Chilcano Bay cocktail at Sunny Spot.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been somewhere that’s made me downright giddy. And leave it to a restaurant called Sunny Spot to do just that. Chef Roy Choi of Chego and A-Frame opened his Caribbean eatery last November, taking over the old Beechwood spot on Washington Boulevard in Venice. And everything about the colorful Shabby Chic venue evokes a smile. From its whimsical floral patterned bar stools to its gold place settings to its rum list to its Rum Den.

I stopped in on a lazy Saturday evening for an early dinner. At 5pm the place just opened so we had our pick of seating in the front room and patio and chose the latter which, although it was a bit chilly out thanks to the setting sun, was sufficiently warmed up by overhead heaters. Note: The restaurant also has a back dining room, the Rum Den, which seats 56 people and is reservation only and also features a standing room-only bar.

Sunny Spot's Sunfire salad

I had meant to visit Sunny Spot ever since it opened but not so much for Chef Choi’s cuisine as for mixologist Brian Butler’s cocktail menu. I’ve liked his flavorful and straightforward concoctions at A-Frame and was looking forward to seeing what he’d do with West Indies-inspired rum cocktails. And the man did not disappoint.

He has 10 drinks ($12 each) listed on the menu, most made with different types of rum like a Nicaraguan 12-year in the Sunny Old-Fashioned and pot still rum in the Dry Harbour. But there’s also the Westfall with tequila, mezcal, lime, falernum and apricot and the Fleur-de-Lis with gin, hibiscus, honey, chartreuse and lime. Since it was still early in the evening and I had an errand to run afterward, I, unfortunately, had to go for something light, even though I had craved my usual of something “stirred, aromatic, served up and not too sweet.”

Our server recommended the Chilcano Bay made with pisco, lime, ginger, lemongrass and Fernet Branca. Now, usually I have a thing against drinks with lime in it. They most often tend to be overpowered by the tart fruit and I can never get past it. But in the Chilcano, amazingly it starts off with that telltale tartness and then finishes with the heat of the ginger. Couldn’t really pick up on the Fernet but still a great drink that I can see myself enjoying on a hot summer’s day. This drink also worked really well with the crazy-hot Diablo rum-glazed prawns ($13).

Attack of the Diablo Prawns.

If, for some reason, you don’t see anything you like on the cocktail menu, check out the accompanying rum guide which not only features Sunny Spot’s rum collection but suggestions on which rummy cocktails would best showcase your rum pick. For instance the El Dorado 15-year Demerara Rum was cited as being “glorious in a Queens Park Swizzle” ($13) and the Wray & Nephew Overproof mixed with Ting grapefruit soda and lime was listed as a Jamaican favorite. Love that!

For beer and wine drinkers, the bar has three beers on tap ($7-$9) and three bottled ($6) as well as a small selection of reds, whites, roses and bubbles ($9-$18 a glass). There’s also a $15 corkage fee if you want to BYOB.

From Sunny Spot’s FAQ:
What is the dress code at Sunny Spot?
As long as you cover your private areas, it’s all good.

As for the food, initially I was afraid that being a pescatarian, I wouldn’t be able to find anything I’d be crazy about on the menu. After all, in other reviews, it seems people can’t stop talking about the restaurant’s Two-Fisted burger or slow-roasted GOAT (“Greatest of All Time”). And based on my past experiences with Chego and A-Frame, the veg-friendly dishes tended to be rich and too saucy for my tastes. But here, Choi hit all the marks with his Sunfire Salad ($11) made with charred cauliflower, pomelo, goat cheese, butter lettuce, radicchio and arugula in chili vinaigrette. Not only was the portion satisfying as either one person’s entree or the main dish split between two people, but it wasn’t overly dressed, it tasted fresh and all the ingredients came together beautifully.

We Be Yammin: Do NOT share.

The Diablo prawns, as I mentioned, were crazy hot and uber saucy but an order of the yellow salty rice soothed the burn a bit. “They should have just made the rice come with it for free,” my bf said. That would have been awesome but then would be more of an actual dish than a small plate item, but I like the way he thinks all the same. To round out our meal we also got the fat fingered Yucca fries accompanied with a banana Thai basil ketchup. I was pleasantly surprised to find these non-greasy, unlike most fries, with a crisp baked exterior and tender interior.

