Source: LA Weekly - An affogato, which means "drowned" in Italian, is the blissful marriage of two of Italy's finest exports: espresso and gelato, and it may well be the best union of hot and cold since the Baked Alaska.
At Intelligentsia Venice, this combination is achieved by first placing a scoop of dense vanilla bean gelato, made by David Myers' of Comme Ça bistro, into a pleasantly weighty Gibraltar glass (a small bar glass, so called because, if you turn it horizontally, the thin space between the upper and lower wells resembles the Straits of Gibraltar). The barista then pours a just-pulled double shot of Black Cat espresso over the gelato. The thick crema from the espresso melts the outer edges of the gelato, forming what looks like a bit of haphazard latte art in the glass. As both the espresso and the gelato are dense, perfectly orchestrated examples of their species, the affogato resists melting for a surprisingly long matter of minutes. Far longer than it will take you to finish off what is perhaps the best breakfast combo to be had in L.A.
Intelligentsia’s newest Los Angeles coffeebar is another re-imagining of what a coffee experience can be. Located in Venice on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, guests are not met with the standard experience of waiting in line. After passing through the iron gates facing the bustling boulevard, visitors walk down an ivy-covered hall open to the sky where they are greeted at a butcher block “concierge desk.” From this point, they are taken to one of four custom-fabricated espresso machines where their espresso drink or coffee-by-the-cup is prepared. The idea is for a barista to stay with one person throughout the interaction to create an individualized experience for every customer, regardless of how many are being served.
Intelligentsia hired Ana Henton of MASS Architecture & Design to execute the Venice coffeebar. She and her partner Gregory Williams have designed numerous projects, including BREADBAR Century City, the Silverlake Wine expansion, the modern downtown cafeteria Lemonade, Locali and the Auburn 7 residences in the Silver Lake hills. Henton created a space that contains very little in the way of defined seating, and there is no counter or register, which will create a more communal sense of setting.
Possibly the crown jewel of the coffeebar? The 1972 La Marzocco which is now used to craft single origin espressos as part of Intelligentsia’s Black Cat Project.
Intelligentsia Venice
1331 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA
(310) 399-1233
www.intelligentsiacoffee.com
