem that all the elements of providing outstanding coffee, blissful caffeine, that is expertly executed, come together bundled into one cafe. On offer is the well balanced and well rounded Candyman blend constantly changing feature coffees. Auction Rooms is a smart operation in unpretentious surroundings providing the customer with a wonderful experience.

The word of mouth surrounding this place does not quite do it justice. So don’t believe us, just go there and find out for yourself. And if you think it’s too far to drive, then consider moving suburbs…it will not disappoint.

Well done, Auction Rooms.

Score Summary.

Cafe Latte: 19, 18, 18.5

Macchiato: 16, 17, 19

Espresso: 17.5, 18, 19.5

Ristretto:  17.5, 17.5, 19.5

Overall Mean Score: 18.11. Highly Recommended.

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Auction Rooms – North Melbourne. 3rd Review

103-107 Errol St, North Melbourne 3051
03 9326 7749
Google map link
Date and Time: Friday 4 June 4pm and Monday 7 June 10am
Coffee Brand: Small Batch (Auction Rooms Brand)

For this review we visited Auction Rooms on different days. SamW went on Friday (4pm) and SimonL went on Monday (10am). This was due to conflicting timing schedules for us, so we decided to undertake separate visits. Coffees were outstanding.

Coffee: Cafe Latte Candyman Blend
Reviewed By: SimonL
Score: 18.5/20

This was as balanced as one might get for this kind of coffee. Espresso and milk were in all the right places, doing all the right things, with the right kind of result – a smile and satisfaction. The only problem, if you can call it that was that this was expected, and with expectations met it almost went unnoticed. While this may not be the best cafe latte I have had on this coffee journey it is up there with one of the best.

Coffee: Short Macchiato Candyman Blend
Reviewed By: SamW
Score: 19/20

I was truly wowed by this coffee for a number of reasons. Firstly, it was identical to my previous macchiato experiences at Auction Rooms…so it lived up to my expectations. Secondly, the blend tasted somewhat more refined than previous visits. Thirdly, I stopped analysing the coffee and got swept away by the wonderful experience that sat in a cup before me.

They say that sailors describe drowning like ‘going home’. I find that to be a romantic notion. However this coffee certainly swallowed me whole in a Moby Dick-esque type of way.

Coffee: Espresso Candyman Blend
Reviewed By: SamW
Score: 19.5/20

Once more served with a small glass of mineral water, this doppio espresso was a perfect follow-up coffee to the macchiato. It was a degustation of flavours that flew through my mouth; beginning with blood-orange sourness, then tartness from ruby-red grapefruit and finishing with gentle and sweet lemon acidity. It was a kaleidoscope of wonderful freshness and cleanliness….next to godliness.

I might add that this coffee is the highest scoring house blend espresso to date and well-deserving.

Coffee: Ristretto. Costa Rican La Pira COE
Reviewed By: SimonL
Score: 19.5/20

Incredible, was the first word that came to mind, echoing SamW’s sentiments to me after his Friday visit. Like my cafe latte experience expectations were high and were in this case, exceeded. An extra half point has been added retrospectively in memory of this coffee, it was that good. Excellence indeed, a rich, intense espresso hit. Smooth and luxurious it had a buttery mouth-feel balanced with bright citric acidity, a light cocoa background, a hint of bitterness and clean finish. The gorgeous flavour lingered for some time……………………..superb.

Friday 4pm

Service 4/5

Ambiance 4/5

Busy 4/5

Monday 10am

Service 4/5

Ambiance 4/5

Busy 3/5

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Auction Rooms – North Melbourne. 2nd Review

103-107 Errol St, North Melbourne 3051
03 9326 7749
Google map link
Date: Friday 7 May 2010
Time: 1000
Coffee Brand: Small Batch (Auction Rooms Brand)

On our second visit here we were joined by Espressoism blog writer Andreas and another individual from the hospitality industry. As per our previous visits we were very well looked after by the floor staff and baristas.

The ambience of Auction Rooms cannot be talked up enough. Shaped like a restaurant but homely like a local bar, it’s easy to get swept up in the vibe and gentle bustle of the place. Oh and it just feels so cool to be there.

