For Your Fix on L.A.

Last night I stopped off at Copa d’Oro for happy hour as usual but this time head bar dude Vincenzo Marianella had a special surprise for me. He had just gotten a bottle of Mozart dark chocolate liqueur! And this was months after I first fell in love with the idea of the chocolate Manhattan that was the Diva cocktail on Copa’s brand-new menu. Apparently this liqueur is a bitch to get a hold of so I had to wait it out and even content myself with a Diva made with Marie Brizard Cacao instead. Not bad, but I imagined not the same.

But now he had the real stuff and proceeded to make me one with the disclaimer that he actually thinks there was a misprint in the menu where it’s supposed to be Campari, not Sweet Vermouth listed in the ingredients. Regardless he ended up making me a variation with:

• 2 oz Sazerac Rye
• 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 1/3 oz Mozart Dark Chocolate liqueur
• A dash of orange bitters
• 2 dashes of rhubarb bitters

Needless to say, I loved it. The chocolate flavor was very subtle only showing up in the finish but it was so tasty. However, my happy hour companion, John of Social Domain, said that the cocktail was missing depth. Then Vincenzo gave me a taste of Diva made with Campari and that obviously had kick. “It’s more of an aperitif,” he explained.

In any case, I’ll be back for more. That’s my bottle of Mozart and you can’t have any! I kid. Sorta.

Copa d’Oro
217 Broadway
Santa Monica, California 90401 (map)
(310) 576-3030
Hours: Monday-Wednesday 5pm-12am; Thursday-Saturday 6pm-2am; with plans to open 7 days a week

Last week, Hollywood neighborhood eatery Ammo kicked off its new tasting series amid a revelry of bloggers and cocktailers. Small-Batch Social is meant to bring together booze fans and industry experts while showcasing small-production spirits, wine and beer.

And for the debut event last Thursday, Tequila Ocho, from Jalisco, Mexico, was in the spotlight with oh-so-handsome brand ambassador Scott Haro doing the pouring and the explaining of Tequila Ocho’s 2008 Plato, Reposado and Anejo tequilas. Bonus was that each sample was accompanied by a tasty sangrita to complement the flavors of the tequila.

• Plata: “a sweetly floral nose with extra ripe agaves and candied fruit presenting themselves.” Sangrita: cucumber mint with lemon
• Reposado: “soft, ripe agave followed by balanced fruit and acidity that delivers an incredibly smooth taste.” Sangrita: tangerine with lime, jalapeno and cilantro
• Anejo: “thick and smooth…finishes with coffee and cacao accents.” Sangrita: Tomato with chile de arbol, toasted coriander, rosemary and lime

We liked the Plata the best for its smoothness and drinkability while the tangerine sangrita made us long for it in a bigger glass. The delicious appetizers — steak on a rosemary spear, kanpachi crudo on a spoon and oven-roasted chicken with mint, cilantro and ginger on a bed of lettuce — kept the attendees sated between tastings. We just wished that they put out two more plates of that steak with rosemary. So tender and juicy.

The intimate group of tequila tasters crowded in the smallish bar area of the restaurant, making us wonder how they’d do this if more people showed up. Not a stretch considering all the coverage the event got from Daily Candy, Tasting Table and LA Times‘ Daily Dish blog just last week.

Fortunately it never got out of hand and we socialized, compared notes and, naturally, enjoyed the tequila.

No confirmation yet on what will be the focus of next month’s social (there’s talk of a vodka tasting) but it’ll still be in the affordable $20 range.

By the way, you can get a taste of Tequila Ocho in Ammo’s newest cocktail on the menu, Tequila Ocho Margarita which is Tequila Ocho Plata, agave nectar and lime (salt only if you request it).

Ammo Cafe
1155 N Highland Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90038 (map)
(323) 467-3293

Posted on LAist.