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Tag Archive: Julian Cox

January 19, 2012

Cocktail Destination Picks From dineLA’s January 2012 Restaurant Week

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

: Mia Sarazen of Areal

: Alex Day and David Kaplan

: Paul of Stark Bar

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.

Categories: Cocktails, Dining, Los Angeles

3 Comments

December 8, 2011

Playa’s New Winter Cocktail Menu Debuts Tonight: Mescal Nog, Playa Flip and the Return of Old Favorites

Julian Cox, Mixologist and Magic Man

Tonight at Playa (Best New Restaurant 2011, Esquire) on Beverly Boulevard, renowned mixologist Julian Cox (Rivera, Picca, Sotto, Short Order and Eater LA’s Bartender of the Year 2011) will not only debut a fresh batch of seasonal cocktails but “The Best of Playa 2011” — the most requested cocktails in the restaurant’s 11-month existence. So yes, you can look forward to the return of the beloved A Oaxacan the Clouds and Up and Atom. Woo!

But the new ones are going to be instant favorites as well. I got a sneaky peek of some of them last night and they made me realize that I don’t come to Playa nearly enough. Always awesome food and mind-blowing cocktails.

The Grail: Tempranillo, bonded apple brandy, fresh pressed apple, fresh citrus, Don’s mix, red apple foam, dehydrated apple chip

If you love apple, you’ll love the Grail. It’s light and very approachable for those who don’t like drinks that are “too alcohol-y” (weirdos). But it reminds me of fall. A huge basket of apples just picked from the tree. A nice juicy flavor which is evened out by the foam.

Julian had made this preview drink with a straw but then said it’s actually best enjoyed by sipping. Of course he’s completely right because then otherwise you get too much apple juice. So ladies, don’t help yourselves to the canister of straws behind the bar. Just wipe off your lipstick and dive in. It’s worth reapplying after.

Andalusian Palomino by Caroline on Crack

An Andalusian (3 ways): Reposado tequila, cocchi Americano, Spanish bianco vermouth, your choice sherry. Paso fino: Fino; Palomino: Amontillado; Furioso: East India

An Andalusian (3 ways) sherry-focused cocktail offers a choose-your-own-adventure type of approach where you decide which sherry to have in your drink. The point is to create a dialogue about sherry and also it’s “very Spanish, to try and make John [Rivera Sedlar] proud,” Julian said. So the difference between each version is that each can be had with different parts of the meal, from appetizer light to dessert sweet.

The Paso Fino is “light and has a grapefruit feel” according to Julian. The Palomino is “more nutty, more luscious, it’s got a Meyer lemon peel so it’s got that citrus kick.” And Furioso with East India is a “sweeter style of sherry and is finished off with a lemon peel and it’s darker.”

What I loved about this drink was not just getting choices but that it was also a really drinkable tequila cocktail. None of that bite you get from tequila and you could taste the cocktail starting from the back of your palate to the last tingle on the tip of your tongue. It definitely is for someone who can handle the more potent cocktails though.

Ponche en Nogada: Poblano infused mescal, double cream, whole egg, Amontillado sherry, holiday-spiced piloncillo, nocino, garnished with pomegranate arils and nutmeg

Ponche en Nogada, a lovely, festive nog-inspired cocktail, was created for an L.A. Times Magazine story (recipe here) and is based on the traditional Mexican dish, Chile en Nogada. Suffice it to say it tastes like Christmas by the fireplace. When I told that to Julian, he chuckled but it’s true. The creamy cocktail’s smokiness is thanks to its use of mescal, a very unusual choice for a holiday cocktail but I’m not complaining. Here it works perfectly, lifting that sticky, sweet stigma left by most nogs you may encounter this holiday season. But careful, it’s really easy going down.

Cognac West: Cognac, barley wine, dry sac, egg yolk, acacia honey, crushed juniper. A version of a classic flip.

The rest of the new menu is filled out by the cocktails that customers kept clamoring for to bring back. Hit the jump to see what made the cut. And if you don’t see a favorite of yours on the list, it’s because its ingredients are currently out of season. You know they only roll with the fresh stuff at Playa.

You can check out these cocktails for yourself tonight as they debut for the special price of $11.

