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

Nautilus cocktail: rum, cognac, Rabarbaro Zucca, heavy cream (Photo by acuna-hansen)

Sadie, the new Hollywood gastropub which opens its doors January 24, is taking over the spot previously known as Les Deux (or Les Douche in snarky circles). And, no, it’s not your imagination, just in 2010 Les Deux did go through a remodel, mellowing out from celebutard nightclub to a low-key neighborhoodie spot called Les Deux Estate. But apparently that didn’t work out because here it is again, refreshed with LD’s same chef David Schmit and beverage director Giovanni Martinez, both previously from Buffalo Club.

Hopefully the name change to Sadie (after the owner’s grandmother) will be the move away from Les Douche that it needs to open people’s eyes to this new bar/restaurant. I got a quick glimpse of Sadie during a Bols Genever Hollywood Cocktail Punch Crawl and it definitely was working the chill vibe; its glowy green bar chairs were gone. It was an easy transition for our crawl to hop from Sadie to our next stop on the crawl, Wood & Vine, which shares a similar grownup pub atmosphere.

Perfect stop during a Hollywood cocktail bar crawl.

Thanks to Giovanni’s cocktail menu, Sadie will slot in nicely with the growing population of handcrafted cocktail bars lining Hollywood Boulevard, from Spare Room and Library Bar at the Hollywood Roosevelt to Hemingway’s Lounge, The Writers Room and Wood & Vine. Here you’ll find unusual infusions like lychee black tea-infused tequila and a white pepper and cardamom-infused Dolin Blanc Vermouth, as well as lots of housemade syrups.

Giovanni said that when creating the bar program for Sadie, he wanted to keep the food center stage. “As with the food, most items on our drink menu hope to reflect the bounty as well as diversity of America through each ingredient.  It is with this in mind that we structured our menu, full of rich complex flavors and ordered in such a way as to create an entire culinary experience from the very start,” he said.

Some of the more eye-catching concoctions? A couple of beer cocktails like the Gran Prix which is made with a chrysanthemum-infused Beefeater gin, honey syrup, lemon juice and topped with Racer 5 IPA. And the Double Black Diamond by The Varnish mixologist Daniel Eun with Green Flash Double Stout, Blackwell Jamaican Rum, cream, sugar, whole egg and fresh grated nutmeg.

Here’s a sneak peek of the opening cocktail menu for your consideration. Prices are the standard Hollywood tier of $12 to $14.

But I’ve got my eye on that Velvet winter cocktail with aged Guatemalan rum, raisin-infused balsamic and housemade lemon clove syrup. Intriguing.

For beer lovers there’s a small selection of bottle and tap ($8-$10) featuring the likes of Stone Levitation and Alesmith Nautical Nut.

Doors open next Tuesday, but I plan to get my lips on these cocktails at the preview party tonight. Stay tune!

Sadie
1638 N Las Palmas Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90028 (map)
(323) 467-0200
Facebook: Sadie

Marcos Tello will build the world's largest Irish whiskey collection at Tom Bergin's.

Nobody panic. The Tom Bergin’s shamrocks aren’t going anywhere. Mixologist Marcos Tello assures me that if anything they will only suffer a light dusting. And Marcos would know. He’s the one who has been brought on by Tom Bergin’s Tavern‘s new owners, Warner Ebbink and Executive Chef Brendan Boudet (Little Dom’s, Dominick’s), to do the cocktail menu and Irish whiskey list for the redone Fairfax Avenue bar.

“[The new owners] were very, very interested in keeping all the old folklore, that actual feel of the bar, everything. They literally preserved everything,” Marcos said. “The bar is still the same, they just refinished it. The ceiling and the shamrocks will all be in the same place. They just dusted it off and kind of restored it. They preserved all the historic items but just upgraded things like you want upgraded like the bathrooms, the kitchen, the plumbing. In that aspect, yeah, it’s better.”

Owner Warner Ebbink on how to earn a shamrock in the redone Bergin’s (Los Angeles Magazine, October 2011):

With us you’ll have to be a super regular, but when you earn it, we’ll celebrate your shamrocking and present you with a certificate. It will be a big deal.

For fans of the iconic L.A. bar, this is great news indeed. Not to say that change is a bad thing. Consider that the new cocktail menu Marcos is creating will offer about six to 10 Irish whiskey-centric cocktails. And it’s not going to be the hand-crafted masterpieces that the master mixologist is known for at his previous projects 1886 and First & Hope.

Bergin's bartender Chris Doyle inspired Coach on TV's Cheers.

“We have a fast program. No-nonsense program but at the same time it’s going to be very thoughtful of how they’re tasting to the customers and turning them on because 1) we want to keep our old customers. We’re going to honor them first. And 2) we want to bring in new people and celebrate Irish whiskey,” he said. Every drink on that list will be a celebration of the Irish spirit; Irish whiskey in a Manhattan, a Daiquiri, a Sour. Yes, they’re not just for picklebacks anymore.

