First visit to G&B Coffee in Los Angeles disappointing

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BuckleyT
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Joined: 10 years ago

#1: Post by BuckleyT »

From my hotel in downtown L.A., I walked past Barista Society (and many others of lesser reputation, (including a pop-up promotion/handout by Nespresso in a small park) to find G&B coffee at the Central Market because of what was written about them.
They were pulling a George Howell roast (I forget the name), which was very short on the tongue: chocolate, undefined savory, and dry mineral, done.
When I mentioned to the barista that it did not have the depth one expected from George Howell, he replied that they were still dialing in their machine.

Thanks a lot.

Will I give G&B a second chance next trip? Well, with all of the competition in L.A. for good coffee, not likely. Did I extend to them the courtesy of feedback? I would like to, but like too many coffee sites, they limit themselves to social media, which I avoid like the plague.

B

compellingrich
Posts: 60
Joined: 10 years ago

#2: Post by compellingrich »

Must have been a fluke. Their quality has been consistently good in my experience.

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Chert
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Joined: 16 years ago

#3: Post by Chert »

BuckleyT wrote: I would like to, but like too many coffee sites, they limit themselves to social media, which I avoid like the plague.

Maybe G & B esocializes over here. :wink:
LMWDP #198

LukeFlynn
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#4: Post by LukeFlynn »

BuckleyT wrote:he replied that they were still dialing in their machine.
Why would they be serving non-dialed in espresso in the first place?

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Chabeau
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#5: Post by Chabeau »

My last experience there was much like the one the OP had. I believe they were also serving a George Howell SO at the time. My shot was uninteresting and somehow bland & sour at the same time, unlike my first experience with them while they were still at SQIRL. There Mr. Babinski pulled one of the best shots (Epic) I have ever tasted.

Perhaps it is the result of pulling longer to get a more 'clean' shot. Something was off with the extraction because I know that's not how George Howell's coffee normally tastes as espresso.

I hope they get it straightened out.
"The percolations are imminent."

-C.M. Burns, c.1996

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Marshall
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#6: Post by Marshall »

Kyle and Charles care a lot about customer feedback. I would encourage you to reach out where they might hear you. It should be mentioned that Charles won the U.S. Barista Championship yesterday (and Kyle is a previous winner). It's not like they don't know how to serve coffee.
Marshall
Los Angeles

Zendel
Posts: 51
Joined: 18 years ago

#7: Post by Zendel »

Marshall wrote:Kyle and Charles care a lot about customer feedback. I would encourage you to reach out where they might hear you. It should be mentioned that Charles won the U.S. Barista Championship yesterday (and Kyle is a previous winner). It's not like they don't know how to serve coffee.
The fact that they know how to pull good shots, then proceed serve a bad shot, AND not care when told the shot was off is precisely what makes the experience so frustrating.

Mrboots2u
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Joined: 10 years ago

#8: Post by Mrboots2u replying to Zendel »

Do you know if it was either of those barista's that served the shot? ....do you know that " they dont care ? "
Where you there ? I wasn't i presume not to pass judgment on the experience

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Randy G.
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#9: Post by Randy G. »

GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE
CUSTOMER: "This does not have the depth I expected from George Howell"
BARISTA: "I'm sorry. Let me pull you another shot."

BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE
CUSTOMER: "This does not have the depth I expected from George Howell."
BARISTA: "We are still dialing in our machine."
EspressoMyEspresso.com - 2000-2023 - a good run, its time is done

Mrboots2u
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Joined: 10 years ago

#10: Post by Mrboots2u »

Yep get that Randy
was referring to the use of "they" - attributing that indicates either Kyle or Mr Babinski pulled the shot ( i dunno did they ? ) that " they " care but make bad shots...
As Marshall indicated feed it back to "them" , if they are good guys they will take whoever it was in hand and try and make it better...
If they have a rogue staff not delivering the service they aspire too then "they" need to know not "us"

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