Playa
7360 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90036 (map)
(323) 933-5300
Twitter: @PlayaRivera
Facebook: Playa Rivera

Categories: Cocktails, Los Angeles, Nightlife

3 Comments

November 17, 2011

This Weekend: 1886′s Boozy Birthday, Short Order With Cocktails, Food Fight With Ben Ford

Thursday, November 17

The Ultimate Food Fight: Whole Foods Market Chefs Fight to “Stuff This!”
Local chefs Ben Ford (Ford’s Filling Station), Jason Bowlin (Catch at Casa Del Mar) and Casey Lane (Tasting Kitchen) are going head to head in this cook-off to create the best holiday stuffing in less than 45 minutes. They’ll each be given the same basic stuffing recipe but have to use a variety of secret nontraditional local and seasonal ingredients. Yum! To attend the event, just bring a couple of Thanksgiving-themed food items which will then be donated to the Venice Housing Corp Food Bank.

5-6:30pm. Whole Foods Market Venice, 225 Lincoln Boulevard, Venice (map).

1886′s 1st Anniversary Party
The booziest one-year-old’s birthday party you’ll probably ever attend. This one will have hand-crafted cocktails as well as wines and Craftsman beer! For food Chef Tim Guiltinan and pastry chef Jeff Haines have come up with hors d’oeuvres, small plates and desserts. Ticktets are $55 at the door and proceeds will go Hathaway Sycamores, a non-profit children and families mental health and welfare agency.

6:30-10pm. 1886, 1250 S Fair Oaks, Pasadena (map).

Friday, November 18

Short Order Opens, Featuring Cocktails by Julian Cox
The Farmers Market on 3rd couldn’t be a more perfect place for this burger joint by the late Amy Pressman and Mozza’s Nancy Silverton which features only meat from free-range animals and local and artisanal ingredients. Wash all that goodness down with equally fresh cocktails by none other than Playa/Rivera’s Julian Cox (Eater LA’s bartender of the year 2011).

5pm. Short Order, 6333 Third Street, Los Angeles (map). (323) 761-7970.

Saturday, November 19

Great Walk LA 2011
With Turkey Day just around the corner, it’s probably a good idea to work off some weight with a lovely walk through the city. 19 miles should do it. This year’s Great Los Angeles Walk route will have you hoofing it from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica. Enjoy your city up close and personal and out of your car for a change. For those who don’t think they can do the entire route (me), just follow @greatwalkla on Twitter to see where everyone is to meet up with them on the route. I’m thinking of joining the gang up in WeHo in the march toward the Pacific.

9am. Meeting spot: Triforium sculpture at Fletcher Bowron Square across from City Hall (map).

Sunday, November 20

Filipino Food & Cocktail Event
Mmm, the food of my people paired with cocktails? That’s right up my alley. This annual Filipino food pairing event will feature modern takes on traditional dishes and cocktails like the Manila Mule with bourbon, calamansi nectar and ginger beer. The pairings were created by Six Taste, Nola’s and blogger Abby of Pleasure Palate. Tickets are available now at for $50.

6pm. $50. Nola’s, 734 E 3rd Street, Los Angeles (map).

Categories: Cocktails, Dining, Lists, Los Angeles, Nightlife, Recreation

Quick Giveaway: Pair of Tickets to The Taste’s Art of Mixing

Learn a thing or two from Rivera's Julian Cox.

This weekend is Los Angeles Times‘ The Taste event, a citywide food fest, with the big event all weekend at Paramount Studios. But for you, my crackheads, I’m giving away a pair of tickets to this Friday’s cocktail-fabulous event, Art of Mixing.

Admission is $125 and will get you unlimited tastings from 30 restaurants (Eva Restaurant, Joe’s Restaurant, Wurstkuche) and 30 wineries, breweries and spirits (Luksusowa Vodka, Original Moonshine) as well as demos from Chef Ricardo Zarate (Picca), John Rivera Sedlar (Playa, Rivera) and mixologist Julian Cox (Rivera, Sotto). This cocktail party opens with a dj set by KCRW’s Jason Bentley followed by Latin-inspired punk band Mariachi El Bronx.

Awesome way to kick off your holiday weekend, no? And I’m giving away only one pair of tickets (value: $250). One! But since the event is just this Friday, this giveaway has to be quick with a winner picked out by tomorrow. So I’m keeping it Facebook-focused! For a chance at the tickets all you have to do is the following:

***CONTEST IS CLOSED***

1) Post on my Caroline on Crackheads Facebook page what’s your favorite cocktail to make at home and you must tag The Taste in your post (you have to Like their page to be able to tag them).

2) Sit back and wait to get a message from me on Thursday morning around 10am telling you that you won. I’ll drop all the entries into Random.org and pick a winner. Check your Facebook email, people! If I don’t hear back from you by 11am I’ll have to draw another winner and you don’t want that.

Good luck!

EVENT: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 from 9pm to 12am

Categories: Cocktails, Los Angeles, Nightlife

Resistance Is Futile: LA Street Food Fest + Giveaway

Starry Kitchen and Less Than 3 Is Me by Caroline on Crack

Will Nguyen of Starry Kitchen sport the banana at this year's LA Street Food Fest?

