Mixologist Pablo Moix will take it to the next level tonight.
So tonight is the launch of La Descarga‘s much talked-about cocktail, The Next Level. Mixologist Pablo Moix had hinted at its arrival when the East Hollywood bar first opened back in February. But since Josh Lurie of NBC LA’s Feast already did such a great job of covering this cocktail made of hollowed-out ice spheres, I’ll just list the brand-new cocktails’ recipes which also debut tonight. Thanks to Steve Livigni, general manager and mixologist, for sending them over.
Bonus is that one of the cocktails, the Brisa de Oaxaca, is actually named after Bricia Lopez of Oaxacan restaurants, Pal Cabron and La Guelaguetza. Funny thing is that I just met her for the first time this week and she IS adorable and worthy of being commemorated in cocktail. And some of you may remember the tasty Bad Spaniard that was mentioned onLA Times‘ Daily Dish blog when the bar first opened but never made it on the menu. Well, it’s there now so yay!
Anyway, here are the recipes if you’d like to try them at home…should you have pineapple gum syrup or tres leches liqueur lying around:
Bad Spaniard:
1 oz Cruzan Blackstrap Rum
1 oz Averna Amaro
1 oz Tres Leches liqueur
1 egg yolk
Shake and strain into a coupe glass.
Barbados Buck:
2 oz Cockspur fine rum
.75 oz lime juice
.25 oz simple syrup
Dash of old fashioned bitters
1) Shake and strain into a Collins glass filled with cubed ice.
Last week Silver Lake’s newest bourbon bar, The Thirsty Crow, opened its doors to a neighborhood eager to say good-bye to former occupant, Stinkers Truck Stop. Now, in the place of steaming skunk butts there are antique wall sconces, beer cans are cleared away for a bourbon barrel and the trucker-themed cocktails like the Diesel Martini and the Large Marge have been replaced with the classic Sazerac, Old Fashioned and even a variety of Manhattans. I had a chance to chat with 1933 Group co-owner, Bobby Green, about why Stinkers had to end, how a land-speed record inspired this bourbon bar, and which drink on the new cocktail menu he’s most excited about.
Caroline on Crack: Why a bourbon bar? Bobby Green: I’ve become a huge fan of bourbon ever since Bigfoot West [a 1933 Group bar] opened. But before that I was a fan of Old Crow whiskey. It’s been around since the 1800s. I build and race racecars as a hobby. I do land speed racing. My car is named the Old Crow after the whiskey. It’s like a torpedo with wheels.
Bobby Green's Old Crow racecar.
We race at the Bonneville Salt Flats once or twice a year. For the past three years we’ve gotten a land speed record. So every time we get a land speed record we have a bottle of Old Crow whiskey. So we get a record, then we open a bottle and then everyone in the pits gets a shot. And everyone that comes by the pits gets a shot. So once the bottle is empty we fill it with salt from the salt flats and then we write the date and the record and it goes on the shelf. So that’s been a tradition for years so I’ve always wanted to kinda incorporate that with opening a bar. I already planned to open the Old Crow bar. Well, it turns out you can’t name a bar after alcohol. You couldn’t open the Jack Daniels bar or the Absolut bar. So we named the bar the Thirsty Crow because it’s one of Aesop’s Fables.
CoC: What made you decide to end Stinkers? BG: Stinkers drew too much of a bridge-and-tunnel crowd. People from Long Beach were driving to Stinkers to check it out. And we’re more of a neighborhoodie kind of thing. But it was still a little too wacky for [the locals] and they were constantly asking for better stuff, better beer and whiskey. The local crowd was coming anyway but they were like, “You should get this or you should get that.” So we just decided the crowd around Silver Lake was maturing so much more than what we could give at Stinkers. That was our goal anyway, we want to give a neighborhood what it lacks. We can tell from the four nights of soft opening people are just flocking and they’re happy.
Here I am trying to lose weight and everything and a majority of the events going on this weekend have to do with food and drinking. Ah well. Enjoy!
