Show 229, June 24, 2017: Jeff & Christa Duggan, Portola Coffee Roasters Continues…

What began as the selfish pursuit for delicious coffee turned into a decade-long fanatic passion for home-roasting coffee for Jeff Duggan, who first opened Portola Handcrafted Coffee Roasters in Irvine in 2009. Using a very small batch roaster, Jeff worked feverishly to keep the pantries and hoppers full in many homes and food establishments throughout Orange County, but roasting meticulously sourced coffee beans and serving them ultra-fresh was not enough. He found that far too many great beans were destroyed at the hands of poor equipment, flawed technique, and coffee service dispensers.

With a focus on quality ingredients, brewing science and freshness – all still relatively uncommon in the industry – Jeff and his wife, Christa, created Portola Coffee Roasters in 2011. The goal was to create a quality-centric coffeehouse that re-focused on the most important ingredient – coffee.

Within a year of bringing a never-before-seen concept and style of coffee to Orange County, Portola Coffee Roasters began creating a distinct brand that revolves around producing an artisanal culinary product, Craft Coffee.

Jeff and Christa Duggan now own and operate six locations within Orange County. Their focus remains on empowering the community with quality, traceable, fresh-roasted and fresh-brewed coffee, presented in an artful context – one cup at a time.

Portola Coffee Roasters locations:

Show 22, March 23, 2013: Jeff & Christa Duggan of Portola Coffee Lab, Theorem by Portola Coffee Lab, and Seventh Tea Bar in the OC Mart Mix in Costa Mesa (Continued…)

Jeff and Christa Duggan of Portola Coffee Lab in Costa MesaAs Jeff was talking he ground the freshly-roasted beans and then began the brewing process for the ideal cup using a simple glass, pour-over brewer. He weighted the beans and water and put the ground beans in the top glass funnel (lined with filter paper.) The water was heated to the right temperature and then gently poured into the brewer over the beans. The fresh coffee then slowly dripped into the glass holding vessel. The aroma in the studio was incredible!

Last year Theorem by Portola Coffee Lab was added around the corner from Portola. You might call it their performance space. It’s a 6-seat bar presenting a Barista-crafted menu of one-of-a-kind Craft Coffee creations focused on delivering a rich, personal experience. At times Theorem is by appointment only for private tastings and is also open to the public without reservations at other times when the sliding glass doors are open. Call first…

March 23: Ricardo Zarate, Cocoy Ventura, Anita Lau, Brock Radke, Portola Coffee Lab

Podcasts

Segment One: Food GPS’ Joshua Lurie
Segment Two: Chef Cocoy Ventura
Segment Three: Anita Lau, Mad Hungry Woman Blogger
Segment Four: Brock Radke, Food & Web Editor of Las Vegas Weekly
Segment Five: Jeff & Christa Duggan of Portola Coffee Lab, Theorem by Portola Coffee Lab, and Seventh Tea Bar in the OC Mart Mix in Costa Mesa Part One
Segment Six: Jeff & Christa Duggan of Portola Coffee Lab, Theorem by Portola Coffee Lab, and Seventh Tea Bar in the OC Mart Mix in Costa Mesa Part Two

Hungry? This week we’ll start with a dine-around of New York, Houston, and a bit of L.A. From there it’s the 411 on Filipino food presented by a distinguished Filipino Chef.

Next it’s a look at an appealing San Diego restaurant discovered by our always reliable correspondent covering San Diego. From there it’s a look at the Top 20 restaurants in Las Vegas both on and off The Strip ranked by an objective local insider. Lastly it’s all things coffee with a pair of real experts.

Jet has been in New York and Houston since he was last on the air so he’ll share some of his dining adventures.

Ricardo Zarate of Mo-Chica and PiccaChef Ricardo Zarate (Mo-Chica & Picca) is about to open his eagerly anticipated Paiche in Marina del Rey. To celebrate Chef Zarate is joining forces with FOOD GPS to present two evenings of special dinners collaborating with fellow Food & Wine magazine “Best New Chefs”. Joshua Lurie of Food GPS will be along to preview the dinners on March 26th and 27th.

Chef Cocoy VenturaHiding in plain sight is the fact that there is a large Filipino community in Los Angeles. There is even a chain of well-stocked and nicely-appointed Filipino supermarkets based in Los Angeles County.

Chef Cocoy Ventura is with us to talk about the basic components of Filipino food. Fish, vegetables, and fruit are just some of the tasty building blocks.

Anita Lau, the widely followed Mad Hungry Woman blogger, is back with us sharing another dining discovery. She tell us about an appealing find in San Diego that she happily goes back to time and again.

Brock Radke of Las Vegas WeeklyBrock Radke is the respected, no-nonsense Food and Web Editor for Las Vegas Weekly. The March 14th cover story for The Weekly was “The 20 Most Important Restaurants in Las Vegas: Brock Radke ranks the landmarks and upstarts defining how we eat right now” positioned in order of appeal to him. It features both on and off The Strip locations. Let the games begin…

Jeff and Christa Duggan of Portola Coffee Lab in Costa MesaIf you really love a superior cup of coffee then don’t miss this segment! Coffee fanatics Jeff and Christa Duggan of Portola Coffee Lab at the OC Mart Mix in Costa Mesa are constantly on the hunt for brewing the ultimate cup of coffee…They call it Craft Coffee. (Don’t worry – they are passionate but harmless…)

“Since opening Portola Coffee Lab, we have focused on empowering the community with quality, traceable, fresh-roasted coffee, presented in an artful context – one cup at a time,” explains proprietor Jeff Duggan.

Last year the energetic Duggans added Theorem by Portola Coffee Lab adjacent to their original coffee haven. It’s a 6-seat bar presenting a Barista-crafted menu of one-of-a-kind Craft Coffee creations focused on delivering a rich, personal experience.

Podcasts

Segment One: Food GPS’ Joshua Lurie
Segment Two: Chef Cocoy Ventura
Segment Three: Anita Lau, Mad Hungry Woman Blogger
Segment Four: Brock Radke, Food & Web Editor of Las Vegas Weekly
Segment Five: Jeff & Christa Duggan of Portola Coffee Lab, Theorem by Portola Coffee Lab, and Seventh Tea Bar in the OC Mart Mix in Costa Mesa Part One
Segment Six: Jeff & Christa Duggan of Portola Coffee Lab, Theorem by Portola Coffee Lab, and Seventh Tea Bar in the OC Mart Mix in Costa Mesa Part Two