The Maillard Project — Restaurant in Brisbane City

Absolutely gorgeous coffee, with immaculate vibes to enjoy it with! I got the #1 house blend, expecting it to be most similar to the standard, chocolatey, date-y affair one finds in most cafes. Not so! My latte was elevated so far above and beyond standard as to be downright unfair to its competitors. As a habitual caramel latte drinker I found the unsweetened blend to be smooth and sweet enough not to warrant any sugar or syrup additions, with its tasting journey shockingly clear and pleasant. I've never had a "chocolate" tasting note taste quite so much like chocolate!

The table at large ordered several tasting platters, and each blend I tried was distinct and delicious. Something for every coffee aficionado. Of particular note were the iced pour overs- those tasting notes are not a suggestion, they are indeed a guide! Coffee that actually tastes like lychee? Or watermelon?! Not one of the specially roasters or brewers I've been to previously have approached such witch craft. Each cup was clearly developed and prepared with utmost care and skill, as well. The 1+1+1 platters were a delight, and I was pleasantly surprised to see the hot pour over came with an aromatic element to elevate the entire experience.

The music and ambience of the store put me at ease, making me feel like I could take my time enjoying my cup. The informative, friendly, and extremely skilled staff made ordering a breeze, both before trying the coffee and as we were leaving to grab a few cups to go. I was immediately texting the coffee lovers I know and making plans to return with them, even after one sip.

Perfect for chatting with friends/family, getting study/work done in the calm and quiet atmosphere, or as a solo outing to treat yourself to a truly beautiful blend....

This stylish café in the CBD of Brisbane looks like a specialty coffee laboratory. Next to the three espresso machines, you will also find a commercial coffee roaster and an Ikawa Sample roaster. Furthermore you can admire their green bean storage behind a transparent glass wall.

The architecture and the interior design are minimalistic and sleek. The benches for the machines are made of solid looking stones that match the exposed concrete walls. The ceiling was full of exposed pipes and the light was bright to compete the industrial 🏭 look.

The coffee menu is long and exquisite and the food menu looks more than delicious. For today’s lunch I went for eggs benedict 🥚 with prawns 🍤 and an Ethiopian 🇪🇹 filter coffee ☕️.

It was nice to meet the friendly barista again, who came to visit us in the VA Experience Lab in Melbourne. She brewed my coffee with great care and passion for details and a great smile on her face. I always enjoy being able to smell the coffee grounds before tasting the coffee itself from the cup. It enhances the sensory experience. From smelling the ground coffee, I immediately knew that I will 🔜 enjoy a super tasty coffee.

Negussie Gemeda Mude produced this delicate coffee at 2,200m in the Sidamo region. It is a natural and the variety is called “74158” which obviously hasn’t got a lot of food appeal. Yet, in the cup the coffee was very clean, high in sweetness and with a bright winey acidity. I liked the beautiful apricot and peach 🍑 flavors. The mouthfeel was coated and silk and the finish was long and lingering.

The coffee matched very well the eggs benedict - both were delicate in flavors, light...

Reading the ‘negative/low score’ reviews, it’s clear to see that there’s a common theme here, which seems to be related to ‘service and attitude’.

I just rocked up to the door, where the guy (I’m pretty sure the owner) comes up to me, looks me up and down and then asks me if I’m alright?lol nahhh I’m just standing here being an inconvenience to you and your business lol.

The way this guy opened a convo and more importantly ‘welcomed’ a customer is a clear reflection/indication that he’s got little to no education when it comes to customer service, nor does he care that much about making more money.

Then on top of that, he tells me that there’s no more seats when there’s clearly two empty seats between two ladies sitting on either end of the bench. Funny how that rule didn’t apply to the bench closest to the entry way, where there were 3 seats in a row that were fully occupied.

So yes like others have said, you will get judged here which will determine how you get treated and spoken to. Funny thing is that I’ve been to this place a few times and the younger girls that work there have excellent communication skills/customer service. Maybe the boss had become too big for his boots? Either way there’s plenty of nearby spots that make equally as good food and even better in some cases. I’ll happily take my...