Nestled among the Brisbane CBD-hub is Pourboy espresso, a haven for local office workers. Owned by chef, Mark Bell and barista, Sebastian Butler-White, this fine dining specialty coffee outlet opened in March and is already making a name for itself within the high-end café world.
Together, Mark and Sebastian have combined their extensive hospitality experience to produce a standout foyer café. Mark incorporates finesse into the menu with attention to detail and quality products that Sebastian says are appreciated by their clientele.
Serving breakfast and lunch, popular items from the menu include the Mushroom Duxcelles with buffalo ricotta, or at lunch, a salad of seared king salmon nicoise with green beans, capers, tomatoes and an aged balsamic dressing salad.
Brioches are another favourite item, which Sebastian says are a “three-day ordeal” because of all the preparation time taken to produce this small but delicious sweet treat.
The café uses Mecca espresso beans from Sydney and a Synesso coffee machine. The signature Mecca blend is known as a “dark horse, a combination of Ethiopian Operation Cherry Red, Costa Rican Honey Prep and a Kenyan Kangocho AA.
Other coffees available include single origin beans, such as a Panama Elida estate and a Kenyan Karimikui Peaberry. Alternate brewing methods available are pour overs, aero press and cold drip methods.
“We’re pushing high quality coffee and matching that with the quality of food,” says Sebastian. “We want to keep the same standard without compromise.”
Sebastian says the café environment is all about friendliness. “You could be a coffee nerd, a roaster, or never drunk a coffee before in your life and you still get the best service,” he says.
“There’s nothing like knowing all our regular customers by name, building great relationships and then going out with them on Friday afternoon for a beer.”