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Planet Espresso - Level 3 Atrium
Au ...
WHERE: Park Road (In Hospital Foyer), Grafton, Auckland (STREET MAP)
PHONE: SEE WHITE PAGES
COFFEE BRAND: Coffee Lab
INTERNET TERMINALS: None
WIRELESS INTERNET: None
Added by Moody Barista on Mon, 27 Nov 2006.
OK I am going to be straight up here.. coffee is important to me and it is an important part of my working day. I can tell the difference between a coffee that has been made by someone who knows what they are doing, and a coffee that has been made by... well let's just say someone who doesn't.
There are many challenges that present us daily when you work in the busiest and biggest(and best)hospital in New Zealand... but I digress. One challenge that you can do without however, is having to worry about whether you are getting a quality cup of coffee, and whether you will have to wait for more than 5 minutes to get it.
Planet Espresso knows coffee. They know about quality. They also know about service. They know about consistency. They know how to serve quality coffee and keep it flowing even during the busiest times of the day.
Coffee is what they do... oh sure, I think there may be a chiller tucked around the corner somewhere that has some cold drinks in it, and maybe even those cute little tubs of Kapti icecream, but do not be fooled. Planet Espresso is all about the coffee and nothing but the coffee.
If you arrive even at the busiest time of the day when all four baristas have both their group heads simultaneously extracting, the grinder (well grinding - duh)and the steam wand milk stretching... all while keeping 3-4 advance orders someplace in their heads... no dockets here folks... and certainally none of those rediculous vibrating disc thingys that you stand around holding for 10 - 15 minutes... AND holding a converstaion with you about whatever it is that you have decided to discuss with them, just to try in vain to put them off... yeah it is a pretty impressive operation.
It is also well known amonsgt the staff that we do not buy our coffee at 'that other' place... no we buy our coffee at Planet, and then go and get our muffin, placing our Planet takeout cup conspiciously on the 'other places' counter while we pay for the muffin. =]
Oh and if you really need a little 'ambience' you can go down to the Level 3 Atrium stand where they have tables, plants and everything.
Oh and if you really need wireless internet access.. nip across to the bookshop they have vouchers you can buy and then nip back to the bar stools to check out the lastest hot coffee review on Planet Espresso!
Really more than impressed...... finally people who look like they love making coffee and care what it will taste/look like! I was in today and a very very nice man served me I had 2 kids with me... I was served so fast and he poured my coffee in front of me and it looked perfect. How thrilled was I when it tasted so so so great too. I wish I had bought 2 cause one was not enough! Id love to know what coffee they use it was so good! Thanks and well done. If I could employ that barista in my cafe I would!!!!! no questions asked!
So it's a takeout only operation - at least you know you are taking a decent coffee away!
This is a very impressive set up. Two four group La Marzocca machines with 4 full time baristas. They service all the coffee requirements for Auckland City Hospital. Anyone who is anyone at the hospital knows that this is the best coffee in there (and there are heaps of options). The quality of coffee and service is very high with each barista having a minimum of 2 years experience in order to work here... no wonder they sell over 100kg of coffee here per week!!
My only complaints are:
* it is takeaway only
* lack of ambiance as it is in a hospital foyer
* soo busy it is impossible to relax