Whether on canvas or in a cup, leave it to Laguna to offer great works of art

It seems easier to find a coffee shop in Southern California than a gas station (I'm one of those guys who like to test how far the needle can go into red [reference: Seinfeld], so I know a little about the subject).  In any reasonably sized town, you can bet you're going to find a few of the monster chains--Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, etc.--and, given the size of the city, may find two on the same block.

The real challenge is finding a truly unique cup of coffee in the midst of all of these shops.  Sure, you can rely on the dozens of coffee shops in your local neighborhood to provide your standard morning fix on the way to the office, but better coffee is out there.  Unfortunately, you've got to do a little searching to find it.

I'll be honest, I didn't just stumble upon The Laguna Coffee Company, I was on the hunt for a great cup of coffee.  As I said, it's not hard to find some decent coffee shops, especially in a small beach community.  Moreover, it's often easier to find some nice independent shops in these small oceanside towns than in other inland cities.  I happened to find another great shop last week in Dana Point-- J.C. Beans.

This time I wasn't willing to settle for the first shop I found. During my wandering my first find was a cute tucked-away shop in the Lumberyard Plaza.  The whole village area is beautiful, filled with quaint little shops, including stores with the usual handmade arts and crafts, a flower cart and more.  I was ready to choose this shop, but reconsidered once I saw they brewed Diedrich Coffee.  Diedrich makes some good coffee, but it's something I can get just about anywhere.  I wanted something unique and special to Laguna, just like the other handmade items found throughout the town.

After a bit of driving and eyeing a few places that popped up in a Maps search on my phone, I made a stop about a mile down the road from the town's main civic area at The Laguna Coffee Company.  This place could easily be missed driving down Pacific Coast Highway.  It's one small shop in a line of plain, stuccoed businesses.  Considering the appeal of the shopping district back up the way, one wouldn't be blamed for driving right past the shop without a second glance.

As I said though, I was on a mission and, as the worn out line goes, things are not always as they appear.  As I walked up to the window to see what the place had to offer, I quickly discovered that Laguna Coffee meant serious business as I saw the huge roasting machine sitting in the middle of the shop.

Sure, a coffee shop could just keep an old roaster lying around as a decorative item, but given the size of the place, it wouldn't make much sense since it took up much of the interior real estate.  Fortunately, the big hunk of metal isn't just for show as the store proudly boasts that they serve fresh "hand roasted coffee" that is roasted in small batches in the store.

While roasting in-house doesn't at all mean that the coffee is going to be any better than any other standard coffee shop, in this case, I'd be shocked to find any better coffee in town.  While I had a few options to choose from, I simply took what the barista recommended, the traditional brew of the day, Costa Rican coffee.  The coffee had a rich, full bodied flavor, yet it was still a smooth and enjoyable drink.

Laguna Coffee doesn't just pride itself on its hand roasted coffee and other drinks.  The shop offers a selection of food items in addition to the usual pastries one might expect, including made to order paninis and chicken and mushroom meat pies.

While great coffee is the main priority, it's an added bonus to find a shop that offers a nice atmosphere.  That's usually not too hard to come by when you're searching in an Orange County beach community like Laguna.  As mentioned, the shop itself is small since much of the inside space is taken up by the roasting machine.  A nice pleasant courtyard offers some nice outdoor seating, despite the plastic patio furniture and red and white checkered tablecloths that look like they're from a small mom and pop Italian eatery.  Of course, whether the place is crowded or not, you could always grab your coffee to go and head across the street and sip your coffee on the beach.

While the skill and care that goes into the coffee could earn the description of artwork worthy of Laguna, the shop goes further to support other local artists.  Two walls in the cafe are dedicated to local artist, Faye Chapman, who specializes in photographs of vintage vehicles.  I suppose it shouldn't be too much of a surprise to see local artists supported here since Laguna is known for being a world famous arts community.  However, it's still a bit of a pleasant surprise when most other coffee shops in Southern California are filled with standard commercial decor.  In addition to the artwork, Laguna Coffee's website lists some regular local musicians who regularly play at the shop.

