Save Blue Palms and especially its $4 Pint Tuesdays!

Update 1/11/12: Blue Palms got a 2-3-week reprieve! Discussing long-term solution with landlord right now.

L.A. beer lovers, Blue Palms Brewhouse in Hollywood needs your help. With the closing of Music Box and the venue’s landlord losing their lease, everyone’s favorite beer bar is in danger.

On Blue Palms Brewhouse Facebook page:

To all our Fans, In light of our landlord losing their lease, we are in middle of the fallout. WE are working very hard to work directly with the owner to resolve. The Blue Palms is a small company and in the world of sterile business, we are pawns. Please stay tuned, we love you guys and we are doing our best to convince the owners of our worth. Please help us in posting your support and we hope to keep you posted. from BP

According to L.A. Beer Week, one way you can start right now is to call the landlord’s attorney, Chris Leonard, at (310) 312-2000 and tell him how important it is that the bar and its awesome taps be saved.

But also keep an eye on the bar’s FB page for other ways to help. Help save Tuesdays $4 Pint Night, Lobster Mac & Cheese, those 24 glorious constantly rotating taps, all those awesome beer nights!

This wonderful beer bar that has played a major part in spreading the joy of beer and cultivating the L.A. beer culture must be saved.

Blue Palms Brewhouse
6124 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, California 90028 (map)
(323) 464-BEER
Facebook: Blue Palms Brewhouse
Twitter: @BluePalms_Brew

Bartender Kenny presenting the Martinique Smuggler

It’s always a sultry night in La Descarga no matter what the thermostat says outside of the Hollywood rum bar. And yet, the Cuban-themed venue has debuted a new fall cocktail menu this week. Unlike usual seasonal cocktail menus at other cocktail bars, this one doesn’t really pay any mind to which ingredients are in season at the farmers market. Rather, inspired by classics, tropical concoctions and the LD bartenders’ boozy dreams, this new menu features an array of delicious drinks that will transport you to more tropical climes. And what makes this LD menu different from all others in the past? LD’s GM Steve Livigni said, “The biggest change on the menu is probably the fact that all of the new drinks were developed by the staff here at LD, not Pablo and I, under the guidance of head bartender Kenny Arbuckle.  Kenny did most of the drinks but Meghan Malloy and Armando Conway contributed as well.”

Here are just a few highlights off the menu that I was able to try last Thursday.

L.A. Lupe: Leblon Cachaca, St. Vincent's coconut, Velvet Falernum, lime juice, tonic

This coconutty concoction had made an appearance on the La Descarga menu before and due to popular demand it’s back. With the coconut spiced up with cloves, ginger and cardamom and the cachaca this tasted like a sexier, lighter Pina Colada and was my favorite cocktails of the evening.

Blood & Samba: Cachaca, Carpano Antica, Cherry Heering, OJ

Another favorite, even a play off the classic Blood & Sand but Scotch is replaced with Cachaca for a sweeter, quaffable cocktail. Even LD’s GM and mixologist Steve Livigni counts this among his faves.

Onbeat: House Spirits 100% Barley White Dog, mango-basil syrup, lemon, Bitter Truth Lemon Bitters

Bartender Kenny created this tropical drink with housemade mango-basil simple syrup which works beautifully with the malty barley white whiskey.

Circumnavigate: Blanco tequila, tamarind syrup, Bitter Truth Xocalatl Mole Bitters, lime, ghost pepper salt

I had wanted to try this intriguing cocktail first thing but Kenny said that the ghost pepper salt used in the mix has a tendency to wipe out one’s palate. So I saved it for the last drink of the night. Here, the hottest salt in the world isn’t used to rim the glass a la a margarita. THAT would be crazy caliente. So Kenny threw it in the tin with the other ingredients where its spiciness was diluted but still apparent in every sip. I’d say this is a bucket list kind of cocktail where you try it for its unusual, exotic ingredients more than anything.

Hit the jump to see what else is on the menu.

