5/30/11

Portola Coffee Lab...

down here it has been hard to find a good, consistent coffee place. we have Kean & Mr. P's, but nothing like the choices in washington.

after filling our car with load 4 of goodwill drop offs, we went on a mission. N had been on yelp this am, doing some reviews & looking for coffee (par for the course :)). he found this place where the reviews described it as "as good as Italy" with a rare 5 out of 5 stars & called to see if it was open (being memorial day). the # went to a corporate message (not sure if it was the same # as listed below) & didn't give any info on open/closed. he mapped it & since it was pretty close by, we decided to check it out after our latest drop off.

first we discovered this brand new "mall". it was about half full, mostly home furnishing type stores & a paul mitchell school. some buildings had connected outdoor walkways between them. it was really clean & empty. we drove the lot & found the right building number. we got to check it out & had a nice walk around the OC Mart Mix. they have a farmers market there on saturdays a banner said also. inside was the coffee lab. the space was about 1/3 full of vendors with small "offices" for showing their work (interior designers, dress & jewelry designers..ect). there is a big open section with an intimate couch setting, a giant "family style" table or you could go outdoors (other than sitting in the coffee lab section).

the prices are about $2.50 - $3.50, super cheap. they make the coffee in beakers right in front of you. i went with a basic cap to test it & N had his latte. it was sooo good! no burn or bitter taste & the creme...OMG. N's was so smooth it almost tasted like a mocha. when you took a sip or each together, it was a perfect balance. i wish J was here to get a real opinion of the Italian comparison. we will be going back weekly. next i'm getting a mocha.
official description:
Portola’s coffeehouse and in-house roasterie is like nothing you’ve ever seen in Orange County. Located in the OC Mart Mix, their handcrafted all-organic line of specialty coffees is like nothing you’ve ever tasted. The focus is on freshness, which, you’ll soon realize, is the key to amazing coffee. The flavor that is unleashed after they roast is intense but fleeting, designed to be savored within weeks, not months. To best showcase this freshness, Portola is debuting several unique brewing methods that highlight the inherent flavors of each coffee. Every single cup is custom crafted right in front of you, so you’ll get an experience that is as unique as the beans themselves. Stop in for an experience that is educational and original.
In The OC Mart Mix Building
3313 Hyland Avenue Suite C -
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
949-713-7318


pictures ... :)


exploring the walkways

fountain & fire pit.
lots of shady places to sit..the orange umbrellas POP!

desert flora..i'd love a yard like this..
who needs green grass & bugs to battle?

the building within the Coffee Lab resides

logo picture

ordering spot

coffee chemist happy at work
the girl on the left was really nice,
i even over shared our story of how we got there.

bean roaster & bar.
hanging lights looked like the coffee beakers

N's latte (12 oz) $3.00
the heart morphed into an onion as he drank

my Cappuccino (6 oz) $3.00

a candy display inside market..ART

some guy walking around.. :)

2 comments:

American Foodie in Gent said...

This place sounds AWESOME!!!! Too bad you just discovered it, but beter late than never:) Happy "giving your two-week notice day!!"

HotFudgeNubbins said...

i used to live in the apartments above easy street..when they first started serving breakfast. great spot with the corner pocket below, rooftop viewing of the street fair & parade & the buses. man, now i miss that studio. lol

i used to be spoiled by my friend J who worked at the butcer block & would make us whatever we wanted :)

i'll have to try ffee at easy street when we get back!