85 degrees is a Taiwanese franchise that has over 300 stores at home, one of their unique product line is coffee with sea salt.  They expanded to Sydney in 2006 and this is their flagship store on George street, within cooee of other asian franchises Menya Mappen and Pepper Lunch.

The place basically serves cakes and coffee, although the expensive rent on George street means they strongly encourage takeaway – it’s a small shop with very few chairs.

Walter thought the strawberry sponge (above) was delicious, he’d be keen for us to go to 85 degress everyday.

I’m less fond of my cheesecake, which was difficult to penetrate and was heavily perfumed.

The company’s name come from their coffee – apparently 85 degrees centigrade is the ideal temperature to enjoy your coffee.  According to the company “Under this temperature, you can taste the sweetness, bitterness and sourness of the premium made coffee…”.

But it’s just not any coffee, we tried the 85 degrees coffee with added sea salt. The company reckons “Sea salt, which is also called ocean salt, is not refined and has more minerals than table salt. Besides giving the salty flavor, it opens the taste buds of your tongue, so you get a unique flavor from our salt coffee”.

It certainly is a strange taste, I get their point about opening up the taste buds, I do feel like I can taste more.  But unfortunately I can also taste the salt.  And I don’t have sugar with my coffee, so wonder how it tastes with sugar and salt?

85 degrees have four branches in Australia, all located in the Sydney area: Sydney CBD, Kingsford, Chatswood, Parramatta.

85 Degrees Bakery and Cafe
Shop 9, 551 George St, Sydney
(02) 9904 8585

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