L.A.'s Best Coffee-Part 1

It was requested that I take a moment to discuss how one might be able to get great coffee around the city of Los Angeles, possibly even including some recommendations from the various corporate offerings around the area (i.e. Peets, Starbucks, Coffee Bean, etc.) The idea is to find some things worth drinking, but maybe not having to go well out of your way to find something at least OK. It is kind of like trying to find a great wine under $20. Maybe you can find it at Trader Joe's, but it is still a nice wine.

When it comes to non-corporate coffee, I am always trying to find new places. However, I have found a few and I will try to briefly highlight each of them. In the future, I will post more detailed reviews of each of my experiences.

On the border of West Los Angeles and Santa Monica is a very small, and very "vibey" coffee establishment called Cafe Balcony. Their hook is the fact that they brew "Siphon" coffee. I won't try to explain how this works, but basically it uses a vacuum pot technology. If you are willing to pay the $3.50 (small) or $5.00 (large) for a cup of single origin coffee, it is a great clean cup. The owner really knows this part of the coffee world. He understands everything from roasting to brewing and everything surrounding the process of making a great cup of coffee. Oddly, though, they completely miss the mark on espresso, so honestly, don't even bother. So strange, but true in this instance. One added highlight is that the owner has an informal "cupping" (kind of like a wine tasting") on certain days throughout the month. Last I checked it was on Mondays, but that may have all changed as I have not spoken with the owner for awhile. Regardless, this is a great Westside spot for coffee. One last note....CASH ONLY!!! Cafe Balcony is located at:

Cafe Balcony
12431 Rochester Avenue
West Los Angeles, CA 90025
Open 7 Days a week from Noon-Midnight
http://www.cafebalcony.com/


Down in Newport Beach is Kean Coffee. This is owned by Martin Diedrich, son of the famed Carl Diedrich of Diedrich Coffee. Starbucks would not even exist today if it was not for the Diedrichs. They have a long history of expertise in the coffee world. I have even ordered their amazing fresh roasted coffee on line and had it delivered to me. This is what Starbucks dreams it could be. Visit their website for sure, but drop by their shop in Newport Beach:

Kean Coffee
2043 Westcliff Drive, Suite 100
Newport Beach, CA 92660
http://www.keancoffee.com/


Intelligentsia is a well-known and well-respected name in coffee. Since opening their store in the Silverlake area, Angelinos have been blessed with some of the greatest coffee on the west coast. This is serious coffee for real aficionados. They do it all and they do it very well. The downside to Intelligentsia is the limited seating (and it is limited to the outdoors). So those wanting that coffee house "hang" will not get it here. Otherwise, you can expect a cup that is unlike any anywhere in Southern California and possibly beyond.

Intelligentsia
3922 West Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90029
http://www.intelligentsia.com/


As for the corporate stuff, I actually intend to do a little research about the various things being brewed in the stores and whole bean being sold in vacuum sealed bags. A couple of things, though, to start. Starbucks Pike Place is just a plain old disaster. It is unfortunate that they have put that out as their flagship coffee. If you can get the "Morning Pick", and tolerate the burned taste, then you might get something that you kind of get by with. I don't frequent Peets or Coffee Bean often, but I will and will write at a later time. I have heard many times about how Peets taught Starbucks the tricks of the trade and that Peets is the real deal. Honestly, if I were Peets, I would not brag about teaching Starbucks what they know. Starbucks completely misses the mark. I would hate to be the one who taught them that. Peets, you might want to keep that under the radar from now on.

For whole bean, I have had Starbucks Kenya AA and Guatemala Casa Cielo. They both were actually pretty good...ON THE FIRST DAY!!! But once you break that vacuum seal, those descriptors you read about on the bag quickly disappear. The reality is, you can't preserve a roast. No coffee is really going to be able to hold up for months at a time even though Starbucks puts a date on the package. Really, I actually kind of enjoyed the two aforementioned coffees in my french press on the first day (maybe a little on the second as well), but by day three most of the notes had been diminished if not completely disappeared.

So another post or series of posts will deal with the issue of corporate coffee. For now, if you are in the L.A. area, and you have the time, check out one of the local coffee establishments. The ones above are great, each in their own right. There are others as well, and I intend to write about them as I get to experience them.

It is what it is!

Starbucks Rant #1

I LOVE coffee. I mean I REALLY love coffee. Which is pretty odd because until the birth of my second child, I avoided this great elixir from the heavenly realms completely. The only reason why I sampled this beverage in the first place was out of pure desperation to be able to function as a father and husband to a growing family. I needed caffeine. My first experience: Starbucks Christmas Blend (Circa 2005) at a friends Christmas gathering. And it was at that point that I was truly introduced to Starbucks beyond getting an iced mocha.

