How do you know you’re serious about coffee? When you spend RMB180,000 on an imported Synesso MVP Hydra espresso machine from Seattle and call it the “soul” of your shop.
Such was the move Jude Lu made before opening his brand’s first Guangzhou branch (and fourth location on the mainland). But rather than acquiring the shiny machine just for show, Lu actually knows how to use the thing, gliding his fingers to and fro over its controls like a pianist intuitively reads keys.
At The Scientist (named after the Coldplay single), every cup is a highly controlled experiment held to precise, predetermined standards of weight, temperature, pressure and time, so that patrons’ lips touch the most flavorful beverage possible given today’s technology.
A gibraltar (or espresso shot with steamed milk, RMB35) at The Scientist is made by pressing 19 grams of fresh coffee grounds (Lu has a scale for that), into a portafilter and packing it perfectly flat with an O.C.D. (ONA Coffee Distributor) designed by World Barista Champion Sasa Sestic. Lu then flips on his USD26,000 machine and programs the exact pressure he desires at each time interval during the meticulous espresso-making process. The water temperature is calibrated to 90-95 degrees Celsius, depending on the bean.
It’s thrilling to watch Lu at work, if only because he’s so nervous-excited we can’t help but follow suit. When the first stream of aromatic liquid emerges from the silver portafilter, Lu bites his lip in anticipation. Then, with a fluid flick of his hand, he pours a smooth bouquet of milk on top and brings the cup to his mouth for one long, contemplative sip.
If you take a less straight-laced approach to coffee, The Scientist Mocha (RMB40) is where it’s at: powerfully full-bodied, bitter-sweet and topped with uneven, textured layers of hand-churned cream, cocoa powder and chocolate shavings, it’s at once a scientific breakthrough and work of art.
As seamless as the process behind the barista counter may be, The Scientist is not without flaws: located in a mall, the space is cramped and offers limited seating in isolated rows, making it difficult to chat comfortably across the table from a friend. Some of the drinks – in particular the drip coffee (RMB35) – was too sour for our entry-level palate, though maybe we just chose the wrong beans.
All in all, The Scientist offers endless gadgets and secret corners of interest for the diehard coffee enthusiast. Curious how cold brew coffee can drip for eight hours straight? Lu has an entire wall devoted to that. Want to watch the world’s leading baristas pack a portafilter? Pull up a chair behind the counter and see Lu in his element – you’ll never look at a cup of the coffee the same way again.
Price: RMB40
Who’s going: young coffee junkies, world-class baristas
Good for: the city’s most ingenious mocha, exploring coffee gadgets
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