Is Maccy D's really the best there is...?

On an outing today around the outskirts of Stuttgart, we were on our way to the cinema after a good long walk in a quite chilly forest, when we decided to detour into McDonalds for a coffee break.  Now in any other country, I probably wouldn't consider going to Maccers for a coffee, not even those with a snazzy McCafe, however, when one has such trouble sourcing a cafe on the weekends that isn't a) jam packed with people trying to find somewhere warm to escape the cold weather and their own houses, and b) is relatively quick with regards to service, McDonalds seems to be a reasonable choice.

And infact this time round, I have to admit it was the right choice as the coffee was the good!  Reflecting on this, I realise how pitifully sad it may be that McDonalds offers one of the best coffees in Germany, but I really must give praise where praise is due,and yes - the coffee was good!

I quickly decided on a 'tall' cappuccino and was pleasantly surprised - it was just the right temperature - quite hot but not enough to make the coffee bitter, the milk was frothed to a nice creamy foam and the coffee was NOT bitter - hurrah for McCafe in Germany!  While I'm almost embarrassed for Germany to admit it - it really was the best cup of coffee I've had to date here...

So if you're looking for a good coffee whilst here in Deutschland on a holiday, or just settling in and trying to get some insider tips - take yourself into Maccers pronto and order a cappuccino.

I'm lovin' it!

Rating
Atmosphere                         3/5
Coffee bean                         4/5
Milk                                   4.5/5
Overall Rating                    4/5

Emporio Bar, Ludwigsburg

On a miserable, cold and rainy day one of the best activities one can do, aside from staying under the doona in a warm, cosy bed, is to find a warm and cosy place where you can enjoy a good coffee and thaw out.

We entered Emporio bar to the sound of Ibiza-esque tunes and warmth, and settled on the sofa bench after taking of my coat, hat, fleece and scarf, I perused the menu for the coffee selections.

After seeing the typical latte macchiato's on the table next to me, in huge glasses and nothing but a pale beige colour due to the rich brown coffee colour washed out by the abundance of milk, I immediately decided against this option instead opting for a plain old cappuccino.

The cappuccino wasn't too bad - although the coffee was once again bitter, the froth too airy, not quite hot enough and no chocolate on top.   As we broke out the scrabble board again, too warm and cosy to walk home through the rain just yet,  we decided to sample the chai lattes as I wasn't sure I could manage an espresso or even an espresso macchiato with such bitter coffee beans.

The chai lattes were, as most are, sweet warm spiced milk. The glasses they were served in were much too large - I'm just not sure how people enjoy drinking so much warm milk!  The flavour of my chai (Elephant Chai) was quite good with just the right mix of spices (cloves, cardamom and cinnamon)  without being overpowering, although there was too much honey which ruined the flavour a little by making the drink sickly sweet.

My other half's latte (Green Chai) didn't have much flavour - a very mild mix of spices - essentially it was just like drinking warm milk with loads of honey -  and again -  too sweet. Not sure how they came up with the name 'green' chai as I detected no taste of green tea at all...

While it was a good way to escape the rain, and the atmosphere inside Emporio's was cosy and relaxing - good music, not overcrowded and relatively comfortable seats, I don't think I could honestly say I would go back for the coffee.

Rating
Atmosphere                                      4/5
Coffee bean                                   2.5/5
Milk                                                   3/5
Overall coffee experience           3.5/5

Bubbles Cafe, Ludwigsburg

Last Sunday, while the rain continued to fall, my other half decided to do some of his own research into the most atmospheric cafe or coffee bar in our town - Ludwigsburg.  Settling down on the sofa with his notebook, he googled and found that the most popular cafe (at least from the reviews online) for good coffee and atmosphere was... drum roll please.... Bubbles Cafe.

At around 4pm we decided to brave the rain and wind so we rugged up and equipped with our travel scrabble, set out to see if Bubbles Cafe really does have it going on.  Unfortunately, after a 10 minute walk through the miserable weather we discovered that they don't open on Sundays! But yesterday I had enough time to pop out and see for myself just how good their coffee is.

It's fair to say that the place does have atmosphere.  Most cafes and coffee bars, and infact most restaurants and cocktail bars in this region of Germany, lack atmosphere.  By that I mean they are designed without creativity and don't have their own personality or charm - they aren't unique and there is nothing that makes you want to return - very run-of-the-mill in both their decor and their menus.  But Bubbles has charm!

As you walk into the cafe the first thing you notice is the unusual and very unique shiny silver coffee machine sitting smack bang in the middle of the service counter.  The decor is a mix between modern and old school with funky standing white bar tables and benches to 1960's era armchairs and tables.  There was music playing in the background - instrumental with what I thought was an oriental influence.   Unlike many cafes, the staff at Bubbles make the coffee, rather than just pressing a button on a fully automated coffee machine which pours the espresso, froths the milk and pours the entire thing into a cup so the waiter/waitress simply has to place it on a saucer, add a teaspoon and run it out to the customer.  At Bubbles the glorious silver giant pours the espresso and the staff heat and froth the milk and pour it into the cups.

I ordered a cafe latte - not to be confused with the very popular latte macchiato here.  The latte macchiato is a standard shot of espresso topped up with a huge amount of milk that hasn't quite been heated to the right temperature - so the overall effect is a weak, lukewarm and very milky coffee, topped off with about 2-3cms of airy froth.  The standard cafe latte is still served in a large cup but not as big as the latte macchiato glass, and the froth should be creamier.

The Bubbles cafe latte was quite good.  Not quite hot enough for my liking, and there was still too much milk, but the coffee wasn't bitter as it often is here in Germany, wasn't too watery and the best aspect was the froth - it was creamy, not airy and only about 0.5-0.8cm thick.

The staff were friendly, personable and relaxed - no rushing around with their electronic gadgets, one employee taking orders, another one issuing bills and taking payment and all in an uninterested and unfriendly manner.

I will definitely be dragging my hubby along on the weekend for a second trial, and will be sure to sample some of their other coffee beans and styles.

http://www.bubbles-cafe.de

Rating
Atmosphere                                       4.5 / 5
Coffee bean                                          4 / 5
Milk                                                    3.5 / 5
Overall coffee experience                  4 / 5