Coffee Quest

When we lived in LA, Steven and I were exposed to excellent artisan coffee.  It became a regular occurrence (ie, we got hooked) and we learned to really cherish those little cups of happiness.  Over the last several years, we've tried to find excellent coffee everywhere we've been while also learning to make better coffee at home (I'll talk about that later).  

Here's our favorite coffee by city (mostly so I don't forget over time):

Los Angeles, CA (metro area):

• Balconi Coffee Company (Cold brew is good and the siphon coffee is delicious in addition to fascinating.)
• Coffee Commissary (Espresso, cappuccino, and cold brew are pretty decent.  If they have their biscuits with homemade jam - EAT IT.  I still have food dreams about that damn biscuit.  West Hollywood location preferred.)
• Intelligentsia Coffee (We rotated between espresso, cappuccino, dirty chai, and pour over coffee.  Ignore the overly hipster vibe and enjoy the deliciousness.  Pastries are meh.  Venice location preferred)

Las Vegas, NV:

• Sambalatte (Tip: they usually forget to dilute their cold brew so either bask in the over-caffeinated glory or add some water.) 
• Khoury's Fine Wine & Spirits (Okay, so this is beer and not coffee. We kinda got more into beer than coffee in Vegas. Partly because the beer scene in Vegas is much more interesting than the coffee, but mostly because Jeny/Kevin hung out here and we adore them.  We really came to appreciate this place and look forward to it every time we're back in Vegas.)

Reno, NV:

• Hub Coffee Roasters (We like the cappuccino and dirty chai, their cold brew is hit or miss.  We liked it better when they were just a tiny shop on Cheney street, but the coffee is still pretty good (usually).  Quality control seems to have diminished since their expansion and the consistency of their drinks is less reliable.)
• 32 Cheney Street (I have no idea what this place is called, and they don't seem to have a website. It used to be the original Hub location, but it's a different coffee company now.  But they make great espresso and cappuccino.)  

Seattle/Tacoma, WA (and surrounding areas):

• Cafe Cesura (Excellent espresso, cappuccino, macchiato, cold brew, and dirty chai.  Loved it so much we used to buy the same beans they use  - Caffe Lusso.)
• Valhalla Coffee (Cappuccino is good but they make the very best mocha I've ever had. I'm not really a mocha person, but it was so good I couldn't stop ordering it. We weren't super fond of their beans.)
• Bluebeard Coffee Roasters (We mostly ordered their cold brew and squash bread, both of which are excellent.)

Dubai, UAE: 
      
       in progress

Sven and I tried Espresso Lab a few weeks ago.  It's tucked away inside a pilates studio on a residential street and really easy to miss.  I'm so glad we circled the block twice to find it. Best cold brew I've ever had, and the staff and patrons were some of the nicest locals we've met thus far.

Metal ice balls to chill without diluting.  I really wanted to eat one.

The café Tom & Serg is so easy for us to like.  They have excellent coffee and their food reminds us of LA - heavy Asian and Hispanic influences, super yummy, very pretty, and a tad pricey. 

I love the beakers

Smoked salmon and poached egg                                    Breaky bao (that's Breakfast for all us Americans)