Again, freshly made sandwiches, original artwork or a beachfront view mean very little if the coffee isn't up to par.  Fortunately, The Laguna Coffee Company offers all of these added bonus features along with incredible coffee.  Of course, I sampled a standard black cup of coffee and not any blended drinks.  I'm always happy to leave those luxury drinks for others to comment on.  I believe the standard black coffee is a naked indicator of the quality of any other drink a shop offers.  Based on the selection I had, I'm confident anything else ordered at The Laguna Coffee Company will be equally delicious.

The Laguna Coffee Company is located at 1050 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
For more information, visit their website: www.lagunacoffeeco.com

Tortillas, Tequila and a Toast to North Africa?

An intriguing tribute to Curtiz's 1942 masterpiece, yet oddly enough Mexican in every other way, guests are greeted at the door with a placard to note, "You are leaving Venice, California and entering Casablanca, Morocco." Small, quaint and uniquely relaxed, a mix of rounded booths and four-tops orbit around this gem's center attraction - a small fire cast inside a brick oven with handmade tortillas arranged in a salute to all things amazing. You won't find grease-laden chips diapered by a sheet of wax paper here. Guests enjoy freshly prepared flour tortillas served with verde salsa and butter - hot, moist and tinged by traditional cookware - this is undoubtedly one of my favorite portals of south-of-the-border cuisine.


Casablanca, located eight blocks from Venice Beach, sits on the corner of Rose Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard (220 Lincoln, Venice). Seafood-based dishes are their specialty, however, I've sampled the chicken fajitas and shredded chicken burrito - both of which brought joyous satisfaction to an already delightful pre-meal of handmade tortillas. For it is impossible to leave this refuge of sacred cuisine hungry.

Tiered levels of tequila bottles cascade behind the bar in an usual display of gold and glass, clear and corked; it is obvious that Casablanca's diversified tequila selection is not for the faint of heart.


But not to worry. For those guests unable to pair their dish with a particular refinement of tequila, Casablanca offers daily specials served with two shots of distilled agave, hand-picked and carefully matched to the cuisine at hand.

Simply put, this establishment is more than a restaurant - it is an oasis of unique intrigue only found in Venice, California. Enjoy my friends and be sure to try the Cadillac Margarita - it's every bit classic mixed with everything octane.

Casablanca is located at 220 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, CA 90291

With breakfast this good, who needs the L & D?

I’ve heard people raving about BLD for some time now, particularly about their incredible ricotta blueberry pancakes. The restaurant has been featured on Food Network and in Food and Wine, not to mention the word of mouth buzz throughout Los Angeles. I’ve meant to visit to try their food myself—okay, mainly to try these pancakes I’ve heard so much about—but it seems like every opportunity I’ve had has been after 5pm, which is when they switch from their ‘Supper’ menu that still includes the pancakes to the ‘Dinner’ menu which omits them.

Finally, this past Sunday, I had the chance to visit for brunch with a few friends. However, after seeing the variety of breakfast and lunch options on all of the surrounding tables, pancakes was the last thing on my mind. Everything looked tasty. Fortunately, my companions all had the same dilemma. With a little collaboration, we decided to go family style and order a bunch of plates for the whole table to sample.

We ordered four items, but unfortunately I can only recall three of the four. If I were a real journalist, I’d admit this memory lapse is unforgivable. Fortunately, I’m not a journalist. However, I’d much rather place the blame on my friends who ferociously guarded this fourth plate.

The other three items that I can recall included Spanish scramble, eggs Florentine and, of course, the ricotta blueberry pancakes. The pancakes, as expected, were incredible. The portion was generous and they tasted great. I think there’s enough hype that not much more needs to be said.

The egg entrees were given a choice of potatoes. Whether the Spanish chorizo home fries, fingerling potatoes or french fries, you can’t go wrong no matter which you choose.

