The Great Los Angeles Cappuccino Project | We're Halfway Through!

If you've been following Brunchographers for a while, you'll recall that back in October, I embarked on an ambitious journey to sample a cappuccino at all the best coffee shops here in Los Angeles. The project was designed to push me out of my coffee-comfort zone, to help me learn more about espresso and the people who make it, and to allow me to explore my city through one of my favorite rituals. In an effort to enjoy every excursion and every cappuccino to its fullest, I've taken it slow, and now I'm about halfway through the list of coffee shops that are considered the "best" in Los Angeles. 

So, what have I learned so far?

For one thing, I learned that coffee tasting is subjective. By taking my time and savoring each cup, I feel like I've been able to identify distinct flavor differences between varieties (as best I can with an untrained palate, anyway), and I've begun to narrow in on what specifically tastes great to me. At the same time, it has become clear that what tastes great to me won't always taste great to others - sometimes, when having coffee with a friend, we will pick up on completely different characteristics when tasting the same variety of espresso. They may love it, and I may not. And that's ok. 

Similarly, I've found that describing a coffee's characteristics can be challenging and often hilarious - how are you supposed put a qualifier on a flavor when you've never experienced anything quite like it before? A lot of times, I feel like a wine tasting novice, ignorantly repeating phrases I've heard in movies ("just look at the legs on this one!"). But, since some people claim that wine tasting is completely subjective and that no sommelier's palate is any more valid than your own, I've tried to embrace the silliness I feel and have fun with it. When stumped, I've found Counter Culture's coffee tasting wheel to be a valuable resource, especially when I'm having trouble conjuring adjectives. 

A barista at Caffe Vita, Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA

And most importantly, I've learned that talking to the barista will make your experience infinitely better. At establishments that take their coffee very seriously (and the vast majority of these spots do), the baristas are going to be bona fide coffee lovers. They live and breathe coffee, and they've made it their life's purpose to make your morning cup as good as it can be. They understand the complexities of each variety, what makes it good and unique, and how to prepare it in the best way possible. They're wildly passionate about this stuff, and as much as you think you're a coffee lover, they love it even more. So of course they want to geek out about it with you! Ask them about their craft, tell them what you liked about your drink, and thank them for their hard work. They'll probably share some really interesting information with you, and if you're lucky, they'll let you taste something else they're working on. Oh, and one more thing I learned about baristas: they don't all have beards. In fact very few have beards. Apparently that's a vicious stereotype. 

For those curious, below is a quick rundown of where I've been so far, with some notes on each one. 

Thanks for coming along with me for this ride! I'm looking forward to sharing more absurd coffee descriptions and plenty of heart-shaped latte art with you in the future. 

20th Century Café | San Francisco, CA

I've always been charmed by the idea that a person can be born into the wrong era. It's a romantic concept, really, that a certain personality and a specific time period might be tied together cosmically, like soulmates. Some souls do seem a bit displaced, forever longing for a time when life was much simpler; when clothing was made lovingly by hand rather than in mass quantities at a factory, and folks spent time talking face-to-face instead of typing on a screen. Michelle Polzine, a pastry goddess and vintage aficionado, appears to be one such displaced soul. Stepping into her restaurant, 20th Century Café, is like following her back in time - if you can ignore the iPad at the ordering station, of course.  

Every tiny detail in the café has been carefully curated in order to create the perfect vintage aesthetic: art deco lamps hang from above, small marble tables are lined up against a velvet banquette, elaborate bronzed tiles cover the front of a long bar, and most of the staff is decked out in 1940's-style vintage dresses and aprons. Inspired by the darling little cafés she experienced in Vienna, Budapest, and Prague, this light-drenched space offers locals a beautiful spot to relax and enjoy an afternoon, with a side of exquisite handmade pastries, of course. 

And about those pastries... Polzine knows her stuff. Armed with years of experience as a pastry chef, Polzine creates sweet and savory delights that are so good, they provide regular homesickness relief for Eastern European expats. The counter is stacked high with knishes, bagels, babkas, and strudels, and each is more beautiful than the next. These baked goods make up the core of the menu at 20th Century Café, which is rounded out by lunch items like soups, sandwiches, and salads.

