Some restaurants are famous for their off-menu products. In-N-Out Burger has animal style and protein style and the 4×4. Chipotle has the quesarito. Five Guys has this monstrosity.
The thing is, is that these things wouldn’t be available if people didn’t order them. And, to be fair, part of the fun of eating those things is that they’re a “secret.”
Well, guess what? Flying Machine Coffee has some off-menu items that are pretty great and won’t clog your arteries.
The first, and easiest to drink, is the red latte. It’s not a crazy, super-secret concoction, but it’s not on the menu here. If you ask nicely, though, you’ll get a nice mug filled with red rooibos tea topped with a healthy amount of steamed milk. It’s a pretty delightful number.
The second, which, frankly I don’t think I’m capable of having, is the Descendents-inspired Bonus Cup.
The background on the Bonus Cup goes a little like this according to Descendents drummer Bill Stevenson:
“We took ⅓ of a cup of instant coffee grounds, added some hot water, threw in about 5 spoonfuls of sugar, and proceeded to play 10 second songs. The Bonus Cup became a part of everyday Descendents life.”
Of course, Flying Machine would never serve you that disgusting sludge. But owner Josh Lucas mentioned that as a Descendents fan he decided to come up with Flying Machine’s own spin on things. It’s much more drinkable and it comes in the form of a 12 oz. coffee with 2 shots of espresso, coffee syrup which they make for coffee soda, and a little cream. It’s the designer version of the Bonus Cup.
Apparently, there are a few other off-menu items available at Flying Machine.