Voodoo Doughnut

On a recent trip to Los Angeles, I had to kill several hours at Universal City Walk.  There are only 2 options for coffee.  And, when faced with a choice of Starbucks or Voodoo Doughnut…well…that’s not actually a choice.

First, let’s get this out of the way.  Voodoo Doughnut is NOT a coffee shop.  But, they proudly advertise Stumptown coffee, and they have a bad-ass pink, 3 group La Marzocco espresso machine.  So, I grabbed a sugar bomb and then hoped for the best with the coffee.

A Flat White?  I don't think so.
A Flat White? I don’t think so.

Voodoo is pulling their shots with Stumptown Hairbender.  It’s a decent blend, but this not being a true Stumptown shop, the dice are rolled.

I asked for a flat white.  Warning #1 is the guy asked me what size I wanted.  Any true barrista knows a flat white is a 4-5oz drink, so choice of size in this case already flagged a problem.  I looked at the cups and asked for the smallest one (which was 6 oz).

Now, while warning bells were going off like crazy, the end result was actually not terrible.  I wasn’t great, but it was something drinkable and suited my need at the time.  It was much better than anything at Starbucks.  I realize that’s not saying much, but still, I was surprised.  This was a case of a well trained employee clearly using calibrated equipment.  So, while equipment alone does not make great coffee, in this case, it helped to make adequate coffee.

If you are at Universal Studios (or City Walk), this is the place to get coffee if you are in need.  Oh…and the donuts?  The doughnuts are not the best in the world, but they are quite good.

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