What really made the Florentine was the hollandaise. A great hollandaise is a must for any solid breakfast menu, and I would be confident ordering any item on the menu that includes the sauce, whether the Florentine or any of the Benedict variations.

As for the Spanish-inspired dish we shared, diners have the option of ordering it as a frittata or scramble. We opted for the scramble, however, either is likely to offer the same colorful punch of flavor. Such a large plate on it’s own might have been a bit overwhelming though, but it made a great dish to share.

The problem with BLD is that everything looks so tasty. By the time you sit down and look at your menu, you’ve probably seen at least four or five dishes at other tables that you really want to sample. Hopefully you won’t be quite as indecisive as us and will be able to settle on just one. From our experience, I’d imagine whatever you do end up choosing will not disappoint.

BLD is located at 7450 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036-2701
Visit their website at www.bldrestaurant.com

Great 'South of the Border' flavor, well worth the 2,000 mile trip!

If the name hasn't yet given it away, this blog is meant to cover restaurants and food related events in Southern California. While the contributors have wrestled with the range of the geographical coverage, we're pretty firm on it not going beyond Southern California. Well, with only a month in operation, I'm already breaking the rules.

This past week I spent a few days in Chicago on a mini vacation. Along with my first Cubs game, I got to eat some great food, including some incredible pizza and a classic Chicago dog--clearly, healthy eating was not very high on my list of priorities during this trip. One of the goals I did have on this trip though was to eat at Rick Bayless' restaurant, Frontera Grill.

Most will know Rick Bayless from his television show, “Mexico--One Plate at a Time,” or his recent win on Top Chef Masters. Bayless has a longstanding reputation in Chicago for his Mexican-inspired and award winning restaurants Frontera Grill, which opened in 1987, and Topolobampo, which followed two years later.

Despite being honored by the James Beard Foundation and numerous other publications and organizations, Bayless seems to be as equally concerned with those who help make his restaurants a success as those who enjoy the food. In 2003, Rick and his wife, Deann, founded the Frontera Farmer Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting local, small farms that supply restaurants in the Chicago area.

Along with his longstanding traditional restaurants, Bayless recently introduced his newest eatery, XOCO. Located on the same block as Frontera and Topolo, at the corner of Clark and Illinois, the area could appropriately be dubbed "Rick's Row" or “The Bayless Block.” Unlike it's two neighbors, XOCO is a quick-serve restaurant offering a selection of tortas (Mexican sandwiches), salads, soups (after 3pm) and freshly made pastries.

I initially wasn't going to have the opportunity to eat at XOCO due to the duration of my visit; with just enough time to visit one Bayless restaurant, I elected to eat at his first Chicago location, Frontera. I had an incredible gazpacho to start followed by a “grilled, garlic-marinated...duck breast with Queretaro-style green mole” as my main entree. Both worth raving about if I had been in Southern California.

After a great dinner the night before, I headed to O'Hare the next day to return to California. After learning my flight would be delayed for five hours I decided to return to the city to kill some time. With nothing more than a plan to wander for a while, I ended up exiting the train only a few blocks from XOCO right at lunchtime. What seemed to be an inconvenient setback turned out to be a fortuitous diversion that ultimately led to the chance to enjoy one of the best lunches I’ve had in a very long time.

I arrived just a few minutes before the main lunch rush, which was a good thing since from what I saw during my two trips to the area, the restaurant usually has a very long line and very few places to sit. Fortunately, I placed my order with a very kind and helpful young woman who highly recommended the ahogada torta.

The sandwich itself, which included pork carnitas and pickled onions, was very tasty, but what put it over the top was the tomato broth it was served with, or more appropriately, in. Both halves of the sandwich come face down in a sauce of tomato, arbol chile and other spices that was an incredible mix of spice and citrus tanginess.

