Coffee Quest #1: TOB Coffee
I went to TOB Coffee in North Shore, Auckland. A crazy popular coffee shop - I went during Easter Weekend near closing time and still the line for coffee went out the door.
When trying coffee, I usually go for either a double shot long black or a latte. Given that I can already make a banging filter coffee at home, most of the time I'm at a cafe because I can't make espresso - or rather, the prohibitive costs of really good espresso eludes me in this economy. This time though, given the sheer heat of the sun, I ordered an ice latte.
I personally enjoy medium to lighter roasts so I thought TOB would be right up my alley. What I got was a lot lighter in flavour, but where TOB Coffee excels is the aroma. After a sip, just sit back for a moment. The coffee notes rush wonderfully to your nose and it lasts nicely. I did feel that by chasing a standard, acceptable blend (i.e. hints of caramel and chocolate), the notes of the coffee lacked a clear personality, and in this gigantic market, not standing out is a problem.
My partner is someone who likes her coffee really black, so when she had her first sip, she turned to me and asked, "hey, is there actually any coffee here?" So fair warning: if you trend towards dark or blackened roasts, I'd say that TOB might be a bit too light.
They also sell a variety of beans depending on if you're running espresso, cold brew, or filter/plunger. Their bean prices (1kg bags) are definitely quite cheap even at bulk prices. Honestly, my first thought was just "oh damn, inflation hasn't caught up here yet."
TOB Coffee is slowly expanding their cabinet food to include cheesecakes and bagels, but their main seller is coffee. I mean, just look at it. They've got two baristas running full time on two machines just to keep up with the demand. They also offer alternate milks, including coconut milk in case you're trying to avoid dairy.
On a personal note, I wouldn't go there in the afternoon. We sat down and the nature of New Zealand's sun coupled with our lack of an ozone layer immediately began to burn our skin THROUGH THE SUN BLINDS. (Having the blinds down also gives the impression that TOB coffee is closed when you drive by on the roads, but there's no getting around it - the storefront itself is west facing).
So, TOB coffee? I have some friends who swear by it, and certainly the North Shore Korean community seems to support it in spades. I'm always happy when more roasters enter the NZ market since we have more competition - I've certainly felt the bigger players in the pool have been dropping the ball a bit.
Happy to have you, TOB Coffee. Enjoy your stay.
