Starbucks (London)

...
I remember when Starbucks was a relatively new thing. I just loved the place! Whenever somebody suggested grabbing a coffee at Starbucks, I would get all excited about the special treat that would await me. My personal special treat would be a Grande Caramel Macchiato. Pricey, but it used to be worth it for sure.

The bigger Starbucks got, the more the quality seemed to be dropping. I remember buying my expensive treat from ...
...is, I stopped going to Starbucks altogether.

Over the last week, however, having arrived at for various inductions too early, I have been semi-forced into a Starbucks opposite of work. This morning, sitting in a comfy chair, my eye caught the following sign on the wall:

"To protect the quality of our coffee, we ask you not to smoke"

As a non-smoker I was really touched by these words. Whilst ... more

***My love-hate relationship with Starbucks***

I remember when Starbucks was a relatively new thing. I just loved the place! Whenever somebody suggested grabbing a coffee at Starbucks, I would get all excited about the special treat that would await me. My personal special treat would be a Grande Caramel Macchiato. Pricey, but it used to be worth it for sure.

The bigger Starbucks got, the more the quality seemed to be dropping. I remember buying my expensive treat from time to time and being really disappointed by the horrendously burnt taste that the coffee would have to it. The Caramel Macchiato would not be fresh and sweet, it would be bitter and stale. Certainly not worth the price! With contenders such as Caffe Nero on the scene, contenders that actually know what a good cup of coffee is, I stopped going to Starbucks altogether.

Over the last week, however, having arrived at for various inductions too early, I have been semi-forced into a Starbucks opposite of work. This morning, sitting in a comfy chair, my eye caught the following sign on the wall:

"To protect the quality of our coffee, we ask you not to smoke"

As a non-smoker I was really touched by these words. Whilst Caffe Nero, my favorite coffeehouse, serves the best coffee and the best sandwiches and baked goods of any coffee chain, it has one distinct disadvantage. It is so smokey in there that the enjoyment of your food and beverage is immediately spoiled. When you walk out of the establishment your clothes smell nasty, just like when exciting a pub.

Lengthy intro into my thoughts on coffeehouses,... anyhow, ... this little sign at Starbucks warmed my heart so much that I decided to write a review on the establishment itself.

***Decor and set-up***

With hundreds of Starbucks all over London and in the UK as well as worldwide, I cannot speak for the decor of every single Starbucks. There are smaller establishments with only a few wooden highchairs to have a seat. There are middle-sized establishments with only wooden chairs and wooden tables. None of these are particularly comfortable. There are however some middle-sized and larger branches that have a lovely livingroom feeling to them, filled with ample couches and plush armchairs. These are the most comfortable Starbucks outlets and really seem to invite you to stay for hours and hours reading your paper, a trashy novel. Many students find themselves drawn to these - for a few pounds they can sit here all day and study instead of having to spend their time in some boring library.

Unlike in some other coffeehouses, I find that Starbucks provided more of this plush furniture and also manages to keep it a lot cleaner.

On the walls you will often find some dodgy artwork, cheap prints of some sort, that add to the living room feel. In the background you can hear music. It is not intrusive, it is quite gentle. From my experience Starbucks tends to either resort to smooth and slow rock (such as Sheryl Crow and some country-type music), or, on occassion, classical music. Even if the music is not your kind of thing, it tends to just flow over you without being annoying.

A newer feature at Starbucks is the newspaper stand. If you have not brought any reading materials and intend to stay for a little while, you can purchase a copy of the Times. From Monday to Friday it costs you 50 p; Saturday it costs you 90p and Sunday £1.40.

At the counter you will see a large glass vitrine filled with all sorts of goodies. Next to the vitrine is the cash register, where you place your order and pay. And on the other side of the cash register is the pick-up point for your drinks.

Unlike in the United States, you can add to the living room feeling by telling the barrista that you would like to stay to have your drink. Instead of a paper cup you will then be given a gigantic Starbucks mug for your warm drinks.

