Coffee and Hip Orange County

Home Archive for January 2016

at 1/26/2016

Coffeebar Byul, Specialty Coffee Shop + Tea, Irvine

Coffeebar Byul (Korean word for star) is a very cute coffee shop located in Diamond Jamboree Center in Irvine.

Its modern interior space with white tile walls, barn wood ceiling and floor, and hip lighting, makes it perfect for its visitors to spend some quality time enjoying a delicious cup of coffee, tea or one of their yummy pastries.

One of the things I love about Byul is their city special lattes. The Paris one, for instance, includes white chocolate and lavender, the Brussels latte has raspberry and dark chocolate, and the Barcelona latte (guess what? my favorite!) is served with condensed milk.

They also have a wide variety of loose-leaf teas including Hibiscus, apple bites, lemon grass or Japanese organic sencha, among others. They have so many flavors that I’ll have to keep going again and again to try them all!

During our last visit, we had the Barcelona latte, a cappuccino and two freshly baked Nutella croissants. Tasty, warm and delicious.

Coffeebar Byul (Korean word for star) is a very cute coffee shop located in Diamond Jamboree Center in Irvine. Its modern inte...

at 1/20/2016

SoCal Food Halls
Anaheim Packing District, Anaheim

Hello there!
Today I want to share with you one of my favorite places in Orange County: The Anaheim Packing District. This urban anti-mall is located in the heart of Anaheim’s historic downtown, and it is one of the most vibrant and hip places in Orange County.

Completely restored and turned into a food hall, the Packing House (built in 1919) is one of the few remaining packing houses from the agricultural era of Orange County. It currently has two open floors and a central atrium with common dining areas surrounded by cafes, restaurants as well as outdoor picnic gardens and a dining porch looking out to the outdoor marketplace, Farmers’ Park.

One of the great things about this place is the variety of food options available. You can go from Indian food to crepes, hot pot or sushi. It’s perfect for brunch, lunch, evening drinks or dinner. Anytime is good! In addition to that, every weekend there’s live music in the House, and free Yoga on the park (Saturdays).

I love the modern retro look of this place. It's completely different to the other conventional OC shopping centers. It’s always really crowded, but the ambience is pleasant and soothing, perfect to hang out with whomever you like.

Hello there! Today I want to share with you one of my favorite places in Orange County: The Anaheim Packing District . This urban an...

at 1/18/2016

Neat Coffee, Costa Mesa

I had been wanting to try Neat Coffee since they opened last October, but since they only open from Monday to Friday, I had to wait until I got a day off. And that day finally arrived! I had my chance today thanks to MLK Jr day.

Neat Coffee is located at The Wayfare building in Costa Mesa, a really cool co-working space/start-up incubator. Right when I arrived, I was greeted by Ally, the owner and barista at Neat. She doesn’t need much space to make coffee magic!

I had one of their signature drinks, the Golden latte, one of the most special lattes I’ve ever had.

What makes this latte so special?

It’s made with rawmond milk (almond milk made locally in Costa Mesa with filtered water, organic raw unpasteurized almonds and Himalayan sea salt), turmeric and cinnamon. The turmeric gives the espresso a peppery, warm and bitter flavor, and provides a mild fragrance slightly reminiscent of orange and ginger.

Loved the place and the coffee. Definitely going back again when I get another chance!

I had been wanting to try Neat Coffee since they opened last October, but since they only open from Monday to Friday, I had to wait un...

at 1/17/2016

Cafecito Organico, Costa Mesa

Cafecito Organico is a hidden gem located in one of my favorite alterna-malls, The Lab Antimall, in Costa Mesa.

Working with small sustainable coffee producers from Central America, the founders of Cafecito Organico began roasting in a garage in LA. Today they have five cafeterias between Los Angeles and Orange County where they serve their independent artisan coffee as well as delicious fresh pastries.

The decoration of their Costa Mesa store is simple yet detailed with lots of wood. One of my favorite things is the light stringer hanging above the counter.

When I go I like to have their latte with 2% milk. Very hot.

Cafecito Organico is a hidden gem located in one of my favorite alterna-malls, The Lab Antimall, in Costa Mesa. Working ...

at 1/17/2016

Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee, Costa Mesa

Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee is a tiny beautiful donut and coffee shop that has been around since 2012. The quality of their food and drinks has given them great reputation. And you can see for yourself every weekend. The line is always crazy!

Their delicious doughnuts are made from scratch on a daily basis, and their menu includes daily and monthly featured flavors, including gluten free and vegan options. Every hour they fry a small batch of donuts, ensuring that each customer gets a fresh warm treat.

In case you are thirsty, Sidecar offers signature blends, Forty Winks and Colt’s Tooth, developed in collaboration with Portland’s Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Ask them for help pairing them with their unique donuts.

What did we eat? Green Eggs & Ham

Savory donut with no whole, stuffed with a poached egg, Benton’s ham and a house made basil hollandaise sauce. The combination of flavors and tenderness of the dough was amazing!

German Chocolate Cake

After the first bite, my mind was taken to “donut heaven”! OMG! Incredibly fluffy, with really tasty chocolate glaze and a spoonful of toasted coconut. The filling included almond and pecan nuts. No words.

Lattes

We had two hot lattes made with their signature espresso Colt’s Toot.

Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee is a tiny beautiful donut and coffee shop that has been around since 2012. The quality of their food and ...

at 1/10/2016

Portola Coffee Lab, Costa Mesa

When I moved to Orange County, Portola Coffee Lab was one of the first coffee places I tried. As its name denotes, Portola Coffee Lab is a laboratory of coffee where the baristas experiment with coffee in their white lab coats.

Their flagship coffeehouse and roastery is located in the heart of The OC Mix at SoCo, just off of the 405 freeway at Harvor Blvb in Costa Mesa. One of the very unique things about this place is that you can enjoy a cup of their specialty coffee at their beautiful and modern shop, or in the common area surrounded by a bunch of artisan retail shops and restaurants worth visiting after enjoying your drink.