The Bach – A Review of Their Coffee

We finally made it to the Bach but, three weeks late. We learnt from our mistake and booked in advance. Having failed to take bloods from a patient had dampened my mood and I really needed a good coffee to make the day a bit more cheerful and so, I was glad we had planned for this earlier. Our booking was for noon and I only finished at half past eleven. Luckily, they were nice enough to hold our booking for fifteen minutes past the intended time. I visited the Bach on 10th November 2020.

Fun fact; The owners come from New Zealand and a bach (pronounced as ‘batch’ and not ‘back’) refers to a small holiday home. These are an integral part of the country’s history and culture.
The café is also pet friendly and you can bring along you cat, dog, pet parrot or any other well behaved animal for a nice wee brunch.

Ambience
The bach stays true to its name and gives off beach holiday home vibes as soon as you enter. Seating is sporadic and well spaced over multiple floors. There are plenty of plants and foliage on display and this is a nice little change from the barren lands of Dundee. I have never been to New Zealand but if I had to guess what it would feel like, I would say the bach is very close to emulating it.
10/10

Aroma
The dark chocolate taste hits you as soon as you lift your cup up for a sniff. Backgrounded bitter tones.
7/10

Presentation
I was very impressed with the latte art as it looked like a cute baby elephant curled up. However, this was not intended. The barista said that the latte art was meant to be abstract and up for interpretation by the coffee drinker.
8/10

Body and Taste
A 80% dark chocolate taste but with a fruity background. Light to medium bodied. A very strong acidic taste that not many folk would appreciate. Sadly, the acidity did overpower most other tastes. Astringent aftertaste that lingered.
6/10

Cost
A flat white sets you back £2.50 which is around the average for an espresso based drink.
7/10

The Verdict
The coffee was nice but a little too harsh for my taste buds. But I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and food. It felt like I was having a nice lunch on a holiday in the tropics of Thailand. In this pandemic, I would say that this alone warrants a trip to the Bach so that you feel like you are on a holiday. They also have a wide selection of cakes and pastries including a New Zealand style Pavlova, probably the only place in Dundee to sell one.
Overall score = 38/50 or 76%
(Read “My Review System” to interpret the score)

Fact Sheet
Coffee beans – Cairngorm coffee, Villamaria blend
Origin – Columbia
Roast – Medium roast
Dairy-free/Vegan options – Available
Wifi – Available
Charging ports – Available
Accessibility – Café is in the middle of town so parking is very limited and only for 45 minutes at a time. Easily reached by bus.