If you really like the mug you are given, do not despair. There is no need to sneak the mug into your bag after you have finished your drink. You can purchase various mugs near the cash registers as well as coffee beans to take home and recreate the Starbucks experience.

Some Starbucks chains cater for sunseekers and stargazers by offering ourdoor seating.

***The food and beverage selection***

Warm drinks:
Starbucks offers all the usual warm drinks for caffeine lovers. Various types of coffee include cappucino, mocha, espresso, latte, americano and the infamous macchiatos. There is also a selection of teas, ranging from the traditional Earl Grey and English Breakfast to a few more fancy combinations like citron and zen. You can select a tea bag from the teabag station behind the counter. For those who like very milky tea, there is the option of ordering a Chai Latte. If you are not a caffeine fan but a chocoholic, do not despair! There is always a hot chocolate available for you.

Cold drinks:
Most of the hot drinks can also be ordered in a cold version, e.g. Iced Cafe Mocha, Iced Cafe Latte, Iced Caramel Macchiato.

In the summer, Starbucks offers a wealth of frozen drinks, both coffee-based and non-coffee based. The most popular line are the Frappucinos. The coffee-based frappucinos are obviously mocha, espresso and coffee. The non-coffee based ones are fresh mango and. strawberries & cream. With some of the frappucinos you have a choice as to whether you would like them coffee-based or not. These include the caramel cream frappucino, the chocolate cream frappucino and the vanilla cream frappucino. Whilst the vanilla frappucino is no longer mentioned on the menu on the wall, you can ask for it and they will make it for you.

In terms of frozen drinks, Starbucks also offers the Tazo line of drinks. There are only two - either rasberry or tropical.

In addition to the drinks you order from the bar, you can also select from other cold drinks. Starbucks offers bottled fruit juices, smoothies (Innocent) and water.

Food:
If you missed out on breakfast or if you feel like you need a treat with your coffee or tea at 4 p.m. in ther afternoon, there is a wonderful selection of baked goods to choose from. This ranges from muffins and croissants to shortbread and cakes.

For those heading to Starbucks for lunch, there are a few pre-packaged triangle sandwiches available (e.g. egg & mayo; tuna mayo; ham, eggs & baby spinach; chicken pesto with crunchy peppers) Some outlets also offer baguettes (e.g. cheddar cheese, egg & tomato; egg & scottish salmon). Other outlets offer wraps (e.g. chicken caesar; prawn). If you are trying to stay of the unhealthy carbs, you do have a limited selection of salad bowls available to choose from (e.g. fruit salad; chicken terriyaki salad; tortellini, tomato & mozarella salad; chicken caesar salad).

In all likelihood you already knew about a lot on the Starbucks menu, since it is hard to live and work in London without having been in one of their coffeeshops. But I am sure that most of you have not tried everything there is to offer. Below is a selection of what I consider to be the best treats at Starbucks. I will also tell you about some things that you should steer clear from.

***Recommendations: a selection of my favorite treats***

Toffee Nut Latte:
My new favourite drink - but be forewarned! This is certainly addictive. It basically is a latte with hazelnut syrup, topped-up with whipped cream and a crunch nutty topping.

I have tried this with whole milk, semi-skimmed milk and skimmed milk. I have to admit, the enjoyablity of this drink is a lot better with semi-skimmed or whole milk - it then becomes a real treat. The major problem lies in its addictive factor - I actually have to force myself to walk past Starbucks on a regular basis.

Price ranges from approx £2.45 to £3.15, depending on size.

Caramel Frappucino:
One of my all time favorites is the coffee-based caramel frappucino. This is basically crushed ice with milk, coffee and caramel. It is extremely refreshing in the summer. You can add whipped cream to this at no extra cost if you are feeling naughty.

There are two downsides to this drink, however. If you drink it too quickly, you take all the taste out of the ice and are left with just plain crushed ice at the end. That is, of course, not half as exciting as the full-flavoured frappucino. The other downside is that drinking it too fast can leave little bits of ice stuck in your throat, thus giving you a little cold shock.

Price ranges from approx £2.70 to £3.50, depending on size.