Thursday, April 29
Pourtal’s One-Year Anniversary Wine & BBQ
Can’t believe that it’s already been a year since Santa Monica’s Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar first opened. And they aim to celebrate Year One with wine and barbecue; only $4.29 for either a glass of wine or a plate of BBQ! They’ll grill dry rub babyback ribs along with grilled artichokes on a grill set up on the outdoor patio. And to complement that saucy meal, some of the featured wines are Oreano Pinot Noir and Carma Chardonnay.
6-10pm. Pourtal Wine Tasting Bar, 104 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica (map). (310) 393-7693.
Saturday, May 1
Kentucky Derby at Coast Beach Cafe & Bar at Shutters on the Beach
Enjoy Derby Day beachside in Santa Monica’s Shutters with classic cocktails like the Kentucky Mint Julep, Lynchburg Lemonade and Kir Royal, which range in price from $10-$12. A race day brunch menu will feature the likes of Southern-style grits with shrimp or crawfish ($16), lemon ricotta pancakes ($15) and pulled pork on ciabatta ($14). And ladies who dine and sport the “best hats” will get a prize! Copies of the Daily Racing Forum will be provided.
11am-5pm. Coast Beach Cafe & Bar at Shutters on the Beach, 1 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica (map). (310) 587-1707.
Slow Dance Saturday at 1642 Bar in Echo Park
Pull your loved one close to you at the first Slow Dance Saturday of Echo Park/HiFi’s newest bar, 1642. Get liquored up on craft beers and boutique wines while swaying to the dulcet tunes of soul, rock, country and folk spun by Gypsy Tailwind and friends.
9pm. 1642 Bar, 1642 Temple Street, Los Angeles (map).
Sunday, May 2
Vertical Wine Bistro’s Experiential French Wine Tasting
Attention, all winos and wine newbies: French wine tasting led by Vertical Wine Bistro’s general manager Manuel Mesta and French wine consultant Pierrick Bouquet will feature four varietals from the Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Loire Valley and Rhone Valley regions. You’ll learn such things like the nuances of major grape varieies and how to read a French label. Small plates like gorgonzola-stuffed dates wrapped in Serrano ham and oxtail terrine will complement the wines.
4pm. $40. Vertical Wine Bistro, 70 N. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena (map). Reservations: (626) 795-3999.
Savor Sundays at Whist
The Santa Monica restaurant is kicking off Savor Sundays where you can enjoy family-style classics on a $27/person prix fixe menu. This Sunday’s menu includes buttermilk fried chicken with bacon cheddar biscuits and a pecan pie with whisky caramel over vanilla ice cream. Savor Sundays goes off every week through June 2 and will feature a different regional theme every time.
5:30-9pm. $27/person. Whist at the Viceroy Santa Monica, 1819 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica (map). Reservations: (310) 260-7511.
There were four creations, but my favorites were the Eloper (Dimmi Italian Liqueur, vodka, lemon juice, melon juice, prosecco) and the Silenzio Dolce (Zaya Rum, Averna Amaro, blood orange juice, Nocello Walnut Liqueur, super fine sugar), which was named by the winner of my contest, @marissamed. Yay, Marissa! The Silenzio had a rim of sugar but surprisingly wasn’t as sweet as I thought it was going to be. At least I didn’t think so; others seemed to disagree and prefer Michel’s cocktail with the scotch and cynar. This I found a bit intense but the hard-core among us seemed to appreciate its bite.
Speaking of bites, there were some apps passed around like a squash blossom pizza and gnocchi, but I was really glad I had eaten before, else I would have just grabbed that dish of nommy gnocchi for myself.
The space where the party was held gave it a speakeasy vibe as it was located behind the Osteria La Buca restaurant where we had to enter through an alley. Apparently this space is going to be opened up in the future when it will become the new entrance for the restaurant and set up as a prosciutto and wine room, complete with hanging meats. Diners can order the meats to be sliced up tableside a la handmade prosciutto carts. There will also be a glass-encased pasta-making room for foodie voyeurism. Best part is that construction will take place during the hours the restaurant is closed so you can still dine here uninterrupted.