Then we finished off our meal with the We Be Yammin (hee!) dessert ($6) of sweet potato tart with a walnut crust and a scoop of marshmallow ice cream. Oh mon! This actually made me do a little dance in my chair; the Cabbage Patch, to be specific. The marshmallow ice cream didn’t taste all that marshmallowy but I didn’t really care. Its slight sweet flavor and texture complemented the sweet potato tart. Word to the wise: I DO NOT recommend sharing this dessert. You must have it all to yourself else to truly be happy. As it was, bf and I were playing fork hockey over the last bite. It’s amazing that didn’t turn into an all-out brawl.

After the meal, I could not stop grinning, even when the check arrived (not too shabby at $57, not including gratuity). This was the best genuine restaurant experience I had in awhile. The service was friendly, attentive and well timed, and it wasn’t even a media dinner. Everything was excellent. I so can’t wait until my next visit to Sunny Spot. A well-crafted cocktail list, nomlicious cuisine, superb service PLUS ample street parking, how could I stay away?

Best seat in the house: The Bird Cage booth in the Rum Den (date or small group of friends) or hold court at the picnic bench on the patio.

Sunny Spot
822 Washington Boulevard
Venice, California 90292 (map)
(310) 448-8884

Other coverage:
Daily Beast’s Street Food Guru Roy Choi on Sunny Spot
Kevin Eats: Sunny Spot
Thirsty in LA’s Blue Skies Ahead for Roy Choi’s Sunny Spot

Whitman's Old Fashioned

I really like Freddy Smalls Bar and Kitchen. I really do. The new gastropub by Jeff Weinstein (founder of The Counter) boasts a menu by Chef Charlie Parker (formerly of San Francisco’s Plum) and its cocktail program was created by a Seven Grand pedigreed mixologist, David Fleisher. Its location on Pico Boulevard fills a hole as the much needed craft cocktail bar in West L.A. Except for one thing…

I don’t really like the cocktails here. And I’m really bummed that I don’t. Otherwise this is the perfect apres-work spot for me as it’s on my way home and just a hop, skip, and jump from the 10 East entrance. Plus the food is excellent, more on that later. But I’ve already been here several times, chipping away at the cocktail list in an effort to find a drink that I like.

• Whitman’s Old Fashioned — Maker’s Mark, Earl Grey syrup, cherry, bitters, splash soda — was wayy too sweet in that Nutrasweet kind of way.
• Harvey Penick — vodka, hibiscus tea, alfalfa honey lemonade, bitters — consequently, was over-the-top bitter, just like drinking straight cranberry juice.
• House G&T — Plymouth Gin 92pf, celery bitters, bartender’s tonic — had a not-good bitter after taste thanks to its celery bitters.
• Alice’s Afternoon — Grants Scotch, wildflower honey, splash soda, special bitters — was wayyy too watered down for me, although it might be great for teetotalers.
• Rum Papa — Flor de Cana Silver, lime, maraschino liqueur, demerara dandelion syrup — had an after taste reminiscent of your favorite Crabtree & Evelyn soap and too lime-y to boot.
• Pico Sour — Pisco, lemon, egg white, orange blossom simple — OK, this was all right. Very light and frothy. Casual drinkers will be happy with this one. But if I’m going to pay $12 for a cocktail, I’d like it to kick my ass a little.

Since none of the drinks on the specialty cocktail list, which is categorized in two price tiers of $10 and $12 cocktails, did it for me, I went to the classics, ordering a Negroni followed by a Bobby Burns. The Negroni was just OK and thankfully it was no #cockfail. That balance of the sweet Vermouth and bitter Campari that I love, however, was lacking. The drink itself was kind of thin. While the Bobby Burns suffered from too much herbaceousness.

And I know what you’re going to say, “Caroline, are you sure this is not just a case of sour grapes because the bartender was from Seven Grand, where you were banned from?” And to that I say, “Bollocks.” I’ve since developed a healthy cocktail groupie relationship with past 7G bartenders like Damian Windsor, Marcos Tello, Joe Brooke and Aidan Demarest. I appreciate what that downtown whiskey bar has taught my favorite bartenders. So that ain’t it.

Looking at the list, the cocktail ingredients seem to follow a template of what makes a blockbuster-hit cocktail menu: housemade sodas, seasonal produce, unusual syrups and liqueurs, the use of bitters. But then something gets lost in the translation when you actually taste the cocktails. They’re either too sweet or too bitter. Not very balanced.

