It’s almost one year since A-Block firmly established itself as the go-to café in the heart of Browns Bay, and while Channel Magazine was the first to share the news then (see Issue #92), the Auckland food review accolades have been coming ever since. Nikki Davidson visited to check out how the first year has gone.
Owner David Huang, a national barista competition winner, now judge and coach, is a true hospitality professional, not to mention a pretty savvy businessman. But more on that soon.
Café lovers, both local and further afield, have been making the jaunt to spacious A-Block to savour the creative and Instagram-worthy menu and inviting cabinet food. While the menu is updated seasonally and to suit current eating styles, the team has kept some of the core dishes such as their ‘Not So Frenchie’ French toast (recently described on Zomato as “to die for”), and the best-selling ‘Shroom’ with truffled portobello, Spanish goat cheese, almond creamy mushroom puree and sourdough. And avocado has been available, without price increase, right through the recent shortage.
One of the highlights of the past year has been the installation of a coffee roasting machine for A-Block's own Society Coffee brand, used at A-Block and its sister café Black & Gold in Albany, as well as by wholesale clients around the country. And not just cafés but corporate clients too, who value a great cup of coffee at work and for their visiting clients.
Another highlight was Ken Te placing third in the Meadowfresh New Zealand Barista Championship 2019 as well as being awarded Best Newcomer. David was his coach who also travelled to Boston with the winner who came 13th in the world. Which brings me to David’s real passion: education about coffee.
You only need to sit with David for five minutes to see he oozes enthusiasm about this liquid black gold. In true David entrepreneurial style, his desire is to open up a whole new world to coffee lovers by taking them on a sensory journey to reinvigorate their passion. This comes in the form of unique classes held at A-Block including three-course coffee appreciation workshops that will help build your palate through flavour identification, analysis and how to bring out the flavours you prefer. One or all three of these appreciation classes can be booked on the Society Coffee website and would make an excellent birthday present for that coffee bean in your life. Other classes include barista workshops for those wishing to develop this skill to work in the industry; I can vouch for this tutoring being the best you will find.
A-Block lends itself perfectly to those workshops which are also a great idea for a corporate team to enjoy together. When the café is closed the space is regularly booked out for meetings and functions, with A-Block’s fabulous catering provided.
David knows that operating a café is not just about the food and coffee on the table. It’s about growing your business then knowing when to consolidate. His team meets regularly to review and refine different aspects of the business such as the menu, trends, their online brand and messages, website content and sales, and ensure that the basics are always solid. The fresh growth is then taken care of organically.
Those of us on the Shore are lucky to have such a passionate and experienced operator in our midst and that we can appreciate him and his growing coffee and food hospitality in the seaside village of Browns Bay.
A Block – 76 Clyde Rd, Browns Bay, Auckland 0630. Phone: 09-476 6878.
