Adam Fleischman’s Cocktail Bar-Style Coffee Shop Opens April 1 in Koreatown

Adam Fleischman’s newest place serves some powerfully caffeinated iced coffee and tea, all prepared like cocktails. That’s why it’s called Cold Cocked Coffee Co., and it’ll go into the new Platform 35 food hall in Koreatown. Self-dubbed as “fourth wave” coffee, the baristas here make cocktails out of coffee and tea using shakers and mixing glasses.

There’s licorice and Mexican mole, or the rather bizarre Viet (with coconut, mint, and...dehydrated fish sauce). Flavors extend further, like the Sicilian pistachio or sea salt caramel, all priced at around $5 a pop. Tea drinks include a shaken ceremonial grade matcha with yuzu, iced tea, and matcha with soda. In addition to coffee and tea, it’ll offer pastries, sandwiches, and gelato-based affogatos. So far, pretty interesting for a coffee and tea bar, but not necessarily mind-bending.

Perhaps the most amusing, or interesting, or wacky (depending on the point-of-view) part of the press release is this paragraph:

“The brand is dedicated to the concept of higher being, the experience that propels humanity forward through the ages, of philosophical evolution and progress through technology, progressive policy and scientific intuition. This will be reflected in our daily practice of inspiring and enriching people lives (sic) and nourishing souls.”

The verbiage here very much resembles Fleischman’s once public quasi-science website and philosophy Continuum Physics. One thing is clear: Starbucks is nowhere near this aspirational from an ideological point of view. Cold Cocked Coffee Co. should open by April 1 if permits and construction are completed on time. Will this be Fleischman’s next big hit, after the success of Umami Burger and 800 degrees?

Shanna Gilfix

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