eating out Unless you take a closer look, there’s a little
spot in Hillcrest that you just might miss. A unique getaway, The Kouch is perfect for that first date or if you just want to grab a coffee on the go. The Rage Monthly spoke with The Kouch’s manager, Jack Castillo, to find out more about what you can expect when you swing by the Hillcrest hotspot. The Kouch is an interesting name? Why did you choose that particular moniker? The Kouch is called The Kouch because we wanted to create a feeling of being at home on your couch. A feeling of comfort and familiarity, relaxing with a coffee or beer or something to eat in a welcoming, safe space. Incidentally, the couch inside the shop was made locally by the Ramierz’s Upholstery and it is the largest custom-made couch in Southern California! Please tell customers a little more about what your offerings are? It’s common for people to think we just do coffee.
In actuality, we offer an amazing variety of food, wine, beer, cocktails, even CBD (cannabidiol). We have board games and books to read and offer a friendly, welcoming space for every type of person. We also offer various happy hours and specials available every day: our most popular are the $8
KRAZY KOOL
THE KOUCH
by kevin plautz photography by jay jones
Bottomless Mimosas we do on Sundays with our Hibiscus Rose Punch Tea. We will also be bringing back our wine tasting event in the near future, along with charity fundraisers and various meet-up group events. We understand that you have some kind of marijuana-based
cocktail...Tell us about it. Well, it’s CBD which is the non-psychoactive component of marijuana, it’s great for muscle pain, if you have a headache or feel sick and it works the best on hangovers! We have a CBD cocktail called Jungle Juice, and we can put it in any of our non-alcohol-based drinks on request and we also churn our own CBD Ice Cream. You have been open for six months now. Please tell us a little about your customers so far. Really, what makes my job so fun is the custom-
ers. Our customers vary in demographics, but have one thing in common, they are all friendly. We have very loyal regular customers and I would say our customers generally are on dates, doing work away from home, or socializing with friends. We hear you have an amazing chef in your kitchen. Where did you find him? Yes, Hector! He is amazing and one of the most creative minds I have come across. He worked at Café 21, which is next to our Gaslamp location and
when we opened in Hillcrest, we had to have him. People go crazy for his food and the new menu is a reflection of Hector’s creativity. Hector and I curated the new menu together. We listen to our customers when they give us feedback and we added items we know they will love. Some of the highlights would be: The Ombré Pancakes, the Eggs Benedict, the Tempura Fish Taco and the CBD Ice cream is insane, too, and we still have our popular items like Hillcrest Toast and the Breakfast Burritos, etc. You have a reputation for donating to the LGBTQ community. What charities or groups do you like to support? It’s very important, not just personally, but as
a business in Hillcrest, to give back and to help. We have a large trans customer base so giving to charities that cater to them was our first focus. We have also supported Being Alive, who do an amazing job helping people with HIV/AIDS. Over time we would like to do monthly fundraisers for local charities, not only LGBTQ-focused, but also local women’s shelters and anything that will help give back to Hillcrest in some way.
The Kouch is located at 3852 4th Avenue in Hillcrest. For more information, check out The Kouch on Facebook:
facebook.com/kouchbysimonsayscoffee.
avocado fries
jack castillo
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RAGE monthly | APRIL 2018
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