Blk Dot Coffee — Restaurant in Long Beach

Don't let the modern decor fool you. This local OC chain is serving up some authentic Vietnamese Coffee aka VTM.

ITEM'S ORDERED:

VTM (Original Vietnamese Coffee) VTMatcha (Vietnamese Coffee + Matcha)

TASTE:

The VTM here is well made & what I expect from a good Vietnamese coffee. Strong dark roast coffee flavor balanced out (not overtaken) by the sweetness of condensed milk. Coffee strength is quite present so I could see this maybe being too strong for some people. I do see they also offer a lighter version as well. Towards the middle/end it did get somewhat too sweet & creamy for me, but I am a big strong coffee fan.

VTMatcha is exactly what the name implies. For the matcha fans, the ratio of matcha to coffee is on the matcha side. & On the plus side the earthy matcha flavor is not lost. So it comes together with the Viet coffee to make a tasty drink.

SERVICE, LOCATION, & PARKING:

Service was very good right when we walked in. Cashier was friendly & the girl who gave the drinks to me was kind as well. Just FYI, they don't accept cash.

It's a pretty small interior with no inside seating. Pretty sure it's not just a covid thing since I don't see where they'd even put inside tables/seats. Looks like there were 3 tables outside. Interior is a simple, clean look which is still inviting. I like how the ceilings are high to make the small place seem larger.

This BLKdot is located Marketplace Long Beach (corner of PCH & 2nd Street) with several other businesses (Trader Joe's, Veggie Grill, etc). There's ample amount of parking & I found a spot right in front on an early Saturday afternoon.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Little bit pricey here since you are buying from a newer/modern coffee shop in a nicer area. The VTM was basically $6 while the VTMatcha was basically $7.

BLKdot is under the same "umbrella" as the popular 7 Leaves, if you've ever been. I would say this coffee here is stronger (but similar flavor) than the house coffee at 7 Leaves. Which makes sense since the VTM does not have the sea foam to subdue/counter balance the coffee strength.

It they used crushed ice I'd be even happier. Just makes it that much better to me. Pretty sure most of my 7 Leaves drinks have had crushed ice. They need to bring that here!

They use bamboo straws which hold up much better than paper & are more eco friendly than plastic. I like this.

Could you find a similar (maybe better?) Vietnamese coffee at a more "mom & pop" location for lower cost? Yes

Could you serve the VTM to your Vietnam born auntie & they'd give it the stamp of approval? Yes

Would your Vietnam born auntie approve of this price? No

Would I come...

Day 2 of using some Uber Eats credits. So we decided to pick up drinks and breakfast from Blk Dot. We are new to the area and trying to find some local coffeehouse near where we need to shop. Love that it's right near Trader Joe's! On to the food... I ordered the Avocado Toast and Hubby ordered a Breakfast Sanwhich. Both were pretty yummy. I liked the Avocado Toast was on thick bread. That was different from what I find usually. To drink, I ordered an Iced Match Latte with Coconut Milk and unsweetened. And the hubs ordered a Iced Dolce Vietnamese Coffee. I snuck a taste of his and wow that was really tasty!! Mine was good as well. Went well with the Avo Toast! We will probably visit here, everytime we need to...

I stumbled into this store by pure coincidence but was blown away.

I have never been here before so I asked the employee at the register for her top picks. I wanted something strong.

I believe the employees name was Jette and she advised the vietnamese coffee for me.

While Jette was making the drink for me, she kept a fluid conversation the whole time, even though we were pretty far away. No one ever talks to me, so this was nice. The drink came out quickly and off I went to my work.

While at work, I was promoted and all my interactions were positive. Unsure if it was the drink that caused my good fortune, but I will...