more obvious places where good coffee should be
November 16, 2011 – 11:47 pmmonaco: crazy place! more ferraris than fords, more obviously forced royal wedding photos that any public should be required to see. and such a fine (nonexistent?) line between “personal yacht” and “cruise ship.”
and yet, it’s kind of amazing that for all the fine food, captive populace, french sensibilities and disposable income sloshing around in the place, there is NO FINE COFFEE.
right, yes. an old theme from this blog. and in paris, it would appear, a deplorable condition is finally changing.
still, you ponder the american hinterlands, and you nonetheless have fine establishments in places like nashville and charleston. you ponder france (and the little .75-square-mile country nestled in it) and you have a higher standard of food, a more deeply rooted history with espresso, a huge population of tourists, all the usual complements (chocolate, pastry) and MONEY to be spent … but still nothing. in monaco itself, people are literally walking around just browsing the new mclarens.
it’s like it hasn’t occurred to anyone. but this can’t possibly be true. at this point, such a market is so obvious you kind of wonder what the secret impediment is. and don’t offer “tradition” or “haughtiness,” things that play into french stereotypes but that don’t remotely hold up to rigorous examination.
perhaps there’s no one really pushing anything in france yet — a supreme irony if ever there was one. and perhaps, for all the internationalism of the fine coffee movement, it’s really not that international-minded, as far as business goes. or maybe it’ll take stumptown to make a leap this big.
nothing but a couple new and teensy places in paris. and just think, in monaco you could serve espresso on the beach to formula one drivers and their yacht parkers. such a thing!
@sprobro I think the absence of great coffee in Monaco/Michelin starred restaurants is because it’s only obviously better if you drink a lot
@sprobro it’s an acquired taste, most people aren’t that interested in acquiring it. I think latte art/ smooth milk is an easier sell
@sprobro Wine is an acquired taste, but that’s common knowledge. People are happier to put in the work. Also it gets you drunk which helps
@sprobro for example my girlfriend doesn’t like coffee. She’ll drink lattes I make, noting how they’re clearly less bitter than sbux etc
@sprobro but she would need to drink a lot more black coffee to enjoy it. Took her to St.Ali’s sensory lab, almost gagged!
@sprobro think you blogged (le coffeeing?) something like ‘is this coffee good enough to be noticeable without being told?’. I’m not sure
@mathewe @sprobro ‘Reach up, pull down the laden branch, and eat; When you have learned their bitterness, they taste sweet.’ – w. berry
Maybe its too expensive for a coffee shop to work in Monoco – I imagine rent for a retail space would be astronomical.
A little portable coffee cart might work. Set up by the beach ready for Jenson and his friends.
James: exactly so. seems like you could charge quite a handsome price. we’re talking about a place where, in the offest season, large numbers of people are walking around with more cash than they know what to do with.
and then during an F1 race? oh man. minting money.
sounds like you have a business plan. on the other hand, there has to be strict regulation on mobile vendors if they’re allowed at all; otherwise every migrant worker would have a stand on the beach, not to mention licensing fees…
good point. there are definitely mobile vendors around the beach — but only with a maximum of decorum. what caught my eye were the riverfront roads lined with cafes and restaurants, where even if the regulatory hurdles were huge and the price of real estate stratospheric you would have to believe that the investment costs would be worth it. you simply couldn’t get more ideal in terms of foot traffic, disposable income and customers attracted to things of taste.
Hi,
Did you try Colombus? its at Avenue des Papalins in Monaco, They usually have some great Coffee, although overall you are quite right – its a real pain anywhere else around town. Wine is what works up there.
Nice observations! I’m thinking that there are several reasons why it’s hard to find a good cup around there, one of which would be all the cobblestone streets! Ever try to drink a cup of coffee while driving your Lamborghini down a cobblestone street?!
michelle: i’m back in monaco next month, so i’ll give columbus a try.
steve: hilarious.
I think it could be a combination of things with cost being at the top of the list. There has to be a market for fine coffee there the question is the vehicle of delivery. A stand on the beach? Great idea and start small. If it works you would make a ton and You would be driving the yacht!
Monaco without fine coffee? That’s criminal
This is really thought-provoking. I can’t say I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting Monaco, yet I think James has hit the nail on the head in terms of the reason behind it.
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