11 Feb 2013
Situated on the corner of the Prahran market, is a bustling coffee shop.
From selection of the right coffee beans, through to the roasting process and right up until the last drop is poured for the customer, Toshi manages quality control. This is what makes Market Lane Coffee.
Toshi’s day starts with coffee tasting. Taking into consideration of the coffee bean origin and harvest date, he uses a German built machine to do the roasting, controlled at just the right temperature. Up to 4kg of coffee can be roasted at a time.
“We treat coffee beans just like fresh food. Even coffee beans ordered from the same place will vary in flavour. Of course there is a process for roasting, but where you might have 150 different aromas in wine, it is said that there are 600 different aromas found in coffee”, Toshi explains.
"In recent years our clientele are becoming more interested in the quality of their coffee and at the same time, we are also seeing the coffee beans being associated with various individual characters."
The most popular coffee we make is the Cafe Latte, which is very milky. We would like people to enjoy the taste of milk too so we have a contract with a hormone free organic supplier and have deliveries of it done every day. Also, we prefer to use organic sugar from Costa Rica.
Indeed, inside the shop you can see the enjoyment on everyone's faces as they drink their coffee.
“We are situated inside a market, so we don't mind customers enjoying their coffee with the fresh food they bought at the market. The flavour of the coffee also depend on the season and right now, Brazilian coffee is especially tasty.”
You can also purchase coffee beans and seedlings in the store.
“I would like my customers to know more about coffee, so on Friday to Sunday from 10am onwards, we have coffee tastings instore.”
"In recent times drip filter coffee has become quite popular. But there isn’t much of a pour over coffee culture in Melbourne and I can see a new style of coffee drinking emerging.
Toshi spent time in Brazil from the ages of 2 to 9. When surrounded by the familiar smell of coffee, his childhood memories come flooding back.
Sitting in a spacious shop with glass windows, alongside an easy going atmosphere with a cup of coffee in one hand I take a breath. My shoulders relax and I feel recharged.
Market Lane Coffee will be a favourite of mine. It’s a place where one can really enjoy tasty coffee.
Another interview with Toshi in 2009 (Japanese)
Shop 13 Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra 3141
(03) 9804 7434
Mon Closed, Tue 7am-5pm, Wed 7am-4pm、Thu-Sat 7am-5pm、Sun 8am-4pm
www.marketlane.com.au
Article: Keiko Hattori
Photos: Grub
Translation: Sam Hewson
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