Carmaggedon. Autopocalypse. The 405 freeway closed the whole weekend from the 101 to 10? What’s a Westsider who wants to hit up foodie favorite event LA Street Food Fest in Pasadena on July 16th to do?

Feel the Lure of LA Food Fest

Sailor Jerry Rum bartenders by Caroline on Crack

A Sailor Jerry Rum bar if you want something other than beer, gin or tequila.

I mean, who would want to brave what’s being touted to be the clusterfuck from hell even if LASFF is a fun event featuring the food of LA’s most popular food trucks like Great Balls on Tires, Grilled Cheese Truck and The Frymsith?

And sure, restaurants Mo-Chica/Picca, Pal Cabron, and Starry Kitchen will also be serving up food and there’s even an Ice Cream Social with Scoops and Batch From Scratch, Bulgarini Gelato, CoolHaus and Ice Ice Shavie, the new mixology-driven shaved ice truck… Oh dear, that’s pretty hard to resist. (List of participants)

The things that may just push any booze-loving Westsider over the edge though? The Tequila Tasting Tent showcasing 13 tequilas as well as the Hendrick’s Gin sponsored Test Kitchen Luxe Lounge with Chef Farid Zadi and renowned mixologist Julian Cox (Rivera/Playa). Julian will be mixing up some unique specialties just for the event including his Gin y Hendrix with Hendrick’s gin, lime, mint, agave, salt and cucumber espuma as well as his Peat Rose with Hendrick’s, lemon, cane sugar, seltzer, lemon verbena, Islay Scotch and rose air. Now, do you still want to hole up at home with all this going on?

As Much as You Hate the Word, Call It a Staycation

Mayor Villaraigosa and Susan Feniger by Caroline on Crack

The mayor will be returning to the food fest this year sans cast.

If you’re finding it hard to stick to your side of town but really don’t want to worry about driving either, LASFF organizer Shawna Dawson, the city of Pasadena and even Mayor Villaraigosa are trying to convince Westsiders to just take a “staycation” by booking a hotel room in the vicinity of the event.

The Courtyard Marriott in Old Town Pasadena is offering a special discount rate of $119 a night as well as a free shuttle to get to the event (perfect, considering that tequila tent). Well, it could be fun exploring what the ‘Dena has to offer. Hmm, I would be able to actually drink more at 1886 without having to worry about the long drive back home since the bar is just an affordable cab ride away from the Marriott.

Fun Things To Do in the ‘Dena During Your Stay

And Ms. Shawna, who herself is a resident of the 626, offered up other fun things to do, see, eat in Pasadena.

Take in a movie at luxurious movie theaters: Gold Class Cinemas and ArcLight Theater.

Relax at the Langham Hotel’s Huntington Spa with either their new summer Lemon Mint Swedish Massage (60 minutes for $110) or a Chuan back, neck and shoulder massage (30 minutes for $95).

Must-do beer destination Lucky Baldwin’s Pub & Café is in the midst of its Xmas in July Beer Festival which features Christmas and rare vintage beers through July 17.

Get an All-Out-Diva Pedicure ($60) at Dashing Diva to treat your feet after walking all over the festival.

Enjoy vino at Heritage Wine Company, “the most comfortable Pasadena wine bar.”

And if you still feel like eating after the festival, there’s the Hat‘s infamous chili cheese fries.

Maybe if I could get a friend to split that hotel room it won’t be too bad. Thinking, thinking.

Giveaway!

***CONTEST CLOSED***

To those who won’t be intimidated by a little traffic, I offer up the following: TWO tickets to the afternoon session (2-5pm) of the LA Street Food Fest this Saturday, July 16. Regular price is $60 a person and it includes food, drinks, cocktails, beer, music and parking but if you win you and your buddy get in for FREE!

No VIP tickets to give away this year but since the event is divided into three sessions with a limited capacity of 1,500 a sesh, it’ll be equivalent to what VIP was last year. Shorter lines and more elbow room! You in?

All you have to do to enter this giveaway is the following (do both steps to qualify):

Leave a comment below saying how you plan to spend Carmaggedon this weekend (besides at LA Street Food Fest of course) and include your Twitter handle. (There is no right answer; I’m just looking for suggestions, heh.)
Tweet: “#Carmaggedon be damned, I wanna go to @LAFoodFest, @carolineoncrack! http://wp.me/pNkdL-27M”

I’ll randomly pick a winner via Random.org on Friday at 10am and notify the winner via email. If I don’t hear from you by 2pm this Friday, I’ll draw another winner so check your email, Tweeps!