Old faves like Hemingway’s Daiquiri and Tapping the Admiral remain but the list is smaller now, 16 as opposed to 20 drinks. However, the rum menu has grown to 100 and now includes Angostura, Plantation, Ron Abuelo and Rhum Clement rums.

And with more cocktails comes more party time with live music and dancing also now going off on Wednesday nights with live Salsa and vintage Latin music by Christian Moraga and the Conganas.

La Descarga
1159 Western Avenue
Hollywood, California 90029 (map)
Reservations recommended, call (323) 466-1324 or do it on the site.

Aperol M’ama: Encanto Pisco, Aperol, sugar, lime

Avesta: Bulleit Rye, Benedictine, lime, Angostura, ginger beer

Bermuda Swizzle: Goslings, Velvet Falernum, sugar, pineapple, lime, Angostura

Cartographer: El Dorado 12 Year, Cynar, super fine cane sugar, Angostura

Daiquiri: Plantation Barbados 5 year, lime juice, super fine sugar

El Presidente #1: Zacapa 23, Punt Y Mes, Carpano Antica, Angostura

Hemingway Daiquiri: Bacardi 1909, Luxardo, grapefruit, lime juice, sugar

Maguey Sour: Maguey Vida Mezcal, orgeat, egg white, Benedictine, lemon

Martinique Smuggler: Clement Premiere Canne, Disarrono, grapefruit, lime, orgeat

Mary Pickford: Starr Rum, pineapple, grenadine, maraschino, lime

Mojito: Bacardi Superior, lime juice, super fine sugar, soda, mint

Joe's - Drunk Chicken Cocktail courtesy of Joe's Restaurant

The fact that 20-year-old Venice eatery, Joe’s Restaurant on Abbot Kinney, is launching a new market-driven cocktail list with local, seasonal ingredients isn’t really news. Especially in light of the fact that many cocktail-serious bars have already been doing this for years. But that it counts premium liquors for its well booze is pretty darn impressive. Joe’s beverage director Jennifer Zerboni has stocked her bar with Corralejo for well tequila and Rittenhouse Rye, “North American Whiskey of the Year,” for well bourbon (WELL bourbon!) because, as she says, “I like my guests and don’t want them getting headaches from any of my drinks.” Awww, I love her!

And, yes, it’s not your imagination, Rittenhouse Rye IS in very limited supply. “I love the taste of the Rittenhouse, but it is very hard to get so I am always on a waiting list. Whenever we get it in, I stock it in my well because it is a little stronger and I think it makes the drinks taste better. Whenever we are out of it, I stock the well with Old Overholt which I also like a lot, until I get another bottle of the Rittenhouse,” says Jennifer.

If you’re curious about her new headache-free cocktails ($10-$12), though, check out this menu. Below are some of the more intriguing picks.

• B.S. Rita: Corralejo Silver, lime, simple farmers market strawberries, basil, salt rim
• Drunk Chicken: Dry London Gin, lemon, rhubarb simple syrup, egg white, rhubarb bitters
• Fleur de Lis: Luksusowa Vodka, lemon, grapefruit, elderflower liqueur, muddled basil
• Venice Peach: Buffalo Trace Bourbon, housemade peach puree, lemon, peach, pastis

They also serve classics like Sazeracs and Hemingway Daiquiris as well as agua frescas like watermelon mint and cantaloupe ginger for your designated drivers. Go, Joe’s!

Joe’s Restaurant
1023 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, California 90291 (map)
(310) 399-5811
Twitter: @JoesRestaurant
Facebook: Joe’s Restaurant

Gotta love how Next Door Lounge's Joe Brooke presents a drink.

I first remembered barman Joseph Brooke’s name when he worked with Vincenzo Marianella at Copa d’Oro in 2009. I had seen him around before but since I’m horrible with names I couldn’t remember his. One night at Copa he had just finished telling me about how he was competing on this new reality show, On the Rocks: The Search for America’s Top Bartender,  which he went on to win by the way. And afterward as I walked out and bid him a farewell, I yelled, “Bye, Gus!” (The name of his co-worker Gus McShane.) “It’s Joe,” he said, smiling. Of course I didn’t hear him but my friend who was with me at the time said, “I think he said his name is Joe.” Oops. Anyway, haven’t forgotten his name since.

