Long-awaited retail park cafe has arrived but was it worth the wait
It's been quite a wait for coffee fans. Signs have been suggesting Black Sheep Coffee were opening a cafe at Broughton shopping centre for some two years.
But on Thursday the chain - with branches around the UK - finally flung open their doors. Judging by the response so far it's clear that it's set to be a success.
Franchise owners - and husband and wife team - Haris Mirza and Saba Jamshed will run the cafe - in addition to one they operate in Preston. Hari, 41, told me their Preston one took a year to be as popular as this Flintshire one is now so the future looks positive. The North Wales Live Whatsapp community for top stories and breaking news is live now - here's how to sign up
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Haris said what makes Black Sheep Coffee is different is its Robusta coffee naturally contains twice as much caffeine as normal Arabica coffee beans but in a good way. It's less acidic and it's more chocolatey and nutty so it's got the right notes.
"It's what drove me to open this cafe," he says. "I was literally just a customer like anyone else. I would just go and buy a regular mocha and then I just ended up taking on the franchise.
"The Robusta coffee beans come from India and the equivalent of the Arabica beans - which is the Blue Volcano which is fruitier - come from Colombia. There are other coffees as well.
"There are so many options to customise - different syrups like hazelnut. caramel....., and whipped cream."
Haris says it's a friendly place where staff including him and his wife chat to customers. Customers order at the front, pay at the next counter and collect at the far end.
The orders are made on one of three touch screens, much like in McDonald's or M&S cafes. There are lots of bagels, sandwiches and croissants and the like.
The meal deals looked good. I went for a Chicken & chorizo farmhouse sandwich, flapjack (in a plastic wrapping) and cappuccino. The drink is from their "Blue Volcano" range and I went for added caramel.
It's quite strong and rich and exactly what it's difficult to make at home. There were many Matcha drinks too. Matcha means finely-ground powder of green tea which can be added to milk, water or another drink.
While here I had one with lemonade. It tastes rather like Lilt or 7UP, from back in the day, without the fizziness. And while it looks somewhat unappetising it tastes sweetish and light, and with some ice, it was a refreshing pick me up on a warm and muggy day.
The Chicken & chorizo sandwich was on fresh bread and with a cottage cheese filling. That made it lovely and moist and it was delicious.
I would have preferred the flapjack not to be in wrapping and to be a bigger square on a plate from the counter. But it was soft and fruity and a lovely snack.
The decor was unpretentious, like the Black Sheep Coffee cafe I'd been to in Cardiff. This one has exposed, ventilation ducts, faux distressed plank flooring, breeze blocks and corrugated metal on one wall. They give it an industrial look.
The grey artwork personalises this branch. Striking images of two racehorses presumably hurtling around the Roodee circuit (Chester Racecourse) and Roman Chester city walls are a nice choice.
It's the first Black Sheep Coffee branch in North Wales - between Clogau and Lush at Broughton retail park. And with a relatively captive audience it should do well.
Location: Black Sheep Coffee, Broughton retail park, Flintshire CH4 0DE.
Food: Tasty and fresh with imaginative coffees, shots and Matcha teas.
Service: Friendly and efficient
Atmosphere: Unfussy and relaxed.
The bill: Chicken & chorizo farmhouse sandwich, cappuccino with caramel shot and fruit and seed flapjack: £9.38.
Verdict: A little piece of cosmopolitan life from a household chain now in North Wales too.
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