Mark Baird is the ambitious owner of Longshot Coffee. Longshot’s location is just so perfect; it is housed inside of West Hollywood’s library building, right down the hall from the city’s auditorium where the City’s chamber meetings are held. The library is a 32,000 square foot building designed by architects, Steve Johnson and Jim Favaro, which opened back in 2011. Across the street are the Blue, Green and Red buildings of the Pacific Design Center, which is West Hollywood’s Design mecca! So, Mark has pretty much built in a loyal clientele in WeHo.
Mark’s quaint café has no kitchen, but that doesn’t stop Mark from serving up some very yummy dishes and treats. Much of what Mark serves is bought from other vendors; he only has a small plug-in oven and Panini press. Nevertheless, the food he serves is gourmet, and no matter how it is prepared or by who, it is all a great find!
Here’s what I tried:
Coffees:
Cappuccino, nicely made with a delicate heart on top. Mark roasts his own coffee, so you know you are getting a great cup of coffee in any of his coffee drinks.
Macchiato, a little more robust than your typical macchiato, but it goes down nice and easy.
Chai Tea Latte, the perfect amount of cinnamon makes this drink one to remember.
Savory Bites:
Quiche with bacon and potatoes, the crust is very thick and hearty, and the egg mixture is extremely creamy. Harkens me back to San Francisco days at great coffee houses that served homemade quiche. Mark pairs it with a nice salad of arugula, pine nuts, Asiago cheese and homemade lemon-garlic vinaigrette dressing.
Quiche with roasted bell peppers and spinach. A nice thick crust, again, with some very tasty ingredients. What an amazing combinations of flavors! Both of the quiches are worth trying.
Ciabatta with bacon, egg and cheese, the egg yolk comes out oozing over the crispy bread and bacon. The bread is truly the best part, crunchy and hot, a really great start to anyone’s day.
Croissant Panini with ham and cheese, the cheese is melted and the whole sandwich is warm and delightful. It is simple and direct, but it absolutely aims to please.
Desserts:
Peanut Butter Cup, it’s the same concept of a Reese’s, same idea but light-years ahead.
Alfajores, also known as dulce de leche sandwich cookies, are traditional shortbread cookies with a dulce de leche filling, popular in Spain and throughout Latin America. This sweet treat is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Monte Carlo, shortbread sandwiched with raspberry crème filling; a sweet twist on a typically savory-style sandwich. I am telling you, if I was only 20 pounds thinner and could afford to eat this everyday I would, it’s just that good!
Mark loves the smaller footprint style of a no-kitchen establishment, and wants to open a few more of these style cafés. His idea is to have one in Los Angeles with a full kitchen to service his other smaller cafés.
Mark plans on opening 3 or 4 more of these unique little cafés in the upcoming year. His model is “quick grab-and-go gourmet food to go.” This idea is somewhat European, however Mark is from Sydney, Austrian. He is someone I would consider a very keen entrepreneur. He feels that most coffee houses are for pretentious hipsters, and are too overpriced. At some of the unnamed Melrose neighborhood establishments, a cappuccino is upwards of $5.00. At Longshot, however, most coffee drinks are only $3.00. Mark is keeping his promise and you still can get a really great coffee drink for a price that won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Mark does what he feels makes sense, and he has hit the nail on the head with Longshot Coffee.
It’s about time that this location has something unique to offer. Its last business was too sparse and really did not appeal to the neighborhood vibe. Mark Baird has really gone out of his way to make this tight-knit community feel good about a new business like Longshot. It is truly worth the trip, no matter what. Go check out some new books at the library, or walk across the street and see what the PDC has to offer. Then stop in for a good cup of Joe or a sweet treat and take in the new surroundings at Longshot Coffee, you’ll be glad you did!
Longshot Coffee
625 N San Vicente Blvd
West Hollywood, CA
(310) 734-7742
http://www.longshotcoffee.com/
