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

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