Mothership Coffee Roasters
Shepard’s Pie Pocket
Hazelnut Ho-Ho
Green Tea Cinnamon Roll
Caramelized Pineapple Snickerdoodle
Mocha
Iced Espresso
Gluten Free Kitchen Sink Cookie
Concord Grape and Lavender Tart
Vermont Cheddar Chili Scallion Scone
Impressive since opening, so much that my first visit prompted an e-mail to owner Juanny Romero requesting the opportunity to sit down with her over coffee to discuss the concept and see the kitchen, a return to Mothership Coffee showed not only the same high quality of roasting as well as baking, but also the sort of brains, talent, and passion that could be just the beginning of something truly special and long overdue in a county topping two-million.
Conceptualized in part due to Romero’s own health interests and further inspired by a visit to Venice Beach’s Gjusta Bakery, Mothership is undoubtedly a work of passion for the owner who states “this is the sort of food I want to eat, and moreso the sort of food I feel comfortable serving my customers” and with the fair-trade organic beans offered at Sunrise Coffee a known entity since 2008 both a double espresso over ice and a decoratively frothed mocha show the effects of expert roasting, the later taking local to a new level with cocoa crafted specifically for the store by UNLV Graduate Xenon Mallari at Happy Ending Chocolates.
Spending just over sixty minutes with Juanny, her candid nature a breath of fresh air in a city where PR firms frequently divide owners from the public, it was over a quartet of pastries that stories were shared, and taking note of her implicit trust in Chefs Beth Ryan-Smalls and Sinead Kravetz to craft “delicious, seasonal goods from the best our farmers can provide us” one would be hard-pressed to name a single fault in items running the gamut from a savory mushroom and potato “pocket” to the decadent cake roll featuring house-made hazelnut spread beneath a bittersweet lacquer of chocolate.
Still a bit smaller in size than would be ideal for those looking to linger and accomplish some work while sipping their brew, it was after an introduction to the pastry team that Ms. Romero made her exit, and spending the next hour speaking with Strip-veteran Ryan-Smalls and Vegan Chef Kravetz a strong respect for concept and craft was readily apparent, each speaking volumes to the quality of the ingredients as well as the creative spirit embraced by management.
Taking time to view the kitchen, a small space that will ideally soon see benches and potentially the baking of house-made breads, it was alongside two young interns that the Chef’s worked diligently to the tunes of Pink Floyd, and returning to the front for a bit more sampling an explanation to the dry gluten free cookie of my first visit was offered in the form of a “kitchen sink” version that proved both smooth and complex, the simple addition of coconut oil just prior to baking making an absolute world of difference.
Remiss not to mention an impressive sugar cookie lent elegance by citrus in the batter and fruit on top, or likewise a cinnamon roll with matcha inspired by Juanny’s predilection for herbs infused to sweets, it was back to ‘farm to table’ for the morning’s final tastes, and although a savory scone of chili infused scallions topped in sharp cheddar was no doubt an impressive bite, my heart was quickly stolen by Sinead’s daily vegan tart, the same concord grapes from the previous stop’s galette here ascending to even greater heights with a fragrant floral finish.
FIVE STARS: Already a mainstay of the coffee community, but not content to sit back and collect cash or accolades when it was felt something could be done to improve the quality of the brand, Juanny Romero and partner Joshua Walter have created something truly special off Green Valley Parkway and with two impassioned Chefs using classic techniques plus a touch of creativity to highlight the market’s best products the results speak for themselves and are currently second to none.
RECOMMENDED: Shepard’s Pie Pocket, Hazelnut Ho-Ho, Mocha, Concord Grape and Lavender Tart.
AVOID: N/A.
TIP: For those who cannot wait till 8am to get their caffeine and carbs, a limited selection of Mothership’s bakeries are available at Sunrise Coffee at 6am Weekdays, 7am Weekends, along with several muffins baked by Beth and Sinead but only offered at Sunrise.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor
http://www.mothershipcoffee.com/