From there, I went on to realize that Joe’s a genuinely good guy. Sure, he’s really easy on the eyes and does his job with mesmerizing flare but the man also knows his drinks and makes tasty cocktails with infectious enthusiasm. I’ve followed Joe to the Edison where he served as director of spirits for a couple years and to his newest gig as head barman at Next Door Lounge in Hollywood where I visited him there for the first time during a press preview.

The 4,000-square-foot Next Door Lounge, located on Highland Avenue next door to casual eatery The Corner, is decorated in a similar vein to the Edison. Apparently it used to have fire pits, a waterfall and burlesque dancers, but they have since done away with all that to focus on that 1920s speakeasy theme, complete with a piano, chandeliers and plush leather couches.

In With the New Cocktails

For the preview, press was invited to try out the cocktail menu which featured a mix of classics like Clover Club, French 75, Moscow Mule and Tequila Daisy as well as modern drinks created by Joe. Apparently, even though the bar just opened, the cocktail list already went through a change.

Turns out Joe didn’t create the whole menu initially, just three of the cocktails. A bit short-sighted on the venue’s part considering his illustrious cocktail background. Fortunately, thanks to a post by fellow booze blogger Thirsty in LA pointing that out, Joe was granted the freedom to have at the menu.

During the preview, I tried the following cocktails.

The Bump-Off: Sagatiba Pura, ginger syrup, orgeat, lemon juice. Joe said he wanted to call this "Goldfish" because of the seemingly floundering orange peel garnish.

Volstead & Vice: Ilegal Mezcal Joven, Pernod Absinthe, cucumber water, agave nectar, lime juice. With mezcal and absinthe, this might intimidate most but the cucumber and agave really make it approachable. Smokey but refreshing.

Brass Flower: Plymouth Gin, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit juice, prosecco. I usually don't like grapefruit juice but its bitter edge was softened by the elderflower liqueur here. This elegant, classic-esque cocktail was actually the first one Joe ever came up with when he worked at Bar Marmont so holds a special place in his heart.

Drink prices here are what you’d expect for this part of town, $12-$14. But I’m really curious to see what sort of crowd this bar, off the beaten Hollywood bar hop path, attracts in the long run since when we went it was filled with media types. I had heard it described as “glamorous but laid back.” Hmm.

Where To Sit…and Not To Sit

The space itself is gorgeous with a variety of seating areas — large wooden communal dinner tables, high tops, low couches with ottomans. But my favorite place to sit, of course, is at the bar. Not only for Joe but the other bartender, Shea Lewis, who was juggling bottles, flipping them behind his back and performing the same sort of bar acrobatics I had seen in Barcelona. Wonder what he’d do with a Sazerac?

In the works for the space — yes, they’re still building stuff — is an actual speakeasy hidden in the bowels of the building in the place of what used to be a swingers club that came complete with stage, an upstairs area for who knows what and an extra-large hot tub. Remnants of its lurid past have since been removed and, with a good scrubbing, it’s in the process of being transformed into an elegant space to grab a secret drink. (Photos of the space and more of Joe after the jump.)

In the meantime, pull up to the bar and order up a cocktail from Joe. Once you do, I bet you won’t forget his name.

Drink tip: The Dame Next Door, the drink with the stenciled key, was actually made by Damian Windsor (Roger Room, Ice Ice Shavie) and meant to be a riff off the Algonquin. It’s made with Canadian Club 12 year, dry vermouth, pineapple juice, pasteurized egg white, Angostura bitters and clove-infused pineapple gomme syrup. Joe contributed the syrup which he created with tips from The Spare Room’s Naomi Schimek.

Next Door Lounge
1154 North Highland Avenue
Hollywood, California 90038 (map)
Hours: Tuesdays-Sundays 5pm to 2am
Facebook: Next Door Lounge
Twitter: @NextDoorLounge

But I had been going on and on about how the only thing I wanted to do in the City of Lights was go to New York Bar and Hemingway’s at the Ritz. As a cocktail enthusiast it was a must. So the gang rallied and we headed to the Opera house area where the two historic bars reside.

