December 2016

Top hospitality trends to boom in 2017

Boutique coffee roasts, fermented foods, and Asian pancakes are some of the major hospitality trends set to boom next year, according to Silver Chef’s latest annual Hospitality Industry Success Index report (HISI).
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Sfizio Cucina

Things fell into place when business partners Guiliano Vello and Christian D’Angelo wanted a fresh start opening a new café project.

First, the land and venue they wanted suddently became vacant. Then, Guiliano took advantage of his long-standing relationship with George Haralabakis at Grinders Coffee and made the decision to take the iconic roaster brand with him to his new venue, Sfizio Cucina.

“I was so impressed with Grinders’ support. It took one and a half months to convince my business partners, but once I did we haven’t looked back,” Guiliano says.

Sfizio Cucina uses Grinders’ Organic Fair Trade blend on its Rancilio Classe 9. This blend is features bright acidity, rich sweetness and medium body. The aroma consists of pungent sweet fruit. The long, smooth aftertaste features notes of fruit and chocolate.

“It really does taste great. I look for a clean tasting coffee with a nice and robust after taste,” Guiliano says.

“We want our fans to be happy and we  need to keep them coming back time and time again. With this blend, our beautiful food and top-notch service, there’s no reason they shouldn’t,” Guilano says.

An extensive variety of milks are available to complement the coffee menu, including almond, soy, and coconut, as well as organic tea.

Guiliano has designed an open, warm, and inviting space for families to come and enjoy, with facilities so clean he says it’d be safe enough to eat off the floor.

But rather than do that, the head chef has prepared a breakfast and lunch menu that’s full of “family classics” Guiliano  says people want to enjoy when out as a family. Sfizio Cucina use a large variety of locally-sourced produce, including fresh freerange eggs for its breakfash menu, and homestyle cakes prepared from locals in the area. Must-try items include the marinara, pizzas, and risottos. Cold press juices are also available and a perfect choice of the summer months.

“The best feeling is giving someone the pleasure of good food and good coffee. When customers give us positive feedback, it’s such a rewarding feeling,” Guiliano says.

The Lion and the Buffalo

If there’s one thing you do upon a visit to The Lion and the Buffalo – besides indulge in the food and coffee menu – it’s stare at the huge mural of a woman holding a rabbit, painted by world-famous street artist Fintan Magee.

“We were so lucky he came into our little café to paint this incredible mural. He gets flown all over the world to paint. After ours he was going to Dunedin, New Zealand to paint a seven-storey building,” Owner Anna Allison says.
As for the inspiration behind the rabbits, Anna says it’s all to do with her love for Alice in Wonderland.

“In the film the rabbit watched the clock all the time, wondering if he was going to be late. It’s a metaphor for how we want our customers to enjoy the space. If you worry about the little things you’ll miss out on life itself. We want people to come enjoy themselves here, sit, and relax,” she says.

To help them do that, an extensive menu is served for breakfast and lunch.

“We hold a strong focus on quality of ingredients, which is evident in the beautiful Ora King salmon on the menu, mayura station full blood wagyu steak sandwich, and bacon and egg roll with a house-made espresso BBQ sauce,” Anna says. “We don’t want to follow trends so we’ve taken our contemporary approach to the food we serve, and our customers love it. It’s all about creating an experience on the plate.”

A La Marzocco GB 5 pumps out Single O’s Killer Bee blend, which Anna says is great for milk-based coffees but extremely popular in blacks. It’s a sweet blend with flavours of dark honey, toffee, and tropical fruit sweetness, with mild acidity, creamy texture, and a long milk chocolate finish.

“Customers really know our coffee. We spoil our customers with our quality and if it’s ever not up to scratch they’ll tell us out of courtesy,” Anna says. “People comment all the time we’re a Melbourne-quality café in Coogee. We take it as a compliment.”

Located in South Coogee, Anna says there’s a real community vibe in the residential area. Everybody knows each other’s name, neighbours who have lived in the area for 20 years without talking now unite frequently at the café, and elderly citizens use the facility as a place to catch up with loved ones. A 90-year-old woman across the road won’t leave the house except to walk over to the café.

“We love our strong sense of community. Customers are part of our community and we’re proud to operate a place for them to interact,” Anna says. “We have a strong connection with our customers. I came from Poland 12 years ago not speaking a word of English. I’ve worked in pubs and hospitality jobs, but always had a dream of opening my own café. Now I have.” 

As for the café name, the big boss – that’s Anna – is the Lion, and Dean is the Buffalo. To begin, Anna says people thought the venue was a Brazilian BBQ place or an old English pub.

“We’re a dedicated coffee house and extremely passionate,” she says. “Come and say hi.”

Cáscara Moonshine

Campos Coffee and Melbourne Moonshine have perfected the world’s first liqueur based on the Cáscara coffee cherry bean from Costa Rica.
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