I left with a to go box of some freshly made churros and other pastries, which were terrific, but that sandwich is what really made an impression. It didn’t matter that I was full, I could have continued to eat more. The only thing stopping me from ordering another sandwich was the line that now ran outside the door.

While there seems little point in writing about a restaurant halfway across the country that those of us in Southern California will seldom get the opportunity to visit, I offer this article to those who may have the opportunity to visit Chicago in the near future. Whether you’ve got a free evening and want a nice sit down dinner or are looking for a quick afternoon bite, you must add a stop at Clark and Illinois to your itinerary. I will warn you though, it's a very sad flight back home when you realize you won’t get to come back and eat this incredible food again for a long time.

Frontera Grill, Topolobampo and XOCO are all located at the corner of Clark and Illinois in Chicago, IL
For more information, visit Rick Bayless' website: www.rickbayless.com

European charm in Old Towne Orange

I like to think that I'm someone who appreciates change. It's better to see a commercial area get reborn and revitalized rather than slowly die off, affecting the community around it. However, I find this notion flies right in the face of my strong sense of nostalgia.

I have fond childhood memories of visiting Old Towne Orange with my family. Honestly, I mainly remember getting dragged through antique store after antique store. Still, as much as I disliked wandering aisles full of musty old furniture, I did enjoy the trips to Watson's Drug Store and a few of the other unique shops around the Orange Circle. All in all, I have some strong memories of the area, which has made it tough watching it slowly fade away through the years.

When it comes down to it, what I really want to see is a renewal of historic areas like Downtown Orange that celebrates and preserves the glory of the past while meeting the likes and interests of the modern community. I have watched with caution as Orange has slowly gone through this transition, keeping my fingers crossed, hoping the area would not end up overrun with big box retail and restaurants like Pasadena.

After a visit to the Circle's newest establishment, Haven Gastropub, at the far south end of Glassell St., I feel I may finally have reason to breath just a little easier. Old Towne has had some great places for some time--Felix Continental Cafe, the Filling Station--the fate of the area has remained uncertain. However, Haven offers hope that Orange may be on its way to being one of the best hang outs in Orange County.

At first sight, one recognizes that a lot of care has gone into creating Haven. The place combines contemporary style with traditional European pub elements, such as rustic brickwork, large iron chandeliers and dark wood furniture. Of course, to be a good pub, the place needs to have a solid assortment of beers, among other libations. If the six foot tall chalkboard with the long list of microbrews is any indicator, very few should be left disappointed. I imagine quite a few others will be pleased with their scotch bar.

While I appreciate a place that serves a good assortment of beers, the true test of the place is whether it lives up to its namesake and serves "high quality food." Despite having a limited menu, the house burger I got was excellent and a sign of good things to come. The sandwich included a hearty beef patty topped with a great selection of ingredients, including roasted peppers, st. agur cheese, fresh arugula and pickled onions.

As impressive as the burger was, it's the fries--or perhaps the condiment served with the fries--that stole the show. Don't get me wrong, the fries were terrific, but I particularly appreciated the homemade ketchup that accompanied them. While I would have enjoyed a little more tang, I loved the sweetness of the brown sugar. Preference for sweet or tangy aside, the place deserves a lot of credit for their commitment to making sure every item they serve is fresh and tastes great.

My only real disappointment with Haven would be the size of the menu. However, the word is this is only a test menu and a broader menu is on the way. Considering what I've seen so far, I'm happy to know the owners are committed to slowly building a top quality menu rather than quickly putting together a large assortment of mediocre items. My only hope is that they choose to add a few more reasonably priced items so I can justify dining here a time or two a week after work.

All in all, I'm surprised that Haven has only been open for a couple of weeks, even with the limited menu. The great atmosphere and top quality menu show that a lot of thought has gone into the restaurant. With only two weeks in the books, I can't wait to see what this place can do in a few months.

Haven Gastropub is located at 190 S. Glassell St., Orange, CA 92866
For more information, visit their website: www.havengastropub.com