Ever since Albert Trummer left Fraiche Culver City back in 2008 to go and open up his own bar, Apotheke in New York City, Fraiche’s cocktail program has never been the same. But now there’s a new bartender behind the stick: Kiowa Bryan, formerly of the Soho House where she trained under The Varnish’s Chris Ojeda. She’s looking to put the restaurant’s bar program on the map.
I’d say she’s starting on the right foot by introducing a new bar night for boozers on a budget: Pre-Prohibition Nights, with select half-price classic cocktails and 1920s-priced bar bites.
$5 cocktails include: Aviation, Daquiri, Clover Club, Sidecar, Old Fashioned, French 75 (gin or cognac), El Presidente, Sazerac, Manhattan (!), Bijou. And 50 cents for the Fish House Punch.
It kicks off tonight at 9pm and runs til 1am (or 11:30pm, depending on the turnout). The flyer she sent me said, “Dress to impress” but Kiowa said, “Dressing up not necessary, but encouraged.” Regardless Fraiche won’t let you come in wearing flipflops anyway.
I’m just happy that they have $5 Sazeracs and Manhattans. Wonder how crazy that tiny bar area in the restaurant will get.
EVENT: EVERY WEDNESDAY at 9pm
Fraiche Culver City
9411 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, California 90232 (map)
(310) 839-6800
Facebook: Fraiche Restaurant
Twitter: @FraicheCuisine
Besides that awesome Radio Room contest I have going on right now, here are some cool things going on in the upcoming days. Hopefully this Christmas-in-July weather will go away SOON so we can enjoy our weekend!
Thursday, July 8
2010 Cupcake Showdown at Downtown LA Artwalk
This cupcake contest hosted by all-girl band Nylon Pink not only features 10 cupcakeries going up against each for the title of best cupcakes in LA, but 300 free mini cupcake samples, live DJ sets, a photobooth and pop-up shots by Hello Drama Jewelry. All during DTLA’s Artwalk!
La Descarga’s Brazilian Night
The hot party tonight’s going to be at rum bar La Descarga. From 8 to 9pm, there will be a Cachaca master class by Gerard Schweitzer, founder of Leblon Cachaca, and Daniel Nelson, the head of education for Leblon. What follows from 9 to 10pm is a class of a different sort with the La Descarga dancers giving Brazilian Samba dance lessons! You’ll get your chance to put those new moves to use on the dance floor after and Leblon Cachaca cocktails will be available for a discounted price all night. RSVP: reservations [at] ladescargala.com.
8pm. $10 cover. La Descarga, 1159 North Western Avenue, Los Angeles (map).
Friday, July 9
AltaMed’s 5th Annual East LA Meets Napa
Forget pairing wine with French food or cheese, how about keeping it real and pairing the finest of Napa vino with the spiciest and finest of our very own East LA? At this fifth annual party, set in the historic Union Station, you’ll get the opportunity to do just that. Participating restaurants include Rivera, Loteria Grill and La Parrilla Restaurant and wineries are Madrigal Vineyards, Ceja Vineyards and Renteria Wines.
6-9pm. $150. Union Station, 800 N. Alameda Street, Downtown (map).
Tuesday, July 13
Vintage Enoteca Wine Tasting
Brand-new Hollywood wine bar will be featuring the wines and snacks of Alto Adige (northern Italy) for the evening. For $25 a person get tastes of Pinot Bianco: Elena Walch, “Kastelaz,” Alto Adige, 2009; Moscato Giallo: Alois Lageder, “Vogelmaier,” Alto Adige, 2009; Schiava: Alois Lageder, “Romigberg,” Kalterersee Classico, Alto Adige, 2008; and Lagrein: Elena Walch, Alto Adige, 2008.
7-9pm. $25. Vintage Enoteca, 7554 W Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood (map). (323) 512-5278.
New Yorker Christy Pope is one of lovely ladies showcased at Red Hot Rover.
Roving bar night Red Rover which had debuted this past March at First & Hope Supper Club will now be popping up on the Westsiide! Hotel Shangri-La in Santa Monica on Monday, July 12 to be exact. Yes, Marcos Tello and Aidan Demarest, aka cocktail consultation firm, Tello/Demarest Liquid Assets, will not only be bringing their mixology to west of the 405 for a change but this night’s lineup will consist of all women bartenders from around the country! No wonder this night has been renamed Red Hot Rover.
The ladies have come up with an11-cocktail list (each drink is $13) for you to enjoy against the beautiful backdrop of the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean. Lovely.