From the get go, I never actually liked the taste of coffee unless it was laced with large amounts of Coffeemate Vanilla or Hazelnut creamer. I would drink anything that said it was coffee as long as it was not decaf. Then, one fine day, those same heavenly realms opened and a choir of angels sang as I sipped my first "real" cup of coffee, a Kenya AA roasted from Intelligentsia and brewed in a french press. Oh...now THAT'S coffee. I immediately realized that coffee was not meant to taste like metal, mud, charcoal, paper grocery bags..DEATH! It was supposed to taste good, like a nice wine.

So this leads me to Starbucks Rant #1: Starbucks, in all it's corporate glory, purports itself to be some sort of authority on coffee. At one time, this may have been so. But somewhere along the way, Starbucks has seemed to forgotten how to make coffee or any other coffee related beverage. It seems like every person I talk to, coffee aficionado or not, agrees that coffee from Starbucks is over roasted. But my problem only begins there. They now try to come off as authentic by posting in front of you the date of their new, immensely bland and tasteless Pike Place Roast. It will generally give a date that is three weeks or more prior to when they are actually serving the coffee. The reality is, there is nothing fresh about coffee that was roasted many weeks, even months before it is actually brewed. All of those potential flavors and notes are lost.

Starbucks has been in the coffee business for decades. It is a brand that is recognized by anyone who does not live in a remote mountain cabin (even the Unibomber must know about Starbucks). They should know better than to try to pass off what they serve in their stores as coffee. I recognize that when a business becomes a huge corporation like Starbucks, quality control and attention to detail becomes increasingly more difficult. But just be honest about it. Don't try to use smoke and mirrors to make it seem like the customer is getting a high quality, authentic product. Purchasing an espresso machine manufacturer (this was done so that customers would think that they are getting the very best espresso known to man...nice try!!!), posting irrelevant roast dates or creating this signature roast (Pike Place Roast) doesn't cut it. At the end of the day, unless you milk and sugar your coffee to death or order a heavily sugared latte drink, you do not get anything that is close to palatable.

I accept Starbucks for what they are. Corporate coffee that is very convenient and helpful for getting a decent caffeine fix. I have to also give Starbucks credit for even putting coffee in the forefront in terms of beverage consumption in this country. They have elevated all of our expectations as to what we demand in the cup. This, however, may also be the demise of the Starbucks reputation. Will Starbucks ever get back to the basics that established them in the first place? Let's hope.

It is what it is!

Lake Balboa-San Fernando Valley Treasure

Living on the "west side", I don't get out to the San Fernando Valley (aka "The Valley") much a part from work requirements. On Saturday, I decided to take my wife and kiddos to the brand new all access playground located at the Lake Balboa recreation complex. For those that are unaware, the City of Los Angeles is in the middle of a huge project to build all access playgrounds, 75 total, across the city. These playgrounds, modeled after Shane's Inspiration in Griffith Park, feature equipment that any child can play on, including those with severe handicaps. This is an amazing endeavor and one I am happy to have my tax dollars support.

Located right next to Lake Balboa is one of these enormous all access play structure as described above complete with different sections depending on the age of the child. There are smaller structures for toddlers and larger structures for the big kids. And of course, you have LOTS of sand play. I wanted to take a moment to write about this because it is difficult to find places for kids these days that are 1. free 2. safe 3. clean (except for the bathrooms. See below for more on that). This park meets these requirements. In addition, the park is nestled next to the lake which is complete with a walking path, picnic areas and lots of open space. On this day, there were numerous birthday gatherings and other types of parties complete with bouncers and other party vendors. One can rent a pavilion space from the City of Los Angeles Parks and Recreation for a mere $80. While swimming is not allowed (at least as far as I could see), there are opportunities to rent small paddle boats to take out on to the lake.

Apart from the obvious amenities is simply that this is such a beautiful part of our large city. With the kind of weather that we get in southern California, it is great to spread the word about great outdoor experiences here in L.A., especially ones that are good for families. I have lived in L.A. for over ten years, many in the Valley, and had never been to Lake Balboa. The one thing I would point out is that the bathrooms, like most city parks it seems, are not kept well. So, plan ahead. The bathrooms do not have soap or paper towels. If you care about cleanliness in bathrooms, as I hope that you do as I do, then bring some anti-bacterial gel or hand wipes. I intend to "encourage" the city to do a better job with providing clean bathrooms. Maybe you can to.

