Coffee Shop Alert - Service with a Beam

[Adrian Essex]

Confirmation that BlockBuster will very soon be a spacious and delightful coffee shop

[HappyinCrouchy]

Great. Another coffee shop. Frankly we're spoilt. However, Crouch End is still a magnet for the brilliant and the mediocre. Take Habedashery - outstanding service, great environment and attention to detail.

Then take Melange - the very name sounds mediocre and, believe me, it doesn't get any better inside. Today went in and there was 1 member of staff who failed miserably to serve anyone. We ended up leaving and won't go in again and will tell our friends not to bother either. Like that space usually does, it will end up closing in 3 months once the new place opens up. It serves as a lesson that in a saturated market, only the best survive. Good luck Beam but don't miss the chance to get people onside early and quickly with a compelling offer

[Chris Currer]

I have to disagree with you on Melange; we go quite often and staff are unfailingly pleasant and the food is yummy. Don't know what might have happened to you on your visit but it's completely at odds with ours. And they seem to be a pretty successful place - been there for almost 18 months now and usually looks packed of a Thursday/Friday/Saturday night.

[Rich]

Ha ha, I'm the other way round. I hate the Habedashery with a passion. So rude and pompous. Melange has only ever shown me a good time, and it's reasonably priced.

But another coffee shop? really?

[Dan]

While I know what you mean about the name (not quite Porridge or Slurry, but in that vein), I think I should stick up for Melange. In my experience, based on a couple of visits, the food is well executed and tasty (and decent value, particularly for brunch or their lunch deal), and the service pleasant and welcoming. Think they have done a nice job with the interior too. I suspect you got unlucky and caught them rather understaffed.
It goes to show that opinions can differ, because I have always had the converse experience of The Haberdashery - great atmosphere, lovely service, but sloppy, sometimes burnt, average food. Great coffee though. Whenever I have eaten there, I have always wished I had gone to Banner's instead (bar the fact that their coffee is truly appalling!)
Funnily enough, I had the same long wait-no service experience at a cafe on Park Rd. When I complained that in the 45 mins it took for them not to produce my breakfast, I could have bought and cooked the ingredients myself, they told me they weren't McDonald's.
Still, we are lucky to have so much choice.

[crouchhall]

'Beam me up more like'. 'Spacious and delightful coffee shop'. Puleeze. More like a yummy mummy venue with screaming brats. Will be happy to avoid this buggy nightmare. With any luck the buggy brigade will de-camp here leaving the other coffee venues as peaceful havens.

Also disagree re Melange. Always had a great time there. And completely agree re Haberdashery. Unbelievably precious in all aspects other than food and service.

[Marie]

I also had very poor service at Melange after giving the place a second chance and will now never go back. The last time I visited they forgot my meal, only to bring it out after my daughter had finished eating and served other diners around me (who had arrived after us) the same dish I had ordered. To top it off, I was also overcharged when our bill arrived. I look forward to a spacious new coffee shop opening up soon and as part of the so called 'buggy brigade' who has a happy, well behaved young daughter who likes to eat out with her parents, I will be be happy for the miserable child haters to avoid new places like Beam and continue to frequent Melange or better still for the rest of us in Crouch End, suggest they just stay at home.

[crouchhall]

I will rise to this: desiring peace and quiet having a coffee and reading a paper does not make me a child hater. I'm a noise hater, for sure. So do go and frequent Bream! You will be in good company.

[Rich]

As a self-employed, table hogging laptopper, I'm with you on the noise from babies and their mums in coffee shops. But they probably look at me and think why can't that tightwad just buy another drink or get off the table i need for my morning chin wag with my buggy-laden mummy mates. That's Crouch End for ya! My Kind of Coffee seves the best coffee and is tight enough space-wise to deter the baby brigade. My free tip for you :-)

[crouchhall]

Good tip Rich. Cheers!

[Anette]

Crouchall and Rich, thanks for your posts, I have to say I could not agree more!!! And enjoying a nice quiet coffee does not make us child haters, I'd say it makes us appreciate manners. Something that seems to be lacking in the "let the children scam, sorry, express themselves, brigade"..

[HappyinCrouchy]

Crouchhall - shows exactly the point I made earlier. Either people get it and understand quality. Or, they are cynical, intolerable grumps who don't appreciate Crouch End's diverse population.

Enjoy Melange. It means mix or in material terms a bland, grey material. Sounds perfect for you.

[crouchhall]

I've lived here for nearly 30 years and those that know me know that I am not cynical and as far from grumpy as it possible to get. I rejoice in the diversity of the Crouch End community and have served it all these years. This doesn't mean I have to put up with other people's noise when I have other choices available as now do you.

On all of the three occasions I have visited Melange with friends, we have had a great time.

Please stop goading me into descending into your level of debate. We should be free to express our reasoned opinions on here without having personal insults thrown at us.