It’s been a while since I visited a coffee shop – so much in Aberdeen as elsewhere; so when a long-awaited Saturday arrived after a very long working week, I decided to spend it wisely – and grab a cuppa.
Someone who I regard highly as a coffee expert had suggested that we should meet at the Tree House one day, when they were visiting Aberdeen. We never managed to hook up, but I kept the place in mind for future reference – and with no other plans this particular Saturday, I made the trip to the café a highlight of the day – or so I hoped.
Halfway up my route I was caught up in a rain – my fault really, as the skies had been heavily overcast since the morning – so when I finally spotted the big, clear sign on the building of my destination, I sighed with relief – and upped my pace a notch. I feared the place would be full on a rainy Saturday afternoon, but I was lucky – there were a few tables free, including the bar-type one by the wall. I placed myself in a one-person queue that did not have much order to it – when I was joined by another customer, I had to subtly make the busy cashier/barista aware that I had been there first. I quickly ordered and paid – quickly as I wanted to reserve my seat but also because I was (or at least felt) slightly rushed by the barista.
When the coffee arrived to my table (in a prompt fashion I must add) I felt weary – it looked like a thick layer of fluffy foam sat on top of my soya mocha and I feared for the worst; but I bravely took the plunge… and it wasn’t bad. The layer of foam was indeed there, but it had more substance to it than just air; and yet, it reminded me of some organic soya milk that often spoils a drink – and it simply wasn’t great. After I stirred the brew a bit more sweetness came through, but the drink still reminded me of a soy latte I had at a Costa just recently.
As quickly as I came, was served, and drunk – I was gone, despite the continuing rain. If I were indeed meeting a friend, I could have stayed longer; but there wasn’t much to keep me hanging around – the staff were enjoying a moment of break during a fairly busy service and only made sure they sent the customers off with a pleasant goodbye, without getting into conversations.
Now, would I come back to visit a friend there? It would take some convincing – and I would definitely try a different coffee, if I had to.
Regular Soy Mocha: £2.60
Verdict justification: An OK coffee and pleasant shop – but nothing amazing… and even though I’m the not the one for much barista-interaction, it would have been nice to get just a bit more attention
A Black Spot 