Osteria La Buca
5210 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90038 (map)
(323) 462-1900
This past Saturday, I was fortunate enough to attend Beer School hosted by Beer Chicks Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune at Rustic Canyon Wine Bar in Santa Monica. We went through 13 beers learning about the variety of flavors, distinguishing characteristics, what hops and barley look like, etc. But here are some things I took away from the class and the Beer Chicks’ book, The Naked Pint. Stuff that, sure you probably already knew, but were frankly news to me since I’m not a beer connoisseur.
Franziskaner Hefeweisse
1. As many types of beers there are out there, there are actually only two categories they are separated into: ale and lager. The quick way to tell the difference is if you sniff the beer and don’t smell anything, it’s a lager since ales are the ones that are aromatic.
2. When in Germany, do not put a slice of lemon on your glass of Hefeweizen. That’s a sure way to piss off the Germans. Hefs have an aroma of bananas and cloves and a slice of lemon would totally kill that.
3. Although stouts and porters are dark doesn’t mean they have higher alcohol content or more calories. A St. Bernardus Witbier has 5.50% ABV versus Guinness’ 4.20% ABV. And stouts/porters do seem heartier but they actually are worth less Weight Watcher points than, say, a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
At bars Guinness has its own specialized tap that’s hooked up to a nitrogenated tank which creates nitrogen bubbles that are really tiny and stick together and make for that creamy-looking texture. The bubbles and beer need to settle for a bit.
Beer in nitrogenated tanks are meant to mimick the creamy mouthfeel of cask ales.
The perfect pour of Guinness should create a two-finger thick head on it so you can enjoy that creaminess and get enough beer.
5. Indian Pale Ales aka IPAs are actually not all nasty-tasting. My problem with them before is that I didn’t like their bitterness and the ones I’ve had have only tasted like pine needles. At beer school, I tried both the Ranger IPA and the Inversion IPA. While the Ranger was as bitter as I had learned to expect, the Inversion’s bitterness showed up like a nice kick and then mellowed out a bit.
If you’re a fan of cocktails, you’re probably no stranger to paying over $12 for a decent cocktail at a respected bar. I know, I know, but that’s the price one pays for quality. Fortunately, starting on Thursday, May 6, Breadbar Century City’s brand-new monthly mixology series, Hatchi Mix, kicks off featuring some of the best L.A. mixologists –with cocktail techniques ranging from medicinal to molecular. Best part is that each drink on this one-night-only eight-cocktail menu is $8.
You could say the event is sort of like a cross between the Edison’s Radio Room and the pop-up Ludo Bites, in that the guest mixologists from other venues are featured and sometimes they bring guest chefs to prepare small plates to complement their cocktails.
The first mixologist up is Devon Espinosa of the Tasting Kitchen in Venice. He also happens to be the one who will book future guests for the series. But on his night, pre-Prohibition cocktails are featured, great drinks which illustrate the origins of American cocktail history: the Sazerac, thought to be the first cocktail invented in America; the Martinez, developed by legendary bartender Jerry Thomas in the 1800s; the Manhattan, the precursor to the Martini; and the Last Word, a Prohibition drink that was lost but has since gained newfound popularity. Mmm, all great cocktails, and again, $8 each.
If you miss this one, not to worry as the upcoming featured bartenders are equally awesome. Look for Joel Black who will be focusing on rum on June 3 and Rivera’s Julian Cox and his tequila cocktails on July 1.
EVENT: THURSDAY, MAY 6 from 6pm to 2am
Breadbar Century City
10250 Santa Monica Boulevard
Century City, California (map)
Reservations: (310) 277-3770 or click here
Facebook: Breadbar
Twitter: @Breadbar_LA
SO many fun things to do this weekend. I hope it doesn’t rain!