Coffee: Cafe Latte Candyman Blend
Reviewed by: SimonL
Score: 18/20

Beautifully made, it arrived with the milk still settling, ending with a perfectly sized head which was compact and smooth looking. The colour an attractive beige, I thought at first it might have looked a little under strength, but once the coffee settled I hypothesised I was in for a treat knowing the quality of this venue. Not disappointed, it was just perfect for the first coffee of the day. While my tolerance levels can handle stronger versions quite easily, I didn’t want this one to be once trying a few sips. The balance was immaculate, milk and espresso in that wonderful place of harmony. Not too strong, not too weak. Subtle richness built in layers on the palate starting out rich and creamy then seamlessly moving into a lovely caramel character tapering off with a slightly dry woody finish. Left a smile on my face.

Coffee: Short Macchiato Candyman Blend
Reviewed by: SamW
Score: 17/20

My macchiato was both lovely and smooth. Similar to our previous visit (as well as our review at Duchess of Spotswood), the milk added a fantastic chocolate quality to the Candyman blend. I am still in awe of this blend, which is both consistent and variable. Consistent in that it offers the same profile between coffees, but variable in that it works to the strengths of milk or espresso. This is such a rare quality for a blend, in my opinion.

Coffee: Espresso Candyman Blend
Reviewed by: SimonL
Score: 18/20

Slightly different, this blend, to last time and the better for it I believe. This was a complex coffee that was at once rich and concentrated yet light and delicate. I’m feeling that the Fat Ninja had made a presence. When extraction is spot on, true to style is spot on, and the flavours do wonderful things in the mouth, it is hard to know where espresso coffee can go from here. I suspect it all comes down to expressing its place with Single Origins. This was the Candyman Blend – which can also be seen at the Duchess of Spotswood, and it hit the spot. Throughout was a gentleness and smoothness, no harsh edges, the foundations in chocolate and caramel overlaid with a bright, light grapefruit character. The flavour held a perfect line and length like Richard Hadlee at his peak, finishing with soft tannin-like dryness.

Coffee: Ristretto Candyman Blend
Reviewed by: SamW
Score: 17.5/20

As I noted in the macchiato review, this blend is both consistent and variable. Remember the A-Team in their heyday? Each character (Hannibal, Faceman, Murdock & BA Baracas) had their strengths and purpose. Similarly the Candyman blend (made up of four beans as noted by the barista) is made up of purposeful beans that do their job. I wish I could correlate each bean to an A-Team member, but I can’t…so instead I’ll just say that this ristretto was gloriously balanced like a politically correct 80′s sitcom. The flavour profile was the same as our previous visit despite a slight blend modification.

Service 4/5

Ambiance 4/5

Busy 4/5

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Auction Rooms – North Melbourne. 1st Review.

103-107 Errol St, North Melbourne 3051
03 9326 7749
Google map link
Date: Friday 26 March 2010
Time: 12.00pm
Coffee Brand: Small Batch (Auction Rooms Brand)Ethiopian Sidamo, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Guatamalan, El Salvador, Kenyan

Hunkered down in the easy-to-miss but very chic area of Errol street, Auction Rooms is good example of genuine and thoughtful in-house roasting. They do not boast or bluster, but Auction Rooms operate in an understated and relaxed manner holding a steely reserve for quality. We were informed that the house blend is a constant work in progress; dynamic and ever changing. This is impressive because the coffee experience will shift and morph building upon previous blend-successes. The physical layout of the venue provides a very welcoming ambiance, between the back courtyard to the indoor seating to the open plan kitchen and elevated bar. Everything about this place connotes honesty and openness.

On this day, both baristas (one formerly of Dead Man Espresso) demonstrated that their skills are sharp behind the coffee-box, and the floor staff were (i) super friendly, (ii) very informative and (iii) completely honest. Combine that with the environment of the restaurant, and one just feels very welcomed and warmed. If first impressions truly last, then we are really going to enjoy frequenting this establishment…

Coffee: Doppio Espresso
Reviewed by: SimonL
Score: 17.5/20

Trying this house blend as an espresso brought a mixed reaction. I wanted to try it to find out why it worked so well in the Café Latte.

