It’s been a while since I wrote a full post that wasn’t about Japan, but here’s my attempt of something I think is really special.
A foodie friend invited me to what was described as a coffee omakase, and after confirming scheduling I immediately said yes. While I am familiar with coffee experiences, tastings, and flights abroad (Glitch, Mameya, Fuglen, Cokuun, and Mame in Tokyo; another in Shanghai), I’ve personally seen much less in Los Angeles (probably just ignorance) and was deeply intrigued. A quick Google led me to discover that it would be Coffee Ahma. They have a nice website (https://ahma.coffee/) and IG (https://www.instagram.com/ahmacoffee/) for reference.
The marketing material is very polished but I believe this is influenced by a business partner who might specialize in this? Either way, the actual event is warm and intimate. I recall the vision was along the lines of coffee and food with friends at home. And that’s pretty much what it is, just kicked up a few levels in every element.
The experience is led by Josh with his partner assisting out of a residence in SGV. The exterior is unassuming but the interior is well-appointed; lots of neat small details. Josh was at Le Comptoir for 8 years and that experience is clearly reflected in the framing and presentation, which is why I like to say experience vs. an omakase/tasting/flight. It is very similar to what you would consider in a tasting menu. He walks through his personal influences and how it influences each course, for example a dessert inspired by almond tofu for his Taiwanese American heritage and a toast made using starter from his time at Le Comptoir.
The experience includes 5 beverages and 5 bites to pair. It started with a tea made of the coffee husk paired with a cookie made from flour milled in house. It was succeeded by a cold brew, a hybrid immersion/percolation-style pour over, an espresso served hot with ice and milk on the side to try 2 additional ways, a mocktail refresher/cleanser, and then an espresso mai tai (so we actually got 6 drinks). Bites I believe were all made in-house and included an amazing flan, a biscuit with jam and honey butter, a delicious corn toast, and then a dessert platter with the aforementioned almond tofu as a panna cotta. We also received 2 cold brew bottles as a take home gift. Everything was great, but from a pairing perspective the highest of the highs included:
- Pour over - which was a watermelon co-ferment with the watermelon jam - Loved how the watermelon jam allowed other flavors to come out in the pour over
- Hot espresso with the corn toast - Really enjoyed the sweetness in the corn toast after a sip of espresso.
While I think the drinks and bites alone are worth the experience, I also found the session really approachable and educational. I think it has something for everyone, whether one is just starting to get in to coffee or has more knowledge and background. My session had a range of coffee enjoyers and I think we all enjoyed it in our own way (I definitely had a great time). For me, it covered gaps in my personal knowledge as well as helped me learn new things. For example, he talked about the sizing of the grinds and using tools to filter the right grinds, an experience I haven’t seen since some of the Tokyo tastings I’ve been to. Was really neat to see that and understand now why that’s done. In addition to walking through different types of coffee processing and preparation in detail, he also will include mention of the science of coffee. He briefly discussed a paper on cold brews that influenced the cold brew he serves. I think this is the paper he mentioned, though I didn’t ask for the actual study (I just Googled based on the things he mentioned): Optimization of Sensory Properties of Cold Brew Coffee Produced by Reduced Pressure Cycles and Its Physicochemical Characteristics - PMC.
The current “season” is set to run through February and I believe is fully booked. I believe they only run on weekends normally and it looks like reservations for March open Feb 1. The space is small and they only do 4 per seating, one AM starting 9:30 and a PM session starting at 1:30 PM. Sessions run roughly 2.5 to 3 hours so worth considering when signing up. It’s longer than other coffee experiences I’ve been to but it’s also more courses, some real bites which add up to a light meal, and doesn’t have much staff (just him and his partner). It will also likely fluctuate depending on your engagement with Josh - obviously more conversation means longer time.
Cost currently sounded like $80/person and is expected to rise in the future, though not to exceed $100. I did not pay for this experience, as I’ve clearly disclaimed below. However, I considered it more than worthwhile at both current and future prices given that it’s really more of a light meal and a variety of coffees and preps. Actually think it’s discounted right now as it is only 4 months(!) old and I consider it a relative unknown. I believe they are also hoping to consider a brick and mortar in the future but I guess that will increase costs further, as they will need to add costs of rent and labor.
Not sure I was able to completely communicate it but again find this a special experience for coffee in LA. I’m not aware of many others, just Endorffeine’s holiday tastings (which are focused, and awesome in a different way) and Tangible Gratitude out in Hermose Beach (which I heard of but haven’t been as interested in due to distance/logistics among other reasons). If any of you know of some other similar experiences, please share!
Disclaimer: I did not pay for this experience. Wasn’t asked to write anything either since I was just a rando guest lol.
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