A recent trip to Dubland yielded a rare old treat when I tracked down 3rd Floor Espresso’s (http://www.3fe.com/) operation in The Twisted Pepper on Middle Abbey St. Following a most stellar recommendation by my Swami of the Bean, Marc Kingston, of Cork’s Golden Bean Coffee Company, I just had to check the place out – what the Swami says, I dutifully does.
Maestro Colin Harmon (2009 & 2010 Irish Barista Champion and 4th in the World Barista Championships in the same two years) wasn’t in attendance but Brian and Tom served me up a pair of sublime double espressos that left me 3Fe-d off my face! There are few things more wearing than being landed in the company of a coffee bore – which 
is why I tend to keep my ramblings on the subject to fellow coffee bores. As fully paid-up members of the club, Brian and Tom, were perfectly happy to serve up a pair of exquisite double espressos and the ‘tasting notes’ to accompany them.
The El Curenteno from Mexico was nutty, chocolate-ey and verrrry smooth with a nice little acidic bite while the San Jose was a right old fiesta in the gob, sweet and sharp as cherries. Plans are afoot to begin roasting their own beans at some stage in the future but for now they use the legendary Stephen Leighton’s Hasbean (https://www.hasbean.co.uk/) beans. As it was lunchtime, I grabbed a roll as well, ham and mature cheddar with relish in a lovely fresh roll with a little white bean and dill dip on the side – simple yet very well done and would put the majority of ‘sandwich’ emporiums to shame. I’m looking forward to checking out the Grand Canal St ‘lab’ the next time I’m up!
Joe McNamee: Food Writer 
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