EVENT: SATURDAY, JULY 16 from

10am–1pm: Picnic in the Park (All Ages, Family Friendly)
2pm–5pm: Family Fun Day (All Ages, Family Friendly)
6pm–9pm: Date Night (21+)

The Rose Bowl
360 North Arroyo Boulevard
Pasadena, California 91103 (map)
Tickets: $60
Facebook: LA Street Food Fest
Twitter: @LAFoodFest

Categories: Cocktails, Dining, Featured, Los Angeles, Nightlife

58 Comments

August 29, 2010

TONIGHT: All-Star Bartenders Night at First & Hope

Mixologist Misty having fun at First & Hope's last Red Rover event by Caroline on Crack

Guest mixologist Misty Kalkofen having fun at First & Hope's last Red Rover event

OK, L.A. you’ve shown you love having all your favorite bartenders in one space, as is proven in the popular guest bartender nights at The Edison’s Radio Room and First & Hope’s Red Rover, Red Rover (both by Tello/Demarest cocktail consultants). So tonight in celebration of the success of these events as well as their appearance in the upcoming September issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine (a photo I took is in there!), Tello/Demarest is throwing an all-stars night at First & Hope!

Bartenders Julian Cox (Rivera), Brent Falco (First & Hope), Aidan Demarest (Tello/Demarest), Naomi Shimek (Tar Pit) and Daniel Long (STK/First & Hope) will be behind the stick!

Here are what each all-star is fixing tonight:

Julian Cox: Dealer’s Choice
Aidan Demarest: The Enlightenment — Bourbon, pomegranate, citrus and Edison beer
Brent Falco: Pancho Villa’s Smoking Gun — tequila, mezcal, bitters and sweetness
Dan Long: Horchata Versailles — Remy VSOP Cognac, orange blossom water and handmade horchata
Naomi Schimek: Jimi Hendrix — Chocolate-infused Remy V.S.O.P., Green Chartreuse, demerara, bitters, Heidsieck Champagne and No Troubles Bubbles — Organic California lavender, hibiscus, lemon, gin, Heidsieck Champagne

Aidan promises that there will also be door prizes and drink specials.

EVENT: TONIGHT from 6pm to 11pm

First & Hope Supper Club
710 W. 1st Street
Los Angeles, California 90012 (map)
(213) 617-8555
Facebook: First & Hope Supper Club
Twitter: @FirstandHope

Categories: Cocktails, Los Angeles, Nightlife

1 Comment

July 1, 2010

This Weekend: Tequila Magic, Poolside Pizza, Happy 4th

What you got going on this weekend? I don’t know about you but it’s gonna be my bday! Huzzah! Oh and here are some other things going on.

Thursday, July 1

Huge Agent Provocateur Summer Sale Starts Today
I’ve always wanted to shop at this sexxxy, upscale lingerie store but it was always just so expensive. Well yay for the big sale starting today at the Melrose location. Select styles are 50% off including this very festive Sky Ranger Bra (reg. $150, now $80) and this gorgeous liquid silk satin Black Swan Body (reg. $490, now $250). There are also purty swimsuits, jewelry, suspenders and underwear to choose from.

Thru July 31. 7961 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles (map). (323) 653-0229.

BreadBar’s Hatchi Mix featuring Rivera’s Julian Cox
Julian Cox, magician mixologist, is featured at this month’s edition of BreadBar’s Hatchi Mix tonight. Guests will ooh and aah as he serves up his eight tequila-inspired cocktails ($8 each) in three acts a la three courses of a meal — a beet cocktail with goat cheese foam as an appetizer, a Jamon Iberico Old-Fashioned as an entree and Cherries Jubilee for dessert, to name just a few. There will also be a Pizza Mixo menu of crisp pizzas as well as the full bistro menu for nosh.

6pm-close. BreadBar Century City, 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard R-2, Los Angeles (map). (310) 277-3770.

Rio Brazil’s 2nd Anniversary
Celebrate the 2nd year of this Palms restaurant which will be serving up free appetizers and Salgados. Camarena Tequila will be providing the tequila shots and Caipitequilas. And if you’re still hungry you can get feijoada, moqueca, trip tip, and bobo de camarao bowls for $7 each. Stick around til 8pm for the Samba dancers.

6:30-9pm. Rio Brazil�Cafe, 3300 Overland, Palms (map). (310) 558-3338.

Friday, July 2

Al Forno Fridays Poolside Pizza at the Viceroy Santa Monica
Hmm, pizza by the pool just sounds weird to me but Viceroy Santa Monica somehow is making it work with the launch of its Al Forno Fridays where you can enjoy a gourmet