I'm not an expert at many things but one thing I do know is what a blogger or freelancer wants from their coffee houses, Cambridge's coffee houses to be specific. So I'm writing a series of posts where you can find out the cool, the quirks and the que? aspects of our independent coffee connoisseurs. What better place to start than the newest coffee kid on the block, Bould Brothers.
The Cool
- Coffee and conversation is the boy's motto and they seem to take this quite to heart. They are so enthusiastic, naturally discussing the ins and outs of life with everyone they come in contact with.
- The decor has all the charm of an English tea room with the chic metropolitan finishing touches you'd expect from a modern Cambridge establishment.
- They have a loyalty reward card, always a plus!
- The coffee itself is smooth and delicately flavoured... or it was when I visited. I don't doubt if you wanted something a little more slap-you-in-the-face-fantastic they'd be only to happy to offer recommendations for more intense loving taste buds.
- Their barista and latte skills are top notch, that coupled together with the decor means its a very instagramable place.
- Their logo, a clever black and white silhouette showing the outline of 2 men (the brothers themselves I believe), is sleek and understated. Similar to those optical illusion images that were popular way back when.
The Quirks
- The lamps upstairs have a rustic, vintage look but for my requirements are too low. When I banged my head sitting down (and standing up) I got empathetic smiles from the other diners. A quick straw poll of each of the tables concluded every one of them had also banged their heads at least once, possibly every time, they stood up.
The Que?
- A pet hate of mine is getting lattes in a glass rather than a cup. I can't help feeling somewhat short changed when this happens as the coffee seems to cool more quickly and it looks as if you don't get as much.
- An unfortunate interjection from a customer did sour my appetite for a return visit, not something you can blame the boys for but unwanted comments or pompous interruptions do not exactly give you the warm and fuzzies!
- The wifi is weak, seriously so and at the time of posting their website seems to be having a few issues. While it works from certain smart phones, there are some issues from their google search and for pc users*. They may well be fixing this as I write** however while I have contacted them find out and ask a few questions getting a reply is proving tricky.
- They don't seem to respond all that quickly and they don't have a twitter account. I find twitter invaluable when it comes to corresponding with brands and bloggers alike so this is a little surprising to me.
These issues, I believe, could well be teething problems and the friendly attitude and beautiful latte art I received on my visit means I'll likely give them a second chance to make a first impression.
I'll keep you posted on how it goes!
**they are! not sure if this is cos they have seen this or just noticed by themselves!
*** Now that's a response that smacks of common sense.