Ritz Bites

Downtown opening: Urth Caffé, now with fewer douchebags!

Or so we hope, since we count Urth's food and coffee among our guilty L.A. restaurant pleasures. At least they'll be DBs of perhaps a different variety than at the WeHo, BH and Santa Monica locations. And then let there be an official moratorium on the word "douchebag."

Anyway, when visiting Josh in his fab new digs at the Barker Block, we got free cappuccino Italia and lemonades. That's because Urth Caffé on Hewitt in the "Artists'" Loft District -- a factually obsolete neighborhood designation -- opens Monday. Just like most restaurant openings, it's been just a tad delayed. The brick pseudo industrial and Deco building with fancy tile work houses a full baking facility and a lot of Urth's operations, which should help hedge against this location's failure.  Stylistically it's a nice departure from Urth's other spots.

Soft opening is this Monday the 27th, and the official Grand Opening shindig is Sunday, November 16th from noon to 7:00 p.m.

Urth Caffe
451 South Hewitt Street
Downtown 90013
213.797.4534
 

Quick Fix in Echo Park

Any neighborhood would be lucky to have Fix Coffee. Echo Park really scored.

The beans: Portland's Zoka or Intelligentsia. Machine: La Marzocco. Sandwiches, salads and pastries: Susina.

It's obviously a big ol' Gentrification Symbol, so I can't exactly say it will definitely become an all-inclusive community gathering spot. But the outdoor area screened in with bamboo is lovely and holds a lot of potential (perfect for a play area, hint hint; others might agree). The pretty patina metal panels that extend from the outer wall to the low ceiling articulate the roof angle in a way that cleverly nods to Googie architecture. Love the orange recessed lights and the wood veneer touches. A couple Speak & Spell machines help entertain younger (or not, if that's still your thing) customers. 

Baristas could use some more training. Cups are too big for the hardcore Third wavers, and the milk in my capp was more seafoamy than microfoam. No latte art. Sorry, but it's becoming sorta standard in a place like this.

At least they got the right equipment. The rest just takes some time and practice.

Fix Coffee
2100 Echo Park Avenue
Echo Park 90026

Damn! It's hot...Need. Cold. Drink. Now.

As evidenced by today, we've had some scary random high temps this year.  Since it feels too early for watermelon -- it not even being May yet and all -- cucumber is the best cool ingredient at the moment.

My attempt last night to recreate the fantastic cucumber cocktails (cuke-tails?) I've had this week at Hatfield's and Hungry Cat wasn't a raging success. But I've repurposed the ingredients to make a daytime Cucumber Mint Spritzer. Sort of like a virgin cucumber mojito. It's awesome on a day like today.

I like the ratios below, but feel free to tinker to find your magic combo.

5 ounces seltzer
2 oz. fresh cucumber juice
1/2 teaspoon simple syrup
10-15 muddled mint leaves
Combine ingredients and garnish with mint leaves and cucumber slice.

Plenty of Grist for LA Mill Coffee

LA Mill will get people talking. To locals who dread the gentrification of Silver Lake, there's plenty to loathe. To folks who love top notch, exactingly made coffee and tea with simple honesty and sincerity, it offers reason to celebrate and a few things to be confused about. To people who love killer eclectic design matched with great drink and food, they -- o.k., WE -- will be excited. The national food press will inevitably be all over it. 

Think hybrid of Boule, Whist, Intelligentsia, and the long-gone Velvet Turtle coffee shop at the Beverly Wilshire. In contrast to the coffee salon at Sunset Junction that's awash in plywood, this is all slick polished expensive surfaces territory. The counter and faux-skin puffy chairs reference the comfort of 50s coffee shops, but I'm curious to see just how far that ethic goes. So far no wifi to encourage people to linger longer. Yet on opening day, customers were slowly soaking in the atmo and slurping down goodies from the extensive menu.

Andy might be onto something when he suggested a striking writer was hired to flesh out the very elaborate copy. At LA Mill you can order an espresso knowing exactly what it is, and read all about the subtle nuances of the teas and coffees, or that Thomas Keller-esque concoction you are about to enjoy. It's a wordy kind of place.

