Cocktails

What do you know about Mezcal? Perhaps you think of it as similar to tequila but with strong smoky flavors? That's what I had thought. But, after a Mezcal Monday night led by Gia St.George at Tacoteca in Santa Monica, I learned that Mezcal is a ritual drink that was created to take care of your soul. It is used to heal the body, celebrate life and death and to enjoy the pleasures of life. And, that smokey flavor comes from overcooking the agave. Gia St. George at Tacoteca On the Mezcal Monday night that I attended, I was introduced to Bruxo Mezcal, where I met Brand Ambassador Irais Monroy. Bruxo is prononced "brew-hoh" and is a play on the word "Brujo", which is synonymous with a wizard, sorcerer or shaman. By changing the "j" to an "x", there is a connection to Mexico in the name. Bruxo Mezcal is known for "bringing to earth the complexity of agave flavors, the magic and the heritage of the master Mezcaleros and the “wizards” and "witches”, the Mezcal makers", Irais explained, but it is also known as the mezcal that changed my mind about the category.
25 May, 2015
Downtown Johnny's is the valley's newest drinking spot but it's not as new as one would think. Located on Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks, Downtown Johnny's is the new incarnation of Murph's. The space has transformed from a garage-y cocktail spot to an old-school "throwback" bar. Downtown Johnnys Still owned by Richard DiSisto, who owns both the Tunnel Bar and Tipple & Brine next door, Downtown Johnny's looks like a weathered pub. It is a warm and inviting space that is just somewhere to get a good drink, some food and have a great time.
21 May, 2015
Last summer I attended an extraordinary dinner at Los Angeles Food and Wine called Dining with the Michelin Stars. One of the featured chefs was David Kinch of Manresa in Los Gatos. After eating his delicate Beggar’s Purses and Beef with Pole Beans, Puffed Rice and Onion Broth at the dinner, I swore that a dining experience at Manresa was on the top of my list. But, the only issue was, when would I be in Los Gatos? Well, it happened! After a weekend at Pebble Beach Food and Wine, my friend and I were flying out of San Jose Airport and Los Gatos is just 15 minutes from the airport. So, despite all the eating we had done over the weekend, we hightailed it out of Pebble Beach when the event ended and drove straight to Los Gatos. Los Gatos is a charming little town that looks like it was lost in time. Our navigation took us down a few streets (a few arguably seemed like ally-ways) and we pulled up in front of Manresa. Manresa Manresa opens for dinner at 5:30pm (the bar opens at 5:15pm). The restaurant offers a 14-course tasting menu for $198 and takes about three hours. Sadly we only had about one and a half hours before we had to head to the airport. But, the good news is that if you sit at the bar, Manresa offers an abbreviated tasting menu called "Bar Bites." It's five courses (pulled from the full tasting menu) and was what we had time for.
15 May, 2015
If you like the heat, Palm Springs is the perfect weekend getaway. The day may be spent by the pool, but as the sun starts to set, the temperature drops just a bit and, if you are lucky, a warm breeze starts to blow. It's nice to sit outside for a bite to eat and a drink. Located in the front of the Hyatt Hotel in Palm Springs, HooDoo is that spot. Grab a seat in the shade, watch the people walk by on Palm Canyon Drive, listen to live music (on Saturday nights) and enjoy the open air. HooDoo at the Hyatt Palm Springs We started with a few drinks, like the Palm Springs Hibiscus Cooler (silver tequila, hibiscus liqueur, cucumber soda, cucumber garnish), the Golden State Fig (lemon vodka, ginger liqueur, orange juice, fig preserves, saffron bitters, soda water) and the White Sangria. The drinks are made with fresh ingredients and are on the sweet side. Our favorite was the non-alcoholic Cool as a Cucumber (lemonade, cucumber soda and mint) which is perfectly refreshing on a hot day.
29 April, 2015
Spring is officially here and that means it's time for the Spring cocktail menus to come out. With the sun shining, the birds chirping and the flowers blooming, Spring is about freshness and the new cocktail menu at Big Bar in Los Feliz is all about that! And, as with past menus, the cocktail program at Big Bar is a collaborative effort. It's nice to see a diverse menu where each drink has a story behind it. Big Bar There are ten house cocktails on the menu - eight new drinks and two from the last menu (they are so popular they couldn't take them off the list). We were invited in to taste through the new menu and tasted seven of the new drinks (we didn't get to taste the Big Bar's Own G&T because their house tonic wasn't available but I will be back for that one.) Photo by Eugene Lee
23 April, 2015
Ever since I ate the Mandilli de Seta (handkerchief pasta, Ligurian almond basil pesto, fiore sardo) at Factory Kitchen, it has been one of my favorite Italian restaurants. So, when I heard they were offering a Happy Hour menu, I decided to go check it out. While the Mandilli de Seta is not on the Happy Hour menu, there are many delicious options. Some are smaller versions of items on the dinner menu and other items are exclusively for Happy Hour. But, the best part is that everything (food, wine and cocktails) is between $6-$11. We started with the Frittino di Verdura (fried baby leeks with chickpea fritters). Well-salted and crispy, this is an addictive dish. Frittino di Verdura I washed down the salty fried snacks with a glass of crisp, fruity Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco di Grasparossa from Emilia-Romagna, Italy. 
20 April, 2015
When Wednesday evening rolls around, there is a fun thing to do mid-week. Head to Next Door Lounge in Hollywood for a whiskey tasting. Next Door Lounge Next Door Lounge is a speakeasy on Highland Ave that has been open for four years. If you haven't been there yet, you have probably driven by many times. Outside is "The Dapper Doorman" Colonel James Anderson. Since day one, he has stood outside the doors, dressed in a top hat and tap shoes. Don't mess with the dapper doorman. While he smiles and greets you and checks your reservation, he is also security.
15 April, 2015
Monday is one of my favorite nights go out since it's usually a quiet night on the town. When a friend asked to meet for a drink, I decided that it was finally time to get myself over to Melrose Umbrella Company as they just celebrated their one year anniversary and I had yet to go there. Melrose Umbrella Company Apparently, I am not the only one who likes to go out on a Monday night as there was a good sized crowd there. All the seats were filled and there was a chill energy in the room. To top if off, owner and barman Zach Patterson was behind the bar, making it an even better night. Monday sure is a fun night at Melrose Umbrella Company!
13 April, 2015
With a passion for smoking meats, Quinn and Karen Hatfield have left fine dining and opened Odys+Penelope, a churrascaria on La Brea Blvd (between 3rd and Beverly). And, I am so happy that they did! Odys+Penelope The 3,800 square foot restaurant is a modern, open space with a rustic charm. And, despite the open space and high ceilings, noise is not an issue. As the restaurant filled up while we were dining, my dining companion and I were still able to hear each other and talk. Odys+Penelope The open fire kitchen is home to Argentinian-style and Uruguyuan-style grills, offering different levels of char, along with a Braszilian churrasco and a smoker. Despite all of the smoking and grilling going on in the kitchen, the ventilation kept any sign of smoke from coming into the dining room.
30 March, 2015
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