In the meantime, whether it be Lake Balboa or elsewhere, take time to check out the many parks in the City of Los Angeles. They really are doing a great job in providing lots of outdoor open space for kids and families to play and enjoy this great city with its amazing weather. Below is a link to the L.A. Parks and Rec department. Check out Lake Balboa, but also try to find a park near you. Some of the all access playgrounds are listed at the link below, but most are still being constructed.

http://www.laparks.org/dos/playground/accessibleplay.htm

Figtree's Cafe-unique gem in Venice, CA

My wife Kristin and I often comment about how amazing it is to live in the Los Angeles area. The weather is perfect most of the year, there are so many things to do, and it is easy to find great food, especially if you are willing to be a little adventurous. Such was the case today when we ended up at Figtree's Cafe on Ocean Front Walk in Venice, CA. The afternoon began as a spontaneous trip to Ocean Walk where the kids could play on the beach side playground and ride bikes. The sun was out, the breeze was blowing. It was hard to believe that today was the last day of summer.

My wife always knows how to find a good deal. With a family of five in a rough economy on a teacher's salary, you do what you have to do. Our solution...The Entertainment Book...seriously. There are so many great coupons for little "mom and pop" eateries and establishments. The $25 is made up quickly after just a couple of outings. Honestly, the only reason why we even knew about Figtree's is because my wife was specifically looking for a coupon for a restaurant on Ocean Walk. Figtree's fit the bill completely.

We soon found out that this little cafe is a well-established eatery with an excellent and well deserved reputation. One thing that I really look for in a restaurant is a hook. What makes it unique? What is the specialty?

Figtree's makes itself standout in a number of ways. First, the ingredients used in their recipes are mostly, if not entirely, organic. This is not just good because of all of the great social reasons. Simply put, fresh food tastes better. It seems like the people at this eatery understand this and it shows in the dishes, not to mention the impressive list of vendors on their menu that supply their culinary needs. Second, so many of the restaurants on Ocean Walk have more typical "beach fair". You see plenty of bar type places where you know you can get an American draft beer and probably some fish and chips. Not exactly a beacon of culinary light. So to run across a place like Figtree's is a breath of fresh air. (And that is no joke if you sit inside. You end up avoiding the common Venice Beach skunk aroma...hmmm...I WONDER what THAT is?)

So let's talk about the food. My wife and I always get two dishes and share them. We then order something for the kids as well. In this instance, we also were given a chance to sample a few appetizers, a dessert and some specialty (I love specialty) "elixirs". Kristin and I had the Mediterranean Chicken Salad and the Figtree Quesadilla. The quesadilla is made with grilled vegetables, p0blano chiles, cojita cheese, guacamole, chile sauce in a whole wheat tortilla. It also came with a nice glob of sour cream and little side of salsa. At first bite, that smokey, grilled flavor dominated the whole experience. Then it was smoothed out with the cojita cheese and guacamole. The vegetables were prepared perfect, fully cooked, but with a good crunch. There is nothing worse than overcooked vegetables, especially if the vegetable is the star of the dish. They nailed this one.

The Mediterranean Chicken Salad was the best of the two entrees we tried. The red-wine vinaigrette is tossed with greens, julienned veggies, potatoes, kalamata olives and shredded chicken breast. Normally, I get dressing on the side, but that was not an option in this case. It turned out that the dressing was light and really ignited the flavors of the vegetables and olives. The chicken really acted as not only a source of protein, but to give the salad a thicker, heartier texture. Again, healthy and tasty all in one.

It is important to note that Figtree's can accommodate families with small children. Mine are all under five, so kid friendly places are key to our sanity. It is not often that we are able to stop at a place like this where we can get a high chair, crayons and a kids menu that is not just a heart attack waiting to happen. This menu had great options for the kids. We opted for the turkey tacos and the pasta with veggies. Perfect choices. The tacos were simple with just shredded turkey in corn tortillas. The kids loved the multi-colored tortilla chips that came on the side. I really appreciated the fact that the vegetables were cooked to perfection in this case as in the previous instances with our dishes. My kids ate everything that was put in front of them. I am glad to see an establishment that mainly caters to adults also have a healthy and well executed kids menu.

Two appetizers that actually came after our entrees (we ordered it that way, thanks to a chance meeting with the lovely owner, Victoria) were the potstickers and the chicken tenders. On the outside, the potstickers look like any other that you find at any Chinese restaurant. Inside, however, was a festival of flavor consisting of tofu, cabbage, peppers, mushrooms, garlic and the "what in the world was THAT" flavor of the soy-ginger dipping sauce. NICE!!! The Parmesan chicken tenders were a surprise. I NEVER get tenders and I was even surprised that Victoria recommended them. But, they tasted really good. SO nice to have tenders that aren't breaded and deep fried. Instead, they are coated in Parmesan and are simply pan fried. Simple alone and really tasty when dipped in the mustard based dipping sauce. My kids loved these as well.