Fortunately Bergin’s will have a slew of Irish whiskies at its disposal, especially since Marcos proclaims that it will be “one of the biggest if not THE biggest Irish whiskey selections in the U.S.” Currently West L.A. bar Bar Food claims to hold this title, what with its special whiskies in stock that you can only get in Ireland. But with Marcos’ connections and his knowhow Bar Food may have to share the honors. But then everybody wins.

Although there will be this new cocktail list, Marcos said that they will retain some of the original staff and they will all be trained on the classics. So, yes, you can get a Martinez or a Negroni if you want one. But sounds like everyone will be flocking to Bergin’s for the Irish whiskey.

Tom Bergin’s Tavern is projected to open mid to late February this year, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

Fun fact: Tom Bergin’s actually inspired the show Cheers and its bartender Chris Doyle inspired the Coach character. Marcos wanted to become a bartender because Sam Malone made it look so fun. So it all comes full circle.

Tom Bergin’s Tavern
840 South Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90036 (map)
Facebook: Tom Bergin’s Tavern
Twitter: @TomBergins

Naughty, delicious Candy Striper.

The Roof on Wilshire atop the eighth floor of a Mid-Wilshire hotel seems an unlikely place to spend a winter evening, but thanks to a few well-placed heaters and a new hot cocktail program, it’s pretty cozy up there. The al fresco bar/restaurant’s new drink menu, created by the Foundry on Melrose’s Mark Blackhart and the Roof’s San San Tran, consists of a variety of spiked hot chocolates, coffee and Art of Tea tea.”We’re convinced that December and January are going to be our busiest months,” Chef Eric Greenspan joked. “We wanted to highlight that it is cold and how do we celebrate that and keep it fun?”

The hot coffee and chocolate drinks which are topped with special whipped cream created by Chef Liz Garret certainly help. And Greenspan says that they’re going to tray-pass fresh baked cookies from 9:30 to close every 15 minutes. Other cozy-fying ideas in the works to help warm your bones on the roof? Designer shawl blankets that guests can borrow and tableside campfires featuring yogurt flavored marshmallows that will be accompanied with a variety of dipping sauces and a brulee torch. Chef is still working out the details but stay tuned.

Now before you dismiss the hot cocktails here as typical winter drinks with too much syrup or whipped cream, I’ll have you know I went ahead and checked it out for you and they’re not.

Candy Striper: Peppermint Schnapps, rum, chocolate, pink peppermint whipped cream. I thought for sure I wouldn’t like this one. Sounds uber sweet but it’s surprisingly not. Do not confuse it with Starbucks’ Peppermint Mocha. The cocktail is made not with actual creamy hot chocolate but just chocolate syrup and hot water in addition to all the other ingredients. The idea behind this is so that customers will still have the appetite to drink more cocktails. But if you, like me, are really picky about your hot chocolate, you can request this be made with steamed milk instead of water for a richer, creamier experience.

Blossom Toddy: Bourbon, honey, orange bitters, black tea. This is a basic hot toddy which comes complete with a little jar of honey. If you’re feeling under the weather and are suffering from that bug that’s been going around, this will cure what ails you, or at the very least comfort you the only way a tasty toddy can. Its aroma is so strong, it’ll penetrate  your stuffed-up nose.

Choc Full O’ Nuts: Amaretto, creme de cacao, coffee, Irish whipped cream. Warning, this delicious nutty spiked creamy coffee drink is dangerous because it doesn’t taste boozy at all. So if you have friends in your entourage who are opposed to the taste of alcohol, this would be the cocktail for them. By the way, don’t dismiss the flavored whipped cream as a thin frou-frou topping of Reddi-wip. It’s actually creamy, rich and substantial.

Earl the Pearl: Dark rum, Earl Grey vanilla cream tea. The vanilla notes of this really great tea are enhanced by the dark rum. This is actually my favorite out of all the drinks on the Roof. Every friend I’ve introduced it to has loved it as well. Bonus is that it comes with a mini teapot so even when you drink all the booze in that first glass, afterward you end up with leftovers of a nommy cup of tea.

Porcel: Tequila, hot cocoa, chili spiced whipped cream. Chef Greenspan said this drink is named after some “big fat guy” who’s always surrounded by hot bikini’d girls on a late night Mexican TV show called “A La Cama Con Porcel” (“Going to bed with Porcell). The spicy whipped cream adds a nice unexpected finish to this drink which I certainly wouldn’t mind capping my night with.

By the way, with regard to the food, my absolute favorite was the Nori Nachos, a fresh and light alternative to any nachos dish you ever encountered, what with its crispy rice crackers in lieu of tortilla chips topped with tartare, spicy salmon roe and sauce. And you can’t hit up a Greenspan restaurant without getting his grilled cheese sandwich. The Wilshire Grilled Cheese is made with Gruyere, date marmalade and roasted peppers.