Unfortunately since the Metro in Paris closes at 1am (an incongruity considering bars close at 4am) and it was 11:30 by the time we finished dinner, we couldn’t go to Hemingway’s. Which was fine since the rest of the gang couldn’t justify spending $40 on a cocktail even though I could.

Harry’s Histoire
Harry’s has been around since the early 1900s and counts Hemingway and F. Scott as well as Coco Chanel as just some of its prestigious patrons. Legend has it that composer George Gershwin created “An American in Paris” on the piano there. Harry’s has a lot of history and even though Americans may find more significance in the stories than French (maybe I’m wrong) and American sports memorabilia decorate the walls, I preferred to visit this “New York” bar over, say, a new cocktail-serious saloon like Experimental Cocktail Club which opened in 2007 and took its inspiration from NYC bars like Death & Co. We already have places like that in LA.

The Cocktails
Not to say Harry’s isn’t cocktail-serious, it’s just old school cocktail-serious: they don’t have a specialty cocktail menu (but look on the mirror behind the bar for one drink special), don’t have wine or cider, carry only two beers, boast 300 whiskies (it’s 18.50 Euros for a 5cl of Macallan 12), but are known for their classic cocktails. Specifically they’re famous for inventing the Bloody Mary (created to soothe hangovers) and make a mean Sidecar as well.

Because of this, four of us ordered Sidecars while the remainder went with a Bloody Mary and a Manhattan. I’m more a Manhattan drinker but went for the cognac-based drink since that was supposedly the bar’s specialty and because I felt weird ordering a NY-inspired drink in a Parisian bar. Sorta like ordering a hamburger at a French restaurant, no?

But in the end I wished I went with my gut and got my favorite cocktail. My bf ordered it for himself and I eyed it enviously the rest of the night. Argh.

Which Was the Best Cocktail?
I didn’t get to see the white-coated server/bartender make it but the Vermouth was something other than Carpano. No one overpowering flavor, just smooth, potent, well-rounded. No sharp edges. Its color the right shade of mahogany, not too dark with too much Vermouth or too light with a heavy pour of rye. The speared cherry was not red but almost greenish where we initially mistook it for an olive. Its flavor nostril-flaring and eyebrow-raising. Stronnng!

As for the Sidecar, since I’m not a connoisseur of that cocktail, I was taken aback by its forward citrusy note. The cognac snuck up in the middle palate and smoothed out on the finish leaving you with a pleasant and growing warmth.

But the popular drink at the table was the Bloody Mary, served in a Collins glass over ice. “Where’s my celery?” its drinker exclaimed but he proceeded to fall in love with the cocktail claiming it was the best Bloody Mary he ever had.

And even though I’m not usually a fan of the drink I had to concur. It was so spicy and peppery but somehow not over the top. So drinkable. Here at Harry’s this Mary wasn’t something only to be ordered during brunch. Groups of dudes were clasping onto their Marys at the bar.

At our table the boys played keep away with the sole order of Bloody Mary. “Well it didn’t look like you were going to finish it so I was just trying to help you out,” explained one cocktail thief to the drink’s irked owner. The rest of the night he had to keep a firm grasp on his glass lest someone else in the party steal a gulp.

À Tout à L’Heure!
Since the Metro was closing shortly, sadly we had to call it a night early. But I made a promise to myself to return to Harry’s the next time I’m in Paris… which is actually next Tuesday. Then I’ll get to pair it with a visit to Hemingway’s. Huzzah!

The bar, even though world famous,
chock-full of history and located near the grandiose Paris Opera House surprisingly felt down to earth. Its formally dressed servers in crisp, white coats were friendly and non-condescending, answering our many questions and even smiling. And if you’re a tourist who packed a bit too light, Harry’s will welcome you in your casual attire even if the Ritz’s Hemingway’s doesn’t.