Fernando & Wells: the Perfect Flat White

now isn't that a thing of beauty? 

Sometimes, you just need a cup of coffee. But not just any cup of coffee. A proper, foamy, frothy, full-bodied, ceramic-mugged cup o' glory. Enter the flat white.

The flat white is the Down Under take on a cappucino, still using espresso as its base, but topped with microfoam instead of dry foam. Quick tutorial: microfoam is obtained by heating the milk to a lower temperature (typically 60-70 degrees Celsius), retaining fat and proteins in the milk which contribute to a silkier, sweeter flavor and thicker head than the large-bubbled, often tasteless dry foam often characteristic of a cheap cappu. In recent years, the flat white has gained popularity throughout the UK, and is often served with "latte art" on top, a design painted into the foam. And man, is it tasty.

A multitude of coffee shops (including that dreaded corporate giant, Starsucks) have started carrying the flat white recently, probably in keeping with the rise of sophisticated coffee bars in London. Being the coffee snob that I am, I had to have the best and the brightest, so I headed to Fernandez & Wells' espresso bar, a Soho institution touted as one of London's best cafes.

Now, given that I desperately sought a respite from gale-force winds and driving rain at the moment I found F&W, my perception of its majesty might be somewhat, shall we say, biased. But this place is pretty much all that an espresso bar should be. Menu items are listed in black marker on mirrors behind the bar, and the coffee selections are limited to the categories of beverage they offer (espresso, tea, drip) so customers in the know can request their style to order. An array of both hot and cold artisanal sandwiches and cakes were piled high along the blonde wood bar, accented nicely by a red countertop behind. Seating is provided by a bench across the opposite wall, with several industrial steel-style cafe tables and a few chairs scattered around. This tiny establishment can probably hold twenty people, max. In the rain, push to twenty-five. Humanity, after all.

And the coffee? Delicious. My flat white arrived with a charming swirly-heart on top which I hated to ruin by stirring in a spoonful of raw sugar. Lucky enough to snag a table, I cozied up with a book and my cup and sat happy as a little clam, enjoying my reading with one ear out for the playful banter of the black-and-white clad barristas, new-age folk music and the hum of conversation burbling in the background. Situated down a twee alleyway, this place is for those in the know, and the clientele reflected the funky flavor of Soho residents and frequenters.

All in all? A most excellent way to spend a rainy afternoon in London. My hour or so in Fernando & Wells must have been the most relaxing period of my entire London tenure. That is, until I had to battle the rest of the sodden public for a tube ride home.