Angkor Wat: Bacardi Coco, lime, serrano chile and cilantro
Bay Rose: Oxley Gin, blackberries, pink peppercorn honey syrup, splash of lemon and egg whites
Bonita Applebaum: Bacardi, Landy Cognac, Chartruese and apple butter with cinnamon
Gin Et Vertjus: Oxley Gin with Persian sour grapes and honey syrup
La Summer: Serrano chile pepper syrup with mescal and Cazadores tequila with mango and pineapple
Lost Horizon Cock-Tail: Sassafras-infused Bacardi 8 Rum with Demarara syrup topped with nutmeg and orange
Love & Secrets: Passionfruit with Cazadores Reposado Tequila, citrus and sweet topped with Marini & Rossi Asti Spumante
Mother’s Milk: Bacardi 8 with Falernum, Rhum Agricole mixed with coconut milk, lime and topped with flowers and candy
South Central: Muddled cucumber and mint with splash of lime, sugar and Corzo Silver Tequila
The Westside: Mint, blueberry syrup, Oxley Gin, egg whites
The La Summer is calling my name. BTW, if you are ambitious enough to try and drink through the whole list, the hotel is offering a special Red Rover rate of $240. Yeah, that’s the discount, but I guess the hotel DOES have a view of the ocean and a cool pool area.
EVENT: MONDAY, JULY 12 at 6pm
Hotel Shangri-La
1301 Ocean Avenue
Santa Monica, California 90401 (map)
(310) 394-2791
Copa d'Oro's Vincenzo Marianella works the Radio Room tonight.
The Edison's Joseph Brooke
It’s baaack. One of the hottest bar nights in Los Angeles returns tonight:The Edison’s monthly Radio Roomwhen the best bartenders from around the world shake up their tasty creations for the thirsty but stylish masses. And this night’s event is a very special one as it reunites Joseph Brooke, The Edison’s director of spirits, with his mentor and the mentor to many of the top L.A mixologists, Vincenzo Marianella of Copa d’Oro in Santa Monica. Aww.
Vincenzo will man the shakers alongside H. Joseph Ehrmann of Elixir in San Francisco and Hamish McShane of Bayswater Brasserie in Sydney, Australia.
Yup, as a reminder: Red Rover, Red Rover is First & Hope’s new bar night tonight. Yes, nearly a month before the supper club’s official opening on April 23. Like the Edison’s monthly bar night, the Radio Room, which goes off tomorrow night, Red Rover will bring in the best mixologists from all over the country who will create unique concoctions for cocktail enthusiasts to enjoy.
Tonight’s guest bartenders include Erick Castro of The Rickhouse in SF, Misty Kalkofen of Drink in Boston and Juan Sevilla of LA’s Soho House. Author of The Modern Mixologist, Tony Abou-Ganim, will also be in attendance signing copies of his book.
Here’s the menu for your drink strategizing pleasure, along with their creators in parens. Each cocktail is $12 and the bar will only accept cash tonight, no cards.
The Baby Daisy (Erick Castro): Martin Miller’s Gin, Clement VSOP Rum, lemon juice, housemade grenadine and sparkling water
Easy Living (Tony Abu-Ganim): Rhum Clement VSOP, ginger liqueur, pineapple and lime juices
La Revelacion (Misty Kalkofen): Spanish brandy, Dry Sack sherry, Rhum Clement, Creole shrub and absinthe
Little Monster’s Exotic Punch (Erick Castro): Rhum Clement VSOP, Dry Sack Oloroso 15-year sherry, allspice dram, lime juice, organic cane sugar, fresh grated nutmeg and sparkling water
Smokin’ Redcoat (Juan Sevilla): Martin Miller’s Gin, Carpan Antica Formula and mezcal
St. Pierre (Misty Kalkofen): Clement Premier Canne Rum, Green Chartreuse, lemon and grapefruit juices
The Statesman (Erick Castro): Martin Miller’s London Dry Gin, Rothman & Winter Pear, Green Chartreuse and Orange Bitters
Summer in Martinique (Juan Sevilla): Rhum Clement, housemade habanero-infused agave nectar, Aperol and lemon
Hmm, alas no whiskey drinks for this one but La Revelacion and Little Monster’s Exotic Punch sound mighty tasty!
For sustenance, guests can enjoy their fill of appetizers and First & Hope’s signature pimento cheese balls and housemade crackers, along with mini sandwiches, twice-baked potato bites, Swedish meatballs and desserts.
And if you’ve had too much to drink, designated driver service Y Drive LA will be on hand to drive you and your car home for a fee.
