I know that the name doesn’t really conjure up vision of coffee, more likely a whisky and rum joint, or visions of a pirate ship and Johnny Depp come to mind (ohhh Johnny)! But I digress…
Skull and Bones Espresso Boutique is a little hipster coffee shop at 2577 Pacific Highway at Mermaid Beach. Their INSTAGRAM account has a few followers (4000) and you could also follow them on their FACEBOOK PAGE to keep up to date with their latest food and coffee.
Just to keep you up to date with the Top Ten Team. Simone is still moving house so you know how difficult that can be… I mean seriously if you make a mistake the banks are on it and charge you up the warzoo, but if they make a mistake, its like OH SORRY… How do you charge the bank for all you time and running around trying to fix things because the bank has stuffed up. Anyway Simone is busy… lets just say that, but in the middle of all the stuff that is going on we still managed to meet for coffee.
BUT
I slept in… I haven’t slept in for ages… I woke up at my usual time of around 6am went to the toilet (as you do) and thought I will just lie back down… BIG mistake… I woke up at 8.45am I was supposed to be at mermaid at around 9am and it take 25 minutes to get there! So I arrive and Tan is sitting with her coffee already. I went to get my coffee and realised that I had left my wallet at home! So my shout next time! 🙂
There are a lots of skulls around the place, but other than that is just you typical coffee shop. The have a nice comfy leather lounge at the far end of the shop and that is really the only comfortable chair to sit for a long time. I think you would go for a takeaway coffee or a quick bite and then off you go. It isn’t really a stay and linger sort of coffee place.
My piccolo was a single Origin Indonesian Sulawesi Toraja. It was a well made coffee, but it tasted like the beans had been roasted just that little too much. Not bitter, just over roasted. It could have been the flavour of this particular coffee, but you could taste the flavour of it through the over roasting. If I was cooking I would say that I over caramelised it! LOL!
Sim said her hot chocolate was really good! The other thing is that the coffees are served in takeaway cups… it means no washing up for the staff, but if you sitting in at a coffee shop, you really want to be drinking out of proper cups, maybe its just me??? Am I getting to old fashioned???
The menu is heavy on the gluten side as most of it features beautiful bagels…but they have a section of protein balls on the bench, if you would just like to grab something sweet to have with your coffee.
My choice was a Bagel Banger with cheese and Avocado on a soy linseed bagel. It was delicious, although I would have liked my bagel to be buttered.
Sim chose the same, but with only cheese and on a sunflower and rye bagel. She said hers was very good and her bagel, with the sunflower seeds on it, did look better than mine! 🙂
Tan had the blueberry bagel with mascarpone berries and pistachio dust. She said that the mascarpone was divine but it was a shame that the bagel was bit dry.
So overall not bad, but no knock your sock off either… it depends what you want… do you want a good coffee to go, then great! If you want to sit down and settle in for a chat… maybe not!
If you love the pictures.. you need to check out Tan’s INSTAGRAM Account. Make sure you go on and follow her for lots of amazing photos of the Gold Coast, Hinterland and her travels.
VERDICT
| Tan | Sim | Liz | |
| Food | 7 | 9 | 7 |
| Drinks | 7 | 8 | 6 |
| Service | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Atmosphere | 6 | 7 | 6 |
Thanks for reading.
Enjoy Irresponsibly!
Liz xx
If you like this review maybe you will enjoy reading these?
Finding the Best Coffee – Tribeca NYC #12
Finding The Best Coffee, Vivre’ A Vie Organic Bakery and Café #7
Liz xx
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love the look of this place! the skulls are great.
Yes Sherry, it was interesting drink coffee in these surrounds 🙂 Liz xx
Oh, I am so with you about proper cups, Liz, I have actually, been known to say “no thanks” – no cups, no coffee – and in most cases will not drink out of takeaway cups – exception being at the market. Yes, I freely admit I am a coffee snob – but then I only drink an espresso:)
LOL Rachel… yes you expect it at markets or if you are getting a takeaway, but sit in… I don’t think so, especially as it is an expresso boutique! You are amongst good company admitting to being a coffee snob 🙂 Liz xx