On our recent weekend trip to San Francisco, our dear friends took us to 20th Century Café for a late brunch. They'd been singing is praises for months - telling tales of the handmade bagels, bright pink borscht, and the unbelievably delicious (and beautiful) Russian Honey Cake. These are the sort of friends who know their food, so when they fall in love with a place, you know you're in for a treat - so our hopes were pretty high for our brunch. And let me tell you, we were not disappointed. Not even a little. 

I couldn't help but choose one of the beautiful nigella seed bagels, served open-faced with smoked salmon, cream cheese, pickled shallots, and dill. The bagel itself was perfection, light and soft inside with a hint of onion flavor and a satisfying crunch from the nigella seeds on the outside. The salmon was smoky and flavorful, and the pickled shallots offered a bit of tanginess. My friend chose the bagel with sliced beets, which essentially swaps out beets for the salmon, and was equally delicious in its own way. She picked the nigella seed bagel, too (since that was the right choice), but if you're not into that sort of thing, there were two other bagel flavors to choose from, as well. 

Also at our table were some more lunch-like dishes: a wild boar sausage dish with sauerkraut, apple butter, roasted fingerling potatoes; a beautiful bowl of vibrant borscht topped with heaps of fresh herbs; and a simple but well-executed salad for some ruffage (I do love my ruffage). Everything was delicious: the sausage was moist and flavorful, and paired perfectly with the bright flavors from the apple butter and sauerkraut, while the borscht was light and fresh-tasting - perfect for a light lunch. 

And then on to the main event: dessert (side note: if you're not having dessert at brunch, you really need to re-think some things). We ordered coffee and dessert separately - be warned that if you order everything all at once, your borscht will come at the same time as your cake, which would really just be distracting, because who wants to eat beets when there's a big slice of cake staring them in the face?

Our cappuccinos were very good, and boasted some seriously lovely latte art, made even more lovely by the vintage china they were served in. Between us, we shared two slices of cake: Dobos Torte and the legendary Russian Honey Cake. The Dobos Torte was very good, with its extremely rich chocolate frosting and a surprisingly salty cookie was placed artfully on top. We all enjoyed it, though it unfortunately suffered from second-fiddle syndrome - because the Russian Honey Cake was, well, exceptional.

Honestly speaking, 20th Century Café's Russian Honey Cake is quite possibly the best cake I've ever tasted (if not, it's a close second). In the weeks that have passed since I ate this cake, it has popped into my mind over and over again - those impossibly thin yet perfectly baked layers of sponge paired with the most luscious honey cream create an almost hypnotizing effect. It is intensely satisfying, and tastes as if smooth butter was whipped up with creamy honey to create an airy, soft cloud of slightly salty, not-too-sweet deliciousness. I will probably never visit San Francisco again without getting a slice of this cake - it's that good. 

If you were for some reason unable to sense the copious amount of love that has been poured into 20th Century Café during your meal (but you will, don't worry), it'll be clear with a quick chat with Michelle on your way out. She and her staff genuinely love this place, and the work that goes into it. They wear beautiful vintage dresses because they want to, not just for show. They painstakingly execute traditional baking methods because they enjoy it, and because it makes the food taste better. Each tiny detail has been carefully considered, and it all adds up to a truly delightful experience. 

20th Century Café
198 Gough Street
San Francisco, CA 94102 

Menotti's Coffee Stop | Venice, CA

I've been saving Menotti's. Since the beginning of the Great Cappuccino Project, it's been there, waving at me from the fancy Google Map I made, just begging me to visit. But I've held off until now - mostly because this is the place that, coming into this project, I had the strongest feelings about. I really like Menotti's. And I'm happy to declare, that even after tasting over 25 of the best cappuccinos in the city, I still really like Menotti's. 

