Roasted Coffee Laboratory

Replacing the relatively short-lived Filbert Steps coffeeshop on the back streets of Jinnan, this pompously named spot is a café-come-roastery that appears more focused on attracting lunchers with grilled sandwiches and a plentiful dessert menu than on making the most of its enviable facilities. In addition to a roaster, the Lab is equipped with a Steampunk machine, a Chemex pour-over set-up and a hideously expensive-looking espresso machine, but the coffee was average at best on our visit. Okay, it was opening day, so we hope there's still room for improvement.