For the love of coffee

[latindancer]

I love coffee. I have been drinking it since I was in my teens and I will not settle for anything less than excellence.
I bought my first espresso maker when I was in my early twenties and I have my beans flown in overnight from a roaster who is known as one of the best in his field.
I'm curious how many feel the same as I do.
I will not go near a Starbucks (sorry I don't like the taste of burnt beans) .although I will remain forever in love with the first little space Howard Shultz opened in Seattle so many years ago...
When I travel I ship my coffemaker and beans with me and I refuse to drink or pay for anything that doesn't compare to what I have learned to make.
So...are there places in LA I've missed? The closest I've come to something comparable is a place in Culver City on Washington and the name is not coming to me.
It's good but not great.
King's Road will do in a pinch.
Thoughts?

[cls]

La Mill or Intelligentsia

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Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea
3922 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029

LA MILL Coffee
1636 Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

[sku]

Also Choke Motorcycle shop for espresso. The place in Culver City sounds like the Conservatory.

[latindancer]

Yes it is definately the Conservatory. I'm very intrigued by Choke Motorcycle though :).

[aventinus]

I consider both among the world's best, particularly for "drip" coffee. (I use "drip" to distinguish from espresso, as neither place actually uses drip brewing.) I think the coffee at the Conservatory in Culver City is pretty good--it has a distinctive and pleasing nutty flavor from the roasting.

[latindancer]

Of all the coffees I've tried the Conservatory's espresso bean produces the greatest crema.

[latindancer]

Thanks. I've been to Intelligentsia and I liked it but I haven't been to LA MILL. I'll make a point of going today.

[sbritchky]

All this passion without mentioning the water (37% ± 3% of the problem) or the AeroPress (another 50% ± 2%)? Great beans with poor-quality water or bad brewing gets you only slightly beyond nowhere.

(All error margins certified by the mainstream media.)

[latindancer]

You're very correct about the water.
I have an under the counter 'reverse osmosis system' used specifically for my coffee makers/espresso machine.
I wouldn't waste my time or money without it.

[Adsvino]

Best I have found:

Cafe Luxxe for espresso drinks
La Mill for "drip"
Both better that the Conservatory, though that is convenient being in Culver City.

[latindancer]

Thanks so much. These appear to be great recommendations and I'm going to both of them, somehow, today.

[Adsvino]

Let me know what ya think. BTW, the Luxxe is on Montana and 10th in Santa Monica

[citizenx]

I buy the testarossa beans from luxxe as well. It produces better crema than the black cat espresso from intelligentsia I have found. The beans from luxxe are $8.50 a 1/2 lb I think. I buy a lb at a time and reuse the great bags for spent pucks. Oh they also print the roasting date on the bag.

[latindancer]

So Citizenx....may I ask you a question?
If you don't mind would you tell me what you do with your spent pucks?
Tomatoes in your garden?
Composting?

[citizenx]

Yup-compost tumbler. Pretty new to it all.

[latindancer]

I finally made it to Luxxe on Montana today. I love this place! I ordered a short cappuccino and was delighted to find they really know what they're doing....
My cappuccino had thick foam and wonderful art and the deep, dark, rich espresso was exactly the way I like it.
I bought their coffee beans and, come to find out, their beans come from the same source I've ordered mine for so many years! They put their own label on the bags and to know they love these beans is good enough for me.
Thanks so much for this recommendation....I'm very appreciative.

[Adsvino]

I figured you would like it--it's a purists only place--they even frown upon coffee to go. Nice owner too.

[latindancer]

Yes, Adsvino, you are so right! The owner was such a gentleman and so forthcoming with information....I truly appreciated the referral.
What a great, great place.

[Adsvino]

My pleasure. And it must be mentioned that their beans are only one part of the equation for greatness at Luxxe. The other being their top notch baristas, grinding and tamping skills, and their Synesso machines that regulate the water temp.

[latindancer]

You make a very good point.
This place is very special. The atmosphere, the baristas as you mention and their obvious professional skills, the machines and everything that goes in to their business. We all know, and have experienced, the freshest and highest quality food items can be ruined by those who really don't know what they're doing.
This place is the 'real deal' with masters at the helm.
Their love of what they've accomplished is reflective in their product.

[citizenx]

I've never asked about the source. Where are they from, if you don't mind me asking?

[latindancer]

Their beans are from Seattle at a place called 'Vivace'....
David Schomer is the owner and he's renowned as one of the top experts in the field. I've been buying his beans for many years and I noticed today, when I bought these beans from Luxxe, they had their name on it but I wondered whether they roasted their own. We began talking about who roasted them for them and, being the 'small world' it is, I realized we both buy the same beans from the same source.
The people at Luxxe are very nice and very accomodating and I'm so happy I've found such a great place to go when in the area.

[citizenx]

Thanks for the info. I do buy alot of beans when in Seattle. Caffe Vita is my choice when I'm there.

[Frommtron]

If you like coffee brewed in a vacuum pot then I'd give Funnel Mill a try. If you haven't tried a vacuum pot of coffee then you should know it's pretty delicate. You get a lot of subtlety from the coffee but you do miss out on the boldness that coffee can offer. Funnel Mill has some nice options and if you're that big of a connoisseur then it's worth a try. Give their espresso drinks a wide berth. They few I've tried were truly horrible. A shame since they try so very hard to make them wonderful.

I'd also strongly recommend LA Mill, if for no other reason then you can try a single bean varietal brewed using several different methods.

[AquaW]

How did LA Mill turn out? That's one of my fave boutique coffee spots.

Another local favorite is Groundworks (they have several outposts around LA)

~H.C.
http://la-oc-foodie.blogspot.com

[latindancer]

I'm sorry to say I had good intentions of going to LA MIll a few days ago and just haven't been able to as of yet.
I'm looking forward to going in the next couple of days....Groundworks also sounds very interesting. Thankyou and I'll let you know!

[Clyde]

i love the espresso at Susina Bakerly on Beverly near La Brea. Never tried the drip, but I'm guessing it's pretty good.