Prices here aren’t crazy expensive, ranging from $8 curry-apple risotto balls to the $12 Wilshire Burger and $24 seared tuna a la carte. But there’s definitely something for everyone. I brought my bf who is a picky and healthy eater and he loved the mushroom risotto while blogger friend H.C.of LA/OC Foodventures indulged in the baked potato fries.

The only thing I wasn’t too crazy about, though, were the desserts. The market fruit cobbler and apple-cinnamon bread pudding just weren’t as satisfying or flavorful as their names had lead me to believe. A bit disappointing, especially after everything else was exceptional. Oh well.

Surprisingly despite its flamboyant celebrity chef and its catbird seat boasting a unique perspective of Downtown, Hollywood and Beverly Hills, the Roof still feels like a secret spot. But I’m relishing that quiet as I’m sure it won’t last too long. Right now I can just go up to the roof and grab a seat at the bar, a cabana, or one down by the firepit. Bonus is that the bar completes the very short string of great cocktail bars on Wilshire as it’s bookended by Red Medicine and the Stark Bar at LACMA!

More photos after the jump…

The Roof on Wilshire
6317 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90048 (map)
(323) 852-6002
Bar Hours: 6pm-11pm weekdays; til 1am weekends
Facebook: The Roof on Wilshire
Twitter: @RoofonWilshire

Ponche en Nogada from Playa

Nothing says cozy winter nights like a hot toddy or Irish coffee. But in L.A. thanks to our industrious and highly skilled bartenders, we’ve got so many new favorite winter cocktails to choose from. Will it be 1886′s spicy hot chocolate, Playa’s mescal nog, the Roof on Wilshire’s Earl Grey hot toddy? Here’s the roundup of some of the tastiest drinks off winter cocktail menus around town. Any one is perfect for enjoying on a balmy December afternoon or a chilly night.

Scot's Jasmine by Big Bar

1886: Con Abuelita — Described as a grown-up Mexican hot chocolate it’s made with Ancho-chile infused Reposado Tequila, 1886 hot chocolate mix and an ancho chile marshmallow.

Bar at Cliff’s Edge: Bitter Pill — This bitter pill will go down easy with its mixture of Zaya Rum, Fernet Branca, lime, brown sugar syrup and egg whites.

Big Bar: Scot’s Jasmine — An even cozier twist on a hot toddy which will make you want to curl up at the bar. Dewar’s, jasmine tea, honey, ginger, steamed milk.

Caulfield’s: 23 Yr Old Fashion — Ron Zacapa 23 yr., housemade chocolate tincture, sugar, Luxardo cherry.

Copa d’Oro: TT of Man — Famous Grouse Black Scotch, walnut liqueur, housemade maple-ginger syrup, fresh lemon & organic apple juices & pasteurized egg whites.

Dominick’s: Pixie Goldrush — Bulleit Bourbon, Pixi tangerines, clover honey and lemon juice

Drago Centro: Rode Duivel — Bols Genever, St. Maria Al Monte Amaro, Miracle Mile Sour Cherry Bitters. Try this and the rest of the new winter cocktail menu which debut this Wednesday. They’ll be specially priced at just $8 for the night.

Earl the Pearl from the Roof on Wilshire

Playa: Ponche en Nogada — This nog created by Julian Cox for an L.A. Times Magazine piece evokes the coziness of a fireplace thanks to the smokey Poblano infused mescal and add to that double cream, whole egg, amontillado sherry, holiday-spiced piloncillo, nocino, and garnish with pomegranate arils and nutmeg.

Ray’s and Stark Bar: Oaxacan Holiday — Cocoa infused dark rum, Crème de cacao, chocolate chili bitters, freshly whipped cream, grated nutmeg.

Soho House: Cider House Rules — apple jack, fresh pressed apple cider, lemon, honey syrup, hot water, cinnamon. An apple hot toddy that’s more effective than a Snuggie. But if you’re not a Soho House member, you can make this cocktail at home. Here’s the recipe.

Spare Room: Hot Buttered Bourbon — smoked salt caramel syrup, blood orange essence, bitters. “I like the idea of being able to get a hot buttered bourbon in February when its rainy and colder than it is now,” said Spare Room beverage director Naomi Schimek. Couldn’t agree more, but I suspect our 50-degree L.A. nights work just fine, too.

Tasting Kitchen: Duke of Hazzard — bourbon, dates, allspice.

Lady Percy at Villains Tavern

The Roof on Wilshire: Earl the Pearl — Gosling Dark Rum, Earl Grey Vanilla Cream Tea and lemon twist and cinnamon stick garnish. Something comforting about the vanilla and maple notes of this hot toddy. Enjoy it by the firepit on the roof while looking out at the city.

Villains Tavern: Lady Percy — Tullamore Dew, stewed pear cider, honey, dried apricots and bitters. One of my favorites off Villains winter list. Nicely balanced hot cider cocktail, not too much booze or too much sweet apple/pear-ness.

The Writers Room: Dead Man Oaxacan — mescal, mole-orange liqueur, Mexican oregano, Chapulin garnish.