Didn't You Do Well

No, I'm not congratulating you on reading my latest post (although while we're here, thank you for upping my page views). Didn't You Do Well is the bizarre but endearing name of my latest coffee house discovery.

While browsing Twitter the other day I stumbled across a recommendation for this little place, and upon further investigation I discovered beaming review after beaming review. I then found this wonderfully filmed Vimeo clip which really shows the artful precision and dedication that the owners, Ally and Will, put into each individual cup and decided I would see/taste it for myself.

Becca, Iona and I used the excuse of a sleepy Friday afternoon to head over and catch up over a decent cup of coffee. Didn't You Do Well is situated on Park Row and was set up earlier this year, meaning I have been walking past it on a fairly regular basis without any knowledge of its existence. The simple and unassuming decor means that it is quite easy to miss, however once inside the clean lines and neutral colour scheme, together with the high ceilings, wooden floors and white walls, create a relaxed and unfussy vibe. The coffee is what really does the wowing here.

I'm not going to pretend that I am one of those seasoned coffee connoisseurs who can tell you the name of each bean, its country of origin, how it was picked and the farmer's family history with one sip. If I'm honest I am really more of a tea girl, however I am partial to a decent coffee now and then. Although good for a quick caffeine fix, I find the coffee creations in places like Costa and Starbucks a little too synthetic and sweet and often am left feeling slightly disappointed, so despite my lack of coffee knowledge I do appreciate a good cup when I come across one.

Nevertheless, you know you've come across a good'un when there are not only a choice of beans, but an espresso machine called 'The Slayer'. Gulp. They even discourage sugar and will only supply it if asked; they have enough faith in the beans to blow you away on their own. The two types of bean on offer during my visit were both from El Salvador: the Finca Santa Petrona and the Finca Noruega. After enquiring what these words actually meant in taste terms, Ally and Will helpfully explained how the Finca Santa Petrona had a deep, fruity taste with hints of blackcurrant and almond, whilst the Finca Noruega offered a sweeter, more chocolatey taste. Anything that has 'hints' of anything sounds impressive in my ignorant coffee books, but in the end I opted for a flat white of the fruity one and Becca went for a cappuccino of the more chocolatey one.

They also had some delicious looking lemon and poppyseed cakes which proved too tempting to resist, particularly for Iona who is wheat free and therefore often deprived of the joys of a good cake. These were glorious and gooey, if not a tad oily, but given their being gluten and dairy free they were seriously good.

After a short wait our coffees arrived at our table, promptly followed by 'ooo's' and 'ahhh's' of approval. They looked so pretty we almost didn't want to drink them and spoil the creamy little swirls, but the gorgeous deep aromas were beckoning us. They did not disappoint. Mine was smooth, rich and comforting, as was Becca's, but both had distinctive tastes- even my untrained palette could really taste the subtle flavours and how they worked together.

They also have a selection of teas and soft drinks if you fancy something other than coffee, but to be honest if you are in a coffee shop with something called 'The Slayer', then you'd be a fool to opt for anything else.

A great little place which deserves more recognition. Didn't they do well indeed.

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