Hope to see you there!
EVENT: TONIGHT at 7pm
First & Hope Supper Club 710 W. 1st Street Los Angeles, California 90012 (map) (213) 617-8555
OK, soFirst & Hope Supper Club didn’t open last night as planned and will instead open up toward the end of this month. That’s OK, though, because Aidan Demarest and Marcos Tello of Tello/Demarest Liquid Assets cocktail consultation want to kick things off with a bang. And their new bar night, Red Rover, Red Rover on March 29 brings over guest mixologists from all over the country who will “create hand-crafted cocktails for your drinking pleasure.” Yup, just like the Edison’s Radio Room bar night.
For this event, guests will enjoy libations from Erick Castro of San Francisco’s Rickhouse, Misty Kalkofen of Boston’s Drink, John Lermayer of Miami’s Delano Hotel and Juan Sevilla of LA’s exclusive Soho House.
There will be complimentary appetizers, a cash bar, and above all, red, hot jazz.
And cocktail author/mixologist, Tony Abou-Ganim, will be at the bar signing copies of his new book, The Modern Mixologist.
Best part is that there’s no cover!
EVENT: MONDAY, MARCH 29 at 7pm
First & Hope Supper Club
710 W. 1st Street
Los Angeles, California 90012 (map)
(213) 617-8555
I did something the other night that I swore to myself I’d never ever do. I took a pole dancing lesson. Yup. Rush Street has an ’80s ladies’ night on Wednesdays on its second floor where ladies can take a free pole dancing lesson courtesy of Studio City’s pole dancing/fitness studio, Polistic. And I was invited to this girls-only media dinner which showcased this as well as the Culver City barestaurant’s new spring cocktail menu.
I told my friends who pooh-poohed the bar night that I was just going to take pictures and maybe some video of other bloggers taking on the pole but that I would never deign touch it myself. I’m not a big party girl and definitely not the type to sexy it up for some random male attention at a bar.
But then after our dinner of yummy portabello mushroom fries, miso and sake marinated salmon, crab ravioli and grilled shrimp and some tasty mocktails, our group of gals took the party upstairs. A couple of the instructors showed us around the pole, starting off with a basic spin around it. “The only thing I require is that we all cheer as loud as we can for everyone,” the instructor said. Little did I know how much this would help.
It also helped that most every girl had taken a turn on the pole and that the move was so easy I really had no excuse not to give it a try. Oh, except one. “I ate too much,” I warned the instructor when she tried to get me on the pole. But even then I already had one hand on it and the girls were already shouting words of encouragement from the sidelines. “Alll riiight, I’ll be a good sport,” I told myself while listening to the instructor’s instructions to put my left hand over my right hand on the bar overhead and then wrap my left leg around the bar. She then pushed me so I fell to the left and twirled around the bar in a not very graceful way.
The girls cheered loudly anyway, “Woooooooooh!” I know my style was a far cry from pro but it was kinda fun. Took me back to when I was a kid and loved playing on the monkey bars. I even got the friction burn on my hands like I did in the old days.
Now, I did this stone sober because I’m in the midst of a booze fast but this would probably have been a lot more fun and swirly if I had had a couple of cocktails beforehand. Fortunately Rush Street knows that and has some liquid courage specials on this ladies’ night: $6 X-Rated vodka cocktails, $9 Pretty in Pink Cosmo (X-Rated, vodka, pineapple, cranberry) and Pink-a-licious Martini (X-Rated, Sprite, cranberry, vodka). Yes, they’re made from X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, a very sweet and fruity drink ingredient. However, I suspect that those who love the pole won’t mind the girly drinks.
If, however, you’d prefer to imbibe something other than a melon/berry/mango-y drink, the bar has a new spring cocktail menu that’s heavy in the flavored vodka department and seems girl-drink-intensive but has some interesting concoctions:
Some of the drinks on the Spring Fling Cocktail Menu ($12 each):
I was able to try the mocktail versions of El Diablo and Strawberry Fields. Both were pretty tasty even without the booze. Although I have to say that just by reading the ingredients for El Diablo, it sounded like it had too much going on what with the grapefruit, watermelon, jalapenos and cranberry. Eesh! But the Flavorpill editor sitting next to me ordered it and loved it.
Anyhoo, if you’d like to give Rush Street’s ’80s Ladies’ Night a shot, it goes off every Wednesday night starting at 9pm. The pole dancing lessons are FREE. If you’re into this sorta thing, it could be a fun girls’ night out.
Rush Street
9546 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, California 90232 (map)
(310) 837-9546
