Campos Coffee

IN CARLTON, the heartland of Melbourne's coffee culture, Sydney specialty coffee company Campos has bravely opened a cafe. Armed with a $23,000 Slayer coffee machine, brothers Brian and Matthew Dessaix — with the help of a team of three baristas — are ready to take on the local cafes.

"We see Melbourne as the final frontier," Brian says. "It's a very competitive and discerning market. Melbourne people really know their coffee and we want to test our wares here."

Cafe Campos on Elgin Street is nicely turned out with charcoal tones, exposed brick and lots of wood. There's a large central bench, three counters with steel seats and a few tables for more intimate discussions.

The Slayer machine, one of a handful in Melbourne, is testament that the Campos team is serious about taking on the likes of Seven Seeds (Carlton neighbours) or South Melbourne-based St Ali. There's also a siphon bar and, down the track, French press (plunger), pour-over and AeroPress coffees will be offered, depending on the suitability of available beans.

Despite all the so-called third-wave paraphernalia, Dessaix predicts that 90 per cent of customers will order a good old traditional espresso.

Campos's superior blend, of nine to 10 beans, is the mainstay of the espresso orders, which are delivered to customers with the Campos logo as the latte art.

Campos will open a roastery at the back of its Carlton building in the new year and hopes to supply other local cafes with its coffee.

Dessaix says Campos can be boutique but big — though that sounds like a contradiction. In Sydney, Campos has only two cafes but supplies coffee to about 100 places. So Campos could become an important player here in the next few years.

"Our philosophy of delivering specialty coffee on a large scale is what sets us apart from our competition," Dessaix says.

"In the next month, you will see our coffee around the suburbs of Melbourne."

The Campos team will taste its superior blend two to three times a day to check on the brew. Dessaix says the blend is a complex drop with a Papua New Guinean base. It's a bright and fruity brew with caramel tones and it goes well with milk.

He hopes to have three seasonal single-origin beans on offer. This week, the focus is on the Kenya Kichwa Tembo AA, which is full on the palate, complex and vibrant, with juicy, sweet lemon flavours.

Campos has direct trade relationships with coffee farmers. It has six packaged blends, including the house mix, which is available to take home.

Food is considered a distraction but, if you're hungry, you can buy Noisette pastries and Little Bertha treats.

A barista with 14 years' experience, Dessaix has worked in the US, Spain and Britain. His brother Matthew is the head barista of three other baristas, who have all been trained in the Campos way.

"We're excited and really confident about our product," Dessaix says. "I feel we can compete in this discerning market."