Lesley posted a good roundup of the decor. Honestly, though, aren't people going to tire of Regency soon enough already? Maybe the gorgeous sheets of floor-to-ceiling glass and action behind the counter will continue to dazzle when the appeal of French Poussin-inspired gray toned wallpaper and Dutch style brass chandeliers lose their kitschy cool.

Eager customers who showed up on Friday were lucky enough to get free stuff. Those of us who got there late missed out on food, save for the lone baguette, and a couple of Smurf blue colored macarons. But the cappuccino was silky smooth, with less acidity (in a good way) than Intelligentsia. To make sure that tea is steeped just so, an hourglass is placed in front of you so you can plunge the leaves into the pot at the right moment. Coffee also comes prepped via the Clover, Eva Solo, and Chemex apparatuses.

Though some might fear it, Intelligentsia won't get usurped from its rightful place within the Silver Lake hipster habitat. With its plentiful uniformed staff, use of words like "couture" and "boutique," and grown-up crowd, LA Mill could be as far west as La Cienega. At least. But with a much more down-to-earth, relaxed vibe. Expect to see bridal and baby showers happening beneath the baroque mirrors any day now.

LA Mill Coffee Boutique
1636 Silver Lake Blvd., 90026
323.663.4441

Coffee Bloggers are really intense

Our friend Sarah told Henry about her co-worker's boyfriend's great coffee blog. Since that introduction, he's been delving this week into the world of third wave coffee bloggers.

It's an admirably obsessive, dedicated crew with a super tight online community.  And some of our favorite familiar baristas who pull shots at our local Intelligentsia (whose own blog needs some updating) have a big cyber presence. These guys write a lot, and are also very into their Chemexes. This one wins for best logo.

If you think you're really into coffee, check out these sites and think again.

I heart Intelligentsia Coffee, Silver Lake

In the wake of Sunset Junction, Sunset Blvd. near Sanborn Avenue this morning was a little smellier and flier-strewn than usual.  Another reminder of why I'm glad we skipped the street fair (though Ben Harper was tempting), but got to the new location of Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea as soon as we could.  At last!

All Monday mornings should start this delightfully: a perfectly prepared Synesso-pulled cappuccino with a heart staring up at me from the micro-foam, a pain au chocolat imported across town from Breadbar, and a sample of Clover-brewed Guatemalan coffee. 

The set-up is open and ordering system fluid; cash registers are installed nearly flush with the expansive counters so that there's not a big monitor between you and the expert baristas who are really into their jobs.  You're encouraged to talk to them.  Intelligentsia's ingeniously idiosyncratic interior also dispels any fears that this high-consciousness company threatens to become the Starbucks of the hard core coffee geek set.  But that would be a good problem.

Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea
3922 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles 90029

P.S. I just came across Intelligentsia L.A.'s blog. Looking forward to reading it, since I had an interesting geeky chat with Kyle on Thursday afternoon.

Cappuccino to Swoon Over

Latte art is an ongoing pursuit in our household, and is being advanced thanks to David Schomer's educational materials.  Though I myself don't have time nor patience to spend hours in front of the espresso machine, I'm the lucky beneficiary of such studiousness (I allow myself one single per day). 

This brand of edible creativity is awesome, because unlike some other tricked-out food stunts, having fun with milk foam isn't a way to mask poor quality.  Instead it showcases the talents of someone who strives only for the best flavor and texture.  Chances are a cappuccino or latte finished off with a leaf or heart tastes as good as it looks.

Which is why I gotta give a belated shout out to this cup I had at Urth Caffe a little while back.  It was the most breathtakingly beautiful cappuccino I'd ever seen.  The one-dimensional figure looked as if it was about take flight from the perfect microfoam and chirp a sweet melody, like one of the birds helping Cinderella sew her ball gown.  I regret not having found out who made it, since it meant at least one guy in Santa Monica can stand up to Seattle's best baristas.  The new Caffe Luxxe on Montana Ave. is also seriously worth checking out for its use of Vivace beans and Synesso machines.  And this home-grown leaf ain't half bad either.

Decommissioning Miss Silvia: Et Tu Brewtus?

After almost six years of reliable service and dedication to our coffee needs, a vital member of our household has taken an early retirement.

Move over Silvia, Rocky's now got a boyfriend. 

Brewtus II by Expobar arrived via Spain and the fine folks at Whole Latte Love.  After getting unpacked along with the box of accoutrements, dude was hard at work over the weekend. 