Ah well, at least the beer list is Freddy Smalls’ saving grace with its selection of craft beer ($6-$9) like Stone Smoked Porter, Eel River Amber and Poleeko Golden Ale. Plus they have a decent list of spirits like Willett 7 yr, Plymouth Gin, Del Maguey Mezcal. So you can order the good stuff neat.

And the food itself will warrant many repeat visits. My bf and I found that splitting three veg dishes, an app (from the left side of the menu) and a dessert will fill us up nicely. Nom-worthy mentions include the fried brussels sprouts with the smoked goat cheese, the savory mushroom and farro stew and the Belgian waffle dessert with bacon butter and bourbon-maple syrup.

Plus there’s that late night crispy pig’s ear and fried egg sandwich….

Freddy Smalls Bar and Kitchen
11520 Pico Boulevard
West LA, California 90064 (map)
Facebook: Freddy Smalls
Twitter: @FreddySmallsbar

Julian Cox: Playa, Rivera, Sotto, Short Order, Picca

dineLA’s January 2012 Restaurant Week starts next week January 22. Have you made your reservations yet? In its 5th year, the annual food event has over 300 restaurants participating so lots of great places to choose from. And because of that it can be a bit overwhelming. But I figured I’d try and help by narrowing down your list of options to ones that are known for their cocktail programs. (Drinks aren’t included in the special dineLA menus.)

Areal Restaurant (Santa Monica):  Mixologist Mia Sarazen (Black Market Liquor Room and Harvard & Stone) is the mastermind behind the cocktail program here. Try her herbaceous Last Word with rye, maraschino, lemon, rosemary, basil and sage. Cocktail menu.

Bar | Kitchen (Downtown): David Kaplan and Alex Day (of Demi Monde and Death & Co.) redid this bar via their hospitality company Proprietors LLC and now it boasts one of the best cocktail programs downtown. Plus the food here is nomlicious comfort cuisine. Crack tots! Cocktail menu.

Cliff’s Edge (Silver Lake): This Eastside restaurant, famous for its gorgeous patio, has just enlisted Chef Benjamin Bailly (Fraiche Culver City). But its classic-esque cocktail menu created by bartenders Richard Swan and Dan Thomson should not be overlooked. Cocktail menu.

Comme Ca (West Hollywood): This is where a lot of LA’s top mixologists got their start — Marcos Tello, Julian Cox, Joel Black. ‘Nuff said. Check out its cocktail menu.

Drago Centro (Downtown): Mixologist Jaymee Mandeville has taken over the reins from Michael Shearin at this downtown Italian restaurant and is creating instant classics. Finish off your evening with her Rode Duivel which stars Bols Genever, S. Maria al Monte Amaro, sour cherry bitters. Cocktail menu.

Il Covo (West Hollywood): The new Italian restaurant makes its debut on dineLA this year. Great Italian food but even better Italian-inspired cocktails. Say yes to the Negroni here. Cocktail menu.

Lukshon (Culver City): Sang Yoon’s restaurant boasts some of the more exotic dishes and drinks in the dineLA roster. The adventurous should dive into the drink list which incorporates unusual ingredients like shaoxing wine, lapsang souchong black tea and ginger pear onions. Cocktail menu.

Michael’s (Santa Monica): This California cuisine restaurant just got with the farm-to-glass mixology program last year with Jason Robey (Bar |Kitchen) taking charge of its cocktail program. Cocktail menu.

Ray’s and Stark Bar (Mid-Wilshire): Sommelier/mixologist Paul Sanguinetti took over the cocktail program from Michel Dozois and likes to take his cocktail inspiration from Chef Kris Morningstar’s dishes. Cocktail menu.

Rosa Mexicano (Downtown): Don’t dismiss this cantina’s cocktail menu even if it does still have the frozen pomegranate margarita . The list was redone by cocktail masters David Kaplan and Alex Day. Cocktail menu.

Sadie (Hollywood): The new gastropub is jumping into the fire by debuting the same week as dineLA’s restaurant week. But that dinner menu looks deelish. And beverage director Giovanni Martinez’s cocktail menu looks even more delicious. Cocktail menu.

Mixologist Julian Cox everywhere in dineLA:

You can’t swing a cocktail straw without hitting this master mixologist’s creation. He’s the man behind the cocktail programs for Rivera and Playa as well as Picca and Sotto in West LA and more recently Short Order at the Farmers Market. For Playa he’s created a special dineLA cocktail and at Short Order you can add his Charlie Brown spiked custard shake to your prix-fixe lunch.

• Playa cocktail menu
• Rivera cocktail menu
• Sotto cocktail menu