As soon as you walk into The Coffee Barun a coffee plant welcomes you to your right and a 3kg coffee roaster to your left.
Within seconds of entering I was greeted by the barista who was at the machine like a solder ready for battle. Specialty coffee is why I’m here and the barista was well informed on the different single origin beans they had to offer. For my espresso he suggested I go with the Costa Rica and for a milk-based drink I should try the Brazil Yellow Bourbon. The promptly delivered first course was the espresso, which had a sour aroma. Unfortunately the crema wasn’t very thick and it started to dissipate fast. Costa Rica coffee is known for its soft acidity and although the appearance and aroma wasn’t satisfactory, the taste was. It was like cutting a slice of lemon to find it was actually quite sweet after biting into it. The main course was a latte, which had the latte art of a six-leaf tulip. It had a good mixture of dark brown shades on top, which held the taste of the crema. The Brazilian coffee’s sweet notes cut through and complemented the silky smooth (Tweedvale) milk. The Barun offers alternative brewing methods like cold drip, pour over and siphon, which are on display at the front counter. Although some of the seating area is like a cafeteria, it’s still very inviting and has plenty of private areas for gossiping about work. They use local produce throughout their food menu, present local art on their walls and it’s great to see the coffee roasters set up and functioning so the curious customer can have a look. It’s one of the few coffee outlets that give you a window into what would normally be behind closed doors. The Coffee Barun 219 Main North Rd, Sefton Park thecoffeebarun.com
