Coffee Review: Sad:Cafe

Das. Hair and Sad:Cafe are right next to each other with an inside doorway that connects them. By sharing the space, they are pioneering the concept of merging businesses in the one location to share clientele. Owner Dominic Ossa is happy to talk about the business. He explains how eight years ago he and his wife (Saffy Ossa) moved from Germany to Australia for a sea change and started Das. Hair. The word ‘das’ is not only the ‘d’ from Dominic and the ‘s’ from Saffy but it’s also a way of saying ‘the’ in German. The German language has three ways to say ‘the’: der (masculine), die (feminine) and das (neutral). After four years of searching the area for a decent coffee complemented with food using local ingredients, the Ossas saw an opportunity to style the street a little further beyond hair. They opened up the space next door, made a doorway between the two and mirrored the word Das for the name which they knew would get people talking. Before long, they noticed a growth in the area as more operators followed suit and standards rose in the industry. Sad features an Australian-influenced menu using local ingredients that can be summed up as simple, seasonal and that is made fresh in front of you. The kitchen is open and pleasant smells waft over the dining area which surrounds the espresso bar. The decor also reflects the menu by having a simple design made from locally sourced materials. When most espresso machines are designed and made in Italy, Dominic managed to find some German engineering at its finest with the ECM Controvento Due. It has a slick modern design that stands out when you enter the cafe. The coffee beans are from Patrol Coffee, a roasting company that Dominic and his head barista Nick Suggitt both own and operate from Kangarilla. I try an espresso of the single origin called Colombian Antioquia Pavon. With a jam-like sweetness and a big body mouth feel, it is divine. That is followed by a latte made with their house blend and silky local milk, Paris Creek. I’ve never come across a venue that offers a boutique coffee experience while you wait comfortably for a haircut. This merging of businesses is something we might start to see more of in the future with rent increasing and the fight to stand out from the crowd. Sad:Cafe is the place to enjoy a freshly made coffee before heading next door for that fresh new look. Sad:Cafe 9 Ebenezer Pl, Adelaide das-revolution.com.au