Coffee

It is an unfortunate truth that the average American has no idea what good coffee is.  Oh, they talk about it a lot, drink it in vast quantities - free refills, anyone? - but what they are drinking amounts to insipid, coffee-flavoured dishwater.  We can thank Starbucks for introducing the notion of espresso into American consumer consciousness, and despite all evidence to the contrary it is still regarded by many as The Best.  Well, it is espresso, which puts it automatically ahead of drip-filter banality, but it is a nasty brew nonetheless; stale, acrid and soulless.  No wonder everyone adds syrup, cream and extra froth.  An Australian visiting - or relocating to - the busy, multi-cultural city of Los Angeles, could be forgiven for expecting a half-decent coffee at their hotel or local cafe but will usually be disappointed and frustrated.

Despair not!  Coffee appreciation in LA is spreading thanks to the ever-increasing numbers of interstate and international immigrants.  With a sturdy heart and intrepid spirit, the Aussie will soon discover a reliable espresso dispensary.  I can personally recommend M Street Coffee, Aroma cafe and Priscilla's (all in the San Fernando Valley), Blu Jam in West Hollywood and Square One near Los Feliz.  Doubtless there are more gems to be found, which should serve as encouragement in the face of what remains a majority of caffeine crapness.

Another survival technique is to make your own brew at home.  French presses (such as Bodum and its ilk) can be purchased at Starbucks, or your local homeware store (you might even get lucky at a 99 Cent store) and even good old fashioned Italian stovetop espresso pots can be found with a bit of luck and persistence.  An abundance of coffee can be bought to fill your pot at supermarkets, but for the Aussie coffee connoisseur, head to a proper coffee roaster like The Supreme Bean in North Hollywood or Jones in Pasadena, where the aroma of freshly roasted beans will have you swooning in seconds, and giddily buying a pound of brown bliss.