The plastic was removed, the boiler filled, pump primed, and then H made a few brew-and-dump trial runs before Brewtus was ready for action.   

As sad as it was to move trusty Miss Silvia into the laundry room while Rocky, her former dedicated companion the burr grinder, remains safely in his place, it's a whole new double-boiler system coffee world for us.  Or at least it is for the in-house barista, because Brewtus intimidates me.

Gender has been reassigned to the espresso machine; it's fitting giving the more macho-ness of the new guy in town.  I'll need to spend some time on the google group and getting acquainted with his more aggressive yet results-oriented ways.  (Please forgive my coffee sexism.)

Nothing brings people together like great espresso drinks.  Well, except for great alcohol.  But since we ply friends with our supply of decent booze more often than caffeine, it was fun to have an excuse to have an open coffee house morning. 

A group of peeps dropped by to get a dose and watch H command Brewtus like the Dog Whisperer would advise � Brewtus has been consistently exercised with calm, discipline, and affection.  He held up like a champ and followed commands to the letter. 

   

This definitely feels like the beginning of a lasting relationship.  So sorry, Miss Silvia.

Hot Teetotalers

When it takes a month to get a reservation for afternoon tea, even 110 degree weather won't keep me away.

Scarlet Tea Room unfortunately is located in Pasadena, making Saturday my second perhaps ill-advised trip into the belly of the heat beast this weekend.  Since the triple digit days still persist I don't need to dwell on how uncomfortable it is out there. 

But thankfully, it only takes a few minutes in the AC'd room to put us in the mood for hot tea.  Because no matter what the weather's like, drinking iced tea at a tea service just feels wrong.  And many cultures consider hot drinks to be beneficial in hot weather, right?  I also believe this ritual is totally conducive to good, clean fun girl time.

Until someone finally opens a cutting edge, non-new age contemporary tea house with a cutesy name along the lines of ALternateA (think Moby's Teany) where delicate snacks are served on Gropius china amid Ed Ruscha prints, drinking quality Earl Grey and eating scones with clotted cream and lemon curd will remain synonymous with floral prints, polished stone, gilded furniture, and bad representational art.  However, Scarlet's chandelier with sparkling crystals in its namesake color placed at intervals definitely catches the eye (though it's not nearly as awesome as the deep dark purple ones at the Dolce & Gabbana Rodeo Drive boutique).

The tiers arrive following a refreshing fresh strawberry sorbet and some irritating banter from the staff.  Finger sandwiches are fresh and made to order.  No stale crust-less bread here.  The $25 Tea Ceremony comes with a choice of four (out of ten), an option that we all appreciate.  Waaay better than the Bel-Air.  Though I didn't partake, the smoked salmon with the dill-encrusted edges and orange roe topping emerges as the group favorite.  Green apple and cheese has a sour creamy base that doesn't work, but otherwise I like the rest of the selection, especially the turkey cranberry finger sandwich.

Sweet light scones (one cranberry, one chocolate chip per person) are served at the top of the tier as part of the sandwich course.  And since we're served dishes with sweetened whipped cream instead of thick Devonshire cream, folks in search of authentic British tea fixings will be disappointed.  Clear, authentic fruity tangs ring through the homemade lemon curd and strawberry preserves; these are definitely the better condiments.

Service is annoying at times, yet consistently attentive.  It can be a fine line between the two.  Tip the top of your pot over and you'll get fresh hot water for your excellent tea blend in no time, but it might come with some weird random comment.

And pay attention to the warnings to pace yourself.  You get your money's worth here.  When dessert comes we're all full; I don't need to eat much other than a snack much later on that night.  The highlights of the dessert platter are a chocolate minty thing, cream puff, and cute little pastel layered cakes designed to look like gift boxes (I've had similar ones from The Grub in Hollywood).  As if our blood sugar levels aren't high enough, then come the Strawberries Romanoff � just strawberries mixed with whipped cream.  Nothing exciting.

Because we're allowed to take our time, I understand why reservations are hard to get.  The room is busy and full.  A couple of large parties are celebrating showers or birthdays and there don't appear to be any last minute cancellations.  Even crazy summer intensity can't stop the ladies from drinkin' their afternoon tea.   

Scarlet Tea Room
18 W. Green Street
Pasadena, CA 91105
626.577.0051