Menotti's is the only coffee shop on the list that can be considered ocean-view (after the Two Guns location on the Manhattan Beach Pier sadly closed), but there is so much happening at this location that the Pacific is the last thing you'll notice. It's located on the stretch of Windward Ave. that famously doubled as Mexico in Orson Welles' incredible three-minute-long opening shot in Touch of Evil - a street that most tourists remember for its famous V-E-N-I-C-E sign. In my mind, this is the epicenter of what out-of-towners consider Venice to be. It hits all the postcard-perfect marks: there are skateboarders weaving in and out of foot traffic, vibrant murals covering the walls of nearly every building, trails of questionable smoke emanating from circles of colorfully dressed backpackers and old-school hippies, and musicians fearlessly hawking their latest work to passersby. And sitting calmly amongst the chaos is Menotti's, a bright little coffee haven full of neighbors and friends. 

Named for the building's former owner, who ran a grocery store with a secret liquor operation underneath during the Great Depression, Menotti's aesthetic pays tribute to the historic building it calls home. A restored honeycomb tiled floor lies underfoot, copper ceiling tiles line the front of the coffee bar, and retro-styled lamps hang overhead. The shop has actually doubled in size since my last visit - upon their two-year anniversary in 2015, the space next door was opened up to allow for additional seating. It's still quite small, but the bright white walls and large windows help to give the space an open, airy feel.

Though he wasn't present at my recent visit, Christopher "Nicely" Abel Alameda is the head barista here - upon opening the shop, owners Louie and Annette Ryan tapped Nicely to run the show, who came to the project armed with years of experience working for Intelligentsia and Handsome Coffee. It's clear that Nicely's love of the craft and affable demeanor is shared by the rest of the team, who welcome customers with the kind of broad smile you'd give an old friend. They're passionate about making coffee, and want to talk to you about it. In fact, drink customization is encouraged here, as a chalkboard behind the bar states: "don't see what you're looking for? Let's talk about it!" 

While Menotti's famously offers a "secret menu," I most often stick with their simple, perfect cappuccino. The delicious Four Barrel espresso shines brilliantly amidst the decadently creamy milk, offering a cocoa-like bitterness that is reminiscent of really good dark chocolate. There's also a hint of a toasted flavor, like a charred marshmallow, that recalls fond memories of s'mores past. And of course, it's topped off with some beautifully articulated latte art.  

While parking here can be a challenge (pro tip: there are some one-hour metered spots a block away in front of Bank of America that are usually open), and you'll undoubtedly have to elbow your way through crowds of international backpacking college students before you find the place, Menotti's is a stop worth making. I'm already planning my next visit, when I'll order up something fun and new (and probably one of those enormous cookies from the pastry chef at Hatchet Hall), and relax the day away, Venice-style. 

Menotti's
56 Windward Ave
Venice, CA 90291

Salazar | Los Angeles, CA

There are a lot of things to love about brunch. You get to sleep in. Coffee flows freely. Foods that should rightfully be dessert are served as an entrée, and a lot of things come topped with a fried egg. You get to hang out with your friends for a few hours in the daylight and talk about stuff other than work. But there's one really important thing about brunch that we don't celebrate here on Brunchographers quite as often as we should: Day Drinking (and yeah, I just capitalized that). 

Bar area at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Brunch at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Day Drinking isn't always on the forefront of our brunching agenda - the need for both responsible driving and budgeting generally deter us, and, let's be real, we'd usually rather spend our money on a loaded waffle than on alcohol. But there are some places that were made for Day Drinking - where you can kick back, relax, and laugh the day away with your friends, and where the drinks are good enough to spring for an Uber. Salazar is one of those places.

Brunch Menu at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Brunch at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Located in a former auto body shop in L.A.'s Frogtown neighborhood, Salazar's dining area is almost entirely outdoors in what was probably once a parking lot. It feels well-worn and comfortable, kind of like your grandma's backyard, with faded multicolor school cafeteria chairs and simple wooden tables arranged beneath a few trees and a pergola, with potted cacti and succulents lined up atop bright blue painted walls. It's packed with young, hip Westsiders and their dogs and/or children (we spied a few attempting to climb the trees - oh, to be a kid again), yet it is somehow unpretentious and welcoming. This is the sort of place where you want to spend an entire day, slowly sipping tequila and enjoying the sunshine while you nibble on tacos and street corn. 