Vanilla Frappucino:
This is a newly discovered favorite of mine. It is basically a milk-based drink with vanilla flavoring and crushed ice. It is similar in taste to a vanilla milkshake. Unlike some vanilla milkshakes, however, it does not taste artificial and it is not sickeningly sweet. You can also add whipped cream to this at no extra cost.

Again, be wary of drinking it too fast!

Price ranges from approx £2.70 to £3.50, depending on size.

Caramel Macchiato:
This is still one of my favorites. This drink is made with loads of milk, a few coffee shots and some caramel sauce. If you are trying to count calories, you must ensure that you tell the barrista your preference for semi-skimmed or skim milk. If prepared correctly, it will taste like caramel flavored milk with a hint of coffee. A health warning is needed here: I have had some pretty bad experiences at some Starbucks branches. It always depends on who is making it. Some staff add too much coffee, others add too little caramel. Good luck when trying this!

Price ranges from approx £2.70 to £3.50, depending on size.

Earl Grey Tea:
The Earl Grey Tea at Starbucks has a very full and intense flavour. I do not buy it too often, however, because I believe that £1.25 for a teabag and a bit of water is a bit excessive!

Chocolate Mint Bliss:
This is a hot chocolate with peppermint liqueur, whipped cream and chocolate shavings. It is just too yummy to be true. In fact, it tastes a lot like a liquid After Eight.

The price for a grande chocolate mint bliss is £2.75.

Hazelnut Shortbread:
If you like shortbread and are not allergic too nuts, you will love this one. It is shapped in a triangle with rounded edges, contains halfed hazelnuts and is sprinkled with sugar. This is a treat to have at any time of the day. Crunchy and full of flavour.

Price: Approx. £1.50

Tripple Chocolate Muffin:
If you had a real bad day at work or need some kind of cheering up, there is always this treat. The muffin is large, dark brown and comes with plain, milk chocolate and white chocolate chips. It is lovely and moist inside and a bit crunchy up on top. It will leave you wanting more.

Price: Approx. £1.50

Maple Muffin:
I have only ever found this treat once, much to my annoyance. This muffin is out of this world - it is moist, tastes of syrup and has lovely pecan nuts throughout, giving it a little bit of a crunch. I keep looking out for it to no avail... maybe it will return after Christmas.

Price: Approx. £1.50

***Items to avoid: my least favorite Starbucks selections***

Cappucino:
I have never had a good cappucino at Starbucks. The coffee is always very bitter and burnt. There is no amount of sugar that can cure this. I think this is the main problem at Starbucks. For holding themselves out to be a coffeehouse, they do not know how to make delicious coffee that does not taste like it has been left on a hotplate for a few hours.

Price: Approx £2, depending on size.

Mango Frappucino:
Frankly, this was a bit disappointing and not worth the calories. It does not quite taste like a fully ripened mango is supposed to taste like. It is not quite sweet enough. If I am going to treat myself to something, I want it to taste exquisite for the price.

Price ranges from approx £2.70 to £3.50, depending on size.

Chocolate Chip shortbread:
Unlike its hazelnut counterpart, this shortbread tastes rather bland and boring. There is no flavour to the chocolate chips. Which begs the question - why put them in there at all?

Price: Approx £1.50

Skinny vanilla chocolate muffin:
I was in the mood for a chocolate muffin one day, but did not quite want to ingest all the calories associated with it. What delight to see Starbuck's skinny range of muffins - the healthier choice. Sadly, this does not taste like a muffin at all. It is very much like a sponge in consistency. The chocolate part is alright, but the vanilla part is rather bland.

Price: £1.35 take-away; £1.60 eat-in

***The verdict***

Starbucks is an alright place. If you are looking to relax and find the right branch with plush furniture near you, I would recommend it as a place for relaxation. Though pricey when seen as a stand-alone product, a drink and an hour of shutting down and relaxing for about £3 does not seem like a bad price. Steer clear from most coffee-based products, though! Starbucks has not got it quite right in that department.

***Further info***

www.starbucks.co.uk

For dieters, this page actually contains nutrition facts on lots of the offered products!

 

...less