If it hadn't been for their large billboard on Wilshire Blvd I believe I would have missed Coffee Bar Doc.U.Ment completely. This is the type of coffee shop I want to discover: tucked away in plain sight down a side street so it feels like your secret. Now I should mention that Doc.U.Ment has only been open for one week so there is a chance things may change as they often do in any fledgling business, but what I have seen and tasted so far has been fantastic!
The space itself is very long, stretching the length of its building into a parking lot, with four window seat stools at the front window that have been sliced so you can count the tree rings. Down the center of the room are several wooden cafeteria-style tables running the length of the bar and beyond with a smattering of two person tables toward the back. Overhead are soft lights ensconced in industrial-looking buckets, perhaps my only objection to the décor. From the quiet breathy music and relaxed atmosphere Doc.U.Ment Coffee Bar would be an excellent place to either study or meet up with a friend.
Though they do not roast their own beans, Doc.U.Ment has excellent taste in roasters, choosing Portland’s Stumptown for their espresso blend and Calgary’s Phil & Sebastian for their cold brew and most other brew methods. Stumptown has expanded beyond its Portland home and for a good reason! Their Hairbender blend is a standard in Third Wave coffee shops: a balanced caramel and chocolate profile that lends itself well to espresso as well as pour-over brewing. (My favorite method for Hairbender is French Press) My latte took a little bit to come and it noticed it was because one of the owners was training someone how to correctly steam milk. I really appreciate their attention to quality because my latte’s milk texture was wonderful with a few small bubbles and a micro foam that lent a sweet flavor to the espresso.
After speaking to the owners I learned they chose Phil & Sebastian because they are roasting champions who favor a lighter roast, giving their coffees and more complex flavor profile. This was evident in their Ethiopian cold brew whose bright floral and citrus flavors shone through a strong body. To my surprise they also had a Kenyan, Guatemalan and a New Orleans-style blended cold brew with chicory and maple syrup that I will have to try next time. Another thing to get me coming back is that they will start carrying Sacramento’s award-winning Temple Coffee Roasters, many of whose coffee's have a 90+ point rating. I've spoken to the owners of quite a few coffee bars here in Los Angeles and many of them have a first priority other than the quality of the coffee be it marketing, roasting or service. All of which are a part of the experience, but in the end it is the coffee that will distinguish one third wave shop from another and Doc.U.Ment has their priorities straight.
Atmosphere: Airy Industrial
Beans: Stumptown, Phil & Sebastian, Temple
Price: $
3850 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90010 Google Map
http://documentcoffeebar.com/
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