Bright lemony acidity and faint red fruity notes abruptly gave way to a dark, smooth and strong earthy body, then tapering into a tangy cleansing bitterness. The blend seemed a touch blocky and in two minds – delicate finesse with a strong mid-palate finishing different again. But on further reflection this is the nature of blends and why good roasters do it so well. Commercial blends seem one-dimensional, sweet and seductive. Blends like this one provoke thought and interest beyond just throwing it back and moving on. Overall the blend was highly enjoyable and it works incredibly well with milk as outlined in the Café Latte description. Pour though was closer to a standard espresso. I would like to try this house blend side-by-side against others around Melbourne.

Coffee: Short Macchiato
Reviewed by: SamW
Score: 16/20

Served by one of the baristas, this macchiato had a light and plush crema with a small amount of coffee art. A soft introduction of chocolate and earth tones swept across my mouth before a crescendo of cleansing bitterness wiped my palette clean. Encore flavours of charred nuts finished off this symphony.

The blend seemed a little bit unbalanced in this coffee, and I am not sure why (please read ristretto review). Perhaps the milk dulled some flavour characteristics whilst bringing others to the fore. Either way, it is a complex blend that has a lot of scope and depth; well deserving of it’s score.

Coffee: Cafe Latte
Reviewed by: SimonL
Score: 19/20

This Café Latte was easily as good as anything I’ve had in Melbourne. The presentation and true to style was spot on as was the flavour. Auction Rooms current house blend is a marvel with milky coffee. The seamless integration of milk and espresso was a Torvill and Dean union. The aroma suggested floral, cinnamon, and anise. The flavour had its foundations in chocolate, with sautéed walnut, sweet creamy milk and exotic spice toppings. Smooth and luxurious, this was a coffee to savour and remember.

Coffee: Ristretto
Reviewed by: SamW
Score: 17.5/20

This coffee was a morning sunrise in a cup. Like squinting into the horizon at sea, the brightness of this ristretto almost made me reach for sunglasses. The flavour profile was completely different to the macchiato. There were strong acidic and lemon tones with very light, warming tannins. If sucking a lemon was pleasurable, it could be used to describe this coffee. But this coffee was awesome…and sucking a lemon is less so. Contrary to the macchiato, this ristretto had magnificent balance and prose.

One final note. It was served with a small glass of mineral water to cleanse the palette, which made the whole coffee drinking experience highly pleasurable.

Service 4/5

Ambiance 5/5

Busy 4/5

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Di Bella Roasting Warehouse – North Melbourne. Overall Score 16.00

19 – 21 Leveson St, North Melbourne 3051
03 9329 2973
Google Map Link
Coffee Brand – Di Bella

Di Bella represents the type of in-house roasting coffee establishment that covers all bases. Their staff are very well informed, their baristas are efficient and their coffee is (a) well made, (b) the same on each visit and (c) well aligned to traditional styles. They maintain strict control over their roasting processes and as such deliver quality in every cup. They are ahead of the curve when it comes to ‘roast your own blend’ cafes around town and they keep their eye on task with brilliance that is thorough and consistent but doesn’t push the envelope.

One of the standout features of Di Bella is the service. It is friendly, humble and knowledgeable. Ask them about their coffee and they are willing to explain in a manner that makes you feel like you part of the process and they don’t talk down to you.

Di Bella has been open in North Melbourne for a couple of years now, and it is easy to see them staying open for many more. The place exudes an understated class without big-noting itself, but at the same time you can trust in service and quality. This roasting warehouse is very much the ‘girl next door’, and she is blossoming into the kind of woman you’d be proud to take to your parents.

Score Summary. NOTE: Doppio Ristretto ordered on 2nd and 3rd visits.

Cafe Latte: 16, 16.5, 16

Macchiato: 17, 16, 16

Espresso: 15.5, 15, 16

Ristretto: 17, 15, 16

Overall Mean Score: 16.00 Highly Recommended

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