We finished off with two elixirs and a slice of Figtree Cheesecake. This is one of those "specialty" experiences. They have an extensive list of elixirs, each with a different set of ingredients as well as purpose in promoting a healthier lifestyle. We had the "Deep Recharger" and "Liquid Yoga". If you stop here for any reason, you really have to try these. They are so refreshing, full of "anti-oxidants", and very tasty even without any added sugars of any kind. I will post a link for this product at the end of this review should you want more information about this special product.

So...let's talk about the outrageous cheesecake, shall we? WHAT IS IN THAT CRUST? It was like a pumpkin spice pie crust that was not like anything I have ever tasted on a cheesecake. The actual cheesecake was also very unique. It was completely non-dairy and yet had the same thick, firm consistency that one would expect in a great traditional cheesecake.

Clearly by the length of this post, not only am I into detail, I am into this restaurant. I must point out one thing, though. Good food takes time. I expect that in a place like this. While we were not in any rush, it seemed like the service could have been better in dealing with the timing issue. Our waitress never refilled water or even offered bread. I had to ask for it after a long time. She eventually brought a small basket of cold bread, but I should not have had to even ask for any of it. We had three hungry kids, not too mention the two hungry parents. The restaurant was not at all full, so it was not as though the waitress was too busy to handle us. There just seemed to be an overly lackadaisical attitude that could have easily been avoided. Thankfully, the food was excellent, the owner hospitable and that will certainly be my lasting memory of this little place.

It is what it is!

http://figtreescafe.com/
http://www.elixirtonics.com/

La Mill Coffee Boutique-Silverlake

My very good friend, and fellow coffee connoisseur, Dave, seems to always be able to find great coffee. Dave and I have grown to appreciate coffee as more than just a way to stay awake throughout the day. Coffee really is a culinary experience. Many of the same flavor profile descriptions that you might associate with wine are also potentially found in truly high quality coffees. Such was the case of a coffee that we tasted.

Recently, Dave brought into work an Ethiopia Idido Misty Valley from La Mill Coffee Boutique. While I have never visited this Silverlake (Los Angeles area) cafe and eatery, I was pleasantly surprised by the coffee that I was able to sample. This is especially notable because La Mill is located in the same neighborhood as the well recognized and well respected Intelligentsia coffee. In order to even come close to what Intelli is doing, you really have to have some serious chops. At the very least, La Mill aims to take what they are doing very seriously, delivering excellence in selecting and roasting their beans.

So Dave used our usual workplace method: Filtered water, French press and blade grinder. If it were not at work, the process on our end would be significantly enhanced: Conical burr grinder (blade grinders just wreck the bean), Chemex or vac pot (I like a French press a lot, too), better water filter (the one in the work room just needs replacing).... Even with things being imperfect, this Ethiopia really blossomed. Right at first nose, you are overwhelmed by the smell of blueberries. The taste was consistent with this smell and was combined with a full body. This was not your everyday workplace coffee. (Dave and I don't play that!!!) Had I not been in such a rush, I may have been able to really savor this coffee. In addition, Dave pointed out that the coffee was actually toward the end of the week off of roast. So I can't imagine how it would have tasted had we not only used our best case scenario brewing methods, but also if we had been able to taste the coffee within a day or two off roast. Dave did not even purchase it until it was a few days off roast.

This says something to me about what is happening at La Mill. While I am still moving out of "amateur coffee drinker" status, it is obvious to me that they have some idea about what they are doing. They were able to set up a deal with a great farm in Ethiopia and have been able to demonstrate a solid ability to roast a great coffee. I am anxious to visit La Mill in person, even if it means consuming some rather overpriced food and beverage. I have posted their web address below. Check it out yourself and then post your own comments about your experience here. Also, as an aside...if you are in Silverlake, make sure you take time to partake in truly one of the most amazing coffee experiences of your life...Intelligentsia. I have posted a link to their website as well.

It is what it is!!!

http://www.lamillcoffee.com/
http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/retail/silverlake

Cafe Rolz-Grand Opening Post

This marks the beginning of my blog focused on the coffee, culinary delights and cultural adventures of Los Angeles. My passion for great music, well-crafted coffee, adventurous food and multi-cultural experiences all will come together by way of my various reviews and thoughts involving the aforementioned topics. Whether it be commenting on the summer Latin Jazz concert series at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, thoughts on the Los Angeles Greek Festival, or simply ranting or raving about a particular cafe or restaurant, you will find plenty of insights and opportunities to post your own ideas. For those outside of Los Angeles who are planning to visit someday, you might find that one of the posts here on this blog will give you a "locals" perspective on great food, coffee and music here and around the city of Los Angeles.