Friday, April 23
$1 Cocktails at Bigfoot Lodge West
One of my fave Westside bars is debuting two new cocktails on its happy hour menu and we all benefit. From 8 to 10pm, the new drinks — Moscow Mule and the Honeycomb — will be specially priced at only $1 each! Only thing that makes me go “Wuuut?” is that their Moscow Mule is made with rum but it’s only a buck so why complain?
8-10pm. Bigfoot Lodge West, 10939 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (310) 287-2200.
Thirsty Crow Bar’s Grand Opening
Last night I had a chance to check out this wonderful, new bar which happens to be owned by the same cool folks who own Bigfoot West, Bigfoot Lodge and Saints & Sinners. And if you consider yourself a serious bourbon fan, you’ve gotta check it out. And yes, the skunk butts are thankfully gone, now replaced by some antique-y lights. Order up a Sazerac or a Manhattan. Or even a Pappy Van Winkle with an ice ball. And then grab a cozy table in the back room.
Thirsty Crow, 2939 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (323) 661-6007.
Saturday, April 24
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books
Before Kindle and the iPad, there were books. Remember them? Well, now’s your chance to stroll down Memory Lane and peruse novels, short stories collections, cookbooks. Smell them, get a paper cut and perhaps converse with actual booksellers. You can also check out author panels and seminars while there.
Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10am-5pm. UCLA, 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles (map).
2nd Annual Unique LA Spring Show
Shop 300 hand-selected designers and artists and their wares. You’ll find unique clothing, housewares, artwork, gourmet edibles, etc. at this huuge two-day shopping event. It’s only $10 to get in and then it’s unlimited re-entry for the weekend. Admission also includes free drinks, hosted bar with Unique cocktails and a tote bag.
Saturday and Sunday, 11am-6pm. $10. California Market Center’s Penthouse, 110 E. 9th Street, Los Angeles (map).
1st 8th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational
Yes, Mom’s comfort food has got its own event in L.A. that’s the favorite of every Angeleno foodie. Tillamook Cheese is the official cheese sponsor of this much anticipated cooking contest and will be handing out tons of sample of its cheese as well as grilled cheese sandwiches. And even the cute Loaf Love Tour mini bus will be on hand. Attendees will get to witness the amateur and pro grilling competitions, partake of a beer garden as well as feast on the food sold by the multiple food vendors.
12-6pm. $10 online, $15 at event. Los Angeles Center Studios, 1201 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles (map).
Beer Class With the Beer Chicks at Rustic Canyon
Before I make you fall in love with this event, know that I’m not sure if tickets are still available. Yesterday Beer Chick Christina Perozzi said there were only 4 tickets left. Anyhoo, at this very informative, tasty school, you’ll get to go on a Beer Journey exploring the styles and flavors of craft beer. You can only buy tickets for this event online; they won’t be sold at the event.
12-2pm. Tickets online: $40. Rustic Canyon Wine Bar & Seasonal Kitchen, 1119 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica (map).
2nd Annual Santa Barbara Wine Fest
Taste over 150 wines from 48 Central Coast wineries, all handpicked by the Wine House buyers. Small production lots, single vineyard labels and more. That will be over $5,000 worth of Santa Barbara Wine you’re tasting for just $55 a ticket. And if you purchase any of the wines the day of the event you get $10 off!
2-4pm. $55 general, $68 VIP with early admission and parking. The Olympic Collection Banquet and Conference Center, 11301 Olympic Blvd. #204, Los Angeles (map).
Opening Reception Party for Poketo x Kitsune Noir presents “Los Angeles, I’m Yours”
Browse the living art market at the Space 15Twenty Gallery while enjoying Scoops ice cream and a DJ set by Aquarium Drunkard at this opening reception. Participating artists will include actor/musician Jason Schwartzman, film director Neil LaBute and over 30 L.A. artists. The market will run til May 15.
7-10pm. Space 15Twenty Gallery, 1520 N. Cahuenga Avenue, Los Angeles (map).
