Andrew W.
Yelp
Café Kitsuné is owned by Franco-Japanese Maison Kitsuné, best known for its eponymous A.P.C.-esque fashion brand that just happens to have a boutique right next door. (Probably just a coincidence.) Located on a block just east of La Colombe and, of course, Intelligentsia's Sunset Junction mothership, Café Kitsuné clearly came to do battle. The small shop seems to have a lot of appeal with the fashion-forward crowd: I was the only customer who didn't have some brand name written it in boldfaced print somewhere on my person. Many customers were taking numerous photos of their cups and napkins for the various InstaBook and XGram accounts. (Yes, I took photos, but it was for my fellow Yelpers.) One wall has murals done in a style slightly reminiscent of squared-off Italian Fascist-era design ― an odd choice, but entirely innocent, I'm sure. The place is small, with a banquette, four two-seat tables directly together in the center, and a bar at the window.
The prices are standard fancy coffeehouse spendy in the days of President Grampa: Expect a coffee drink and a pastry to cost the better part of twenty bucks. I wanted a café au lait, which was listed on the menu, but the staff were begging me to get anything else; they really didn't want to make the drip coffee needed to make the drink. Strangely, though, all their recommendations were non-milk drinks; I had to ask, "Can I get a latte?" The vanilla latte I had was just okay ― but certainly not worth seven dollars. The white miso kouign amann, however, was fantastic. These Japanese versions of the classic Breton pastry are upside-down to show off the perfect pool of caramelized, candied butter and sugar that forms at the bottom of the pastry, which has a faint butterscotch flavor cracks like the top of a perfect crème brûlée when bitten into. The white miso inside adds a savory and salty flavor that, taken together, gives the whole thing a salted caramel quality.
The small café has a policy of no laptops or tablets ― obviously, there is no wi-fi here. They would probably claim this is to create a European café atmosphere of conversation, etc., but this is a small space, not even a dozen closely spaced seats, and I don't think they really want people camping out for hours while nursing one coffee and writing that next blockbuster screenplay preventing the tourists from Seoul who came to spend money on iced Americanos, buy Café Kitsuné merchandise, and plaster lots of free advertising all over social media for their brands from getting a seat. I don't begrudge their policy at all. For anyone wanting to linger for hours while writing the next Harry Potter, Tartine is a block away. Café Kitsuné is all about publicizing Maison Kitsuné, and it's a cute stop for fashionistas in the area. It's not exactly a hardcore coffee-lover's destination, but it still beats many options (including, I'd say, the aforementioned Tartine).
