BLACKBURN AND SWEETZER

I said I would give a post-latte report on The Healthy Bean, the new coffee shop on Santa Monica which has a patented process to enhance antioxidants in coffee. The space is fairly narrow, but a lofted area provides lots of seating in the form of comfy chairs. Disappointingly, I didn’t see any wi-fi, but there are outlets to plug in a laptop. The deep red walls, vibrant Hawaiian art, and leather chairs keep the shop from feeling antiseptic. As far as the eats, the pastries will be swapped out for healthier options soon, according to Ray Basa, who co-founded the joint with Vee Cristobal. I ordered a non-fat latte and a strawberry banana smoothie: the latte tasted, well, like a non-fat latte - no discernible difference with the antioxidants - which I think is kind of the point; I was way into the smoothie, which is simply soy milk, orange juice, half a banana, frozen strawberries, and no added sugar. It was super smooth and I appreciate you can order a small (though pictured here is a medium because the shop hadn’t received its small cup shipment yet, and, as such, only charged me for a small, which I also appreciated).

The coffee shop, located just east of La Cienega on Santa Monica.

Check the lofted seating above.

Owners Ray Basa and Vee Cristobal, and store manager Carlo Astuti, who will make good eye candy for the WeHo spot.