Brunch at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

What was once the auto body shop's garage now holds a colorful bar area, while the office has been transformed into a kitchen with a view - thanks to huge windows around the outside, you can watch the experts barbecuing meats over a grill and making homemade tortillas by the dozen. This wood-fired grill is what chef Esdras Ochoa had been dreaming of as his next venture after making a name for himself with the wildly popular Mexicali Taco & Co. (which is so good, it's a standard on just about any "Best of L.A." list). Even at brunch, you can enjoy large portions of his expertly grilled steak, pork, fish, or vegetables, though with all the tempting starters, breakfast options, and tacos, you may not make it that far down the menu. The offerings here are Sonoran-style Mexican food, a cuisine that is not commonly seen here in Los Angeles, but will be familiar to those from Arizona and New Mexico, as well as Calexico, CA, where Ochoa was raised. 

In the Kitchen at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

The concept of making a reservation at Salazar is perplexing, particularly because as is stated on their amazing website (please, do yourself a favor and click that link), there is "NO PHONE YET." Thankfully, you can get by without a reservation just as easily. The wonderful cocktails from the bar will make you forget that you're waiting for something other than another margarita, and there's plenty of room for you to lounge around outside and shoot the breeze with your friends while you wait for a table to open up. Oh, and in case you've got a hangry person in your party, you can always order up a few snacks at the bar.

Cranberry Spritz at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Prickly Pear Margarita at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

To kick off our Day Drinking, we sampled the Prickly Pear Margarita and the Cranberry Spritz. Both were gorgeous in color, especially the almost neon pink margarita - which was also the more fun and flavorful of the two. It was tart, sweet, and all around a fun cocktail. We were hoping for a bit more of a tart punch with the Cranberry Spritz, but it was still tasty and it certainly packed a wallop. 

Prickly Pear Margarita and Chips and Salsa at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Guacamole at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

At around midday on a busy weekend, the wait for our table wasn't long as we expected it might be (we hadn't even finished our first round of drinks), and the short amount of down time offered us a chance to peruse the menu. We started with some guacamole (because why not?) and the Carne Asada Fries. The guacamole was just as delicious as you'd expect; topped with creamy queso fresco and some pumpkin seeds for added crunch.

Carne Asada Fries at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

The Carne Asada Fries are a perfect bar food: a huge pile of deep fried potatoes, topped with heaps of meat and drizzled with sauce - basically, exactly what the doctor ordered to accompany some Day Drinking (or perhaps to help you recover from whatever Night Drinking you did the day before). They're decadent, rich, and oh-so-satisfying. 

Green Eggs & Yams and Carne Asada Fries, Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Green Eggs & Yams at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

From the desayuno portion of the menu, we chose the Green Eggs & Yams and Chilaquiles. Green Eggs & Yams were another classic L.A. "all-my-favorite-things-in-a-bowl" moment: a base of vibrant purple kale topped with yams (a.k.a. camote), cheese, pepitas, and a gloriously crispy fried egg. There was a fun play on flavors between the sweet yams and the salted dressing, and the eggs and cheese added some creaminess into the mix. 

Green Eggs & Yams at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Chilaquiles at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

The Chilaquiles were exactly what you'd want them to be: a big bowl of once-crisp tortilla chips, made soft with gobs of deliciously spicy sauce, cooled off by a heavenly combination of cotija cheese, crema, and avocado, and of course, all topped with a fried egg that was crispy on the edges and runny in the center. This dish is a heartwarming bowl of goodness that will satisfy even the hungriest of tummies. 

Chilaquiles at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA 

Carne Asada Fries, Guacamole, and Tacos at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA 

Tacos at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

And because we couldn't resist (who would want to?), we ordered up a few tacos, too. While simple, these were really delicious and full of flavor. Each was accented with a robust, smoky salsa and some pickled onions for acidity, and was wrapped in those soft, heavenly handmade flour tortillas. The standout filling was the Al Pastor; its perfectly cooked meat showed off what that Santa Maria-style barbecue could really do. 

Tacos at Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA 

Salazar is a little bit like a home-away-from-home, as comfortable as your own backyard, but with significantly better food. Bring your kids, your dog, your mom, your dad, or your great uncle. Here, everyone will find something to love - especially if they're into tacos or Day Drinking. And who doesn't like at least one of those wonderful things?

Salazar, Frogtown, Los Angeles, CA

Salazar
2490 Fletcher Dr. 
Los Angeles, CA 90039

Caffe Vita | Silver Lake, CA

Along the invisible line that joins Los Feliz with Silver Lake, there's a somewhat chaotic five-street intersection. Most days, the Southern California sun beats down hard on you here; there aren't many trees to offer shade, and the wide sidewalks and streets mercilessly bounce that heat right back into your face. Luckily, the intersection's many corners can offer some respite - it is Silver Lake after all (or is it Los Feliz?), a part of town where there is culture abound. On one side, there's Crossroads Trading Co. for the vintage lovers. On another, the historic Vista Theater for the cinema lovers. And sandwiched in between is Caffe Vita, a haven for coffee lovers.

Caffe Vita is something of an institution in the coffee world, having been at the cutting edge of the third-wave coffee movement when they began roasting sustainable, fair-trade coffees in Seattle in 1995. Since then, the brand has slowly expanded with stores throughout the Pacific Northwest and New York City. In 2013, Caffe Vita opened up its first shop in Los Angeles, offering up a taste of home to displaced Seattle natives and proving itself a worthy contender among Southern California's exploding coffee scene.  

Even those not aware of the brand's legacy can immediately sense its presence - its carefully curated vintage-cirque-meets-rock-and-roll aesthetic is visible at first glance, with a gleaming gold art deco sun above the door and a mural depicting a slightly terrifying circus monkey offering a latte and "real service." Inside, the café is cavernous, with soaring high ceilings and stairs leading up to a second-story loft seating space. There's plenty of visual stimulus to enjoy in here, especially the huge Japanese-style slow drippers both on display and in action behind the bar. That subversive, cool-kid aesthetic is everywhere you look, and it's clear that this space was designed thoughtfully from the outset. It's beautiful and appealing, but in a way, it's a little bit too consistent that it leans toward calculated. It's missing an organic quality that you could probably find at the brand's original location in Seattle. 

The massive space offers plenty of seating, so that even on a weekend, you'll be able to snag a table. The mood is fairly quiet and relaxed, with most of the upstairs seating occupied by people working away on their laptops, and those holding conversations keeping them low - maybe out of respect, or maybe so they can still hear the quiet, relaxing music that's being played. Behind the bar, the baristas are friendly and welcoming, and a glass case full of pastries sings its siren call. The menu is short and sweet, and offers a few different brewing methods to choose from. But, the cold brew from that steampunk-esque contraption behind the counter will have to wait, because I came for a cappuccino. 

Served in a simple but elegant branded cup and decorated with intricate foam art, this cappuccino proved what all the fuss was about in Seattle. It was good. The espresso was robust, with a warm, toasted honey sort of flavor that reminded me of the caramelized edge of a golden brown olive oil cake. There was also a very subtle floral component, which created a compelling balance when experienced with the bold, bitter flavors at the beginning of the sip. As expected, the milk was perfectly steamed and velvety-smooth. Truthfully, this was one of my favorite cappuccinos yet. 

Even from as far away as Seattle, Caffe Vita was undoubtedly a strong influence on Los Angeles' coffee culture through its trailblazing efforts in sustainability and connecting with community. It must have been daunting to set up shop in a city that while strongly influenced by their efforts, has exploded into a different animal, all its own. With only one location that also happens to be steps away from some of the best coffee shops that are native to L.A., it's difficult to tell how much of a stamp Caffe Vita has made on the city at this point - but if they keep pouring coffee that's this good, it stands to reason that the Caffe Vita name will one day be as synonymous with L.A. as it is with Seattle. 

Caffe Vita
4459 W Sunset Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90027