Commissary opened quietly last Monday at 801 North Fairfax, in a new mixed-use development from Frost Chaddock. Tyler King and Molly Kidder partnered with David Dickerson (Kitchen 24, Cinespace) on the café, and former Cube staffer Rachel Humphrey, is the general manager and heading Food & Beverage. “The idea was that a commissary is a place where you go for what you need,” said Kidder.
That need includes “responsibly good coffee.” The trio is sourcing beans New Frontier Coffee, an L.A. based micro-roaster. A four-group Faema E91 espresso machine is supplying shots for macchiatos, cappuccinos, Americanos, lattes, mochas and Cubanos, where cinnamon and pure cane sugar are integrated into the extraction process.
They’re also featuring 14-hour cold brewed coffee and the Art of Tea. A hand pour coffee tower is currently under construction and should be ready for next Wednesday’s grand opening. Expect brewed-to-order single origin coffees.
Matthew Poley’s Heirloom LA gets the spotlight when it comes to savory food, with seasonal lasagna cupcakes ($8) and sandwiches ($5). Today's selection included venison lasagna cupcakes and duck confit sandwiches, which come with peppadew cole slaw. Cake Monkey is supplying muffins, coffee cakes, cookies and scones (cheddar bacon sage anyone?). Café Laurent is providing croissants, pain au chocolat, blueberry danishes and quiche. The only house-made food is the vanilla pecan granola.
If you’re looking for grab-and-go, Heirloom LA features two fridges, which currently stock a number of salads, sauces, soups and pastas, and will soon host dinner entrees.
The collaborative design includes floor-to-ceiling windows, exposed duct work, an L-shaped bar with copper edges. Indoors, two-tops feature sunken wooden chairs, and an outdoor patio hosts black Bertoia chairs, which were purchased from NASA in Alabama.
White shelves line the south wall, hosting fashionable, eco-friendly options like Fog Linen Work from Japan, Klean Kanteens and hand-woven bowls from Humura House in Rwanda. The packaging is similarly green, with everything compostable except for the stir sticks.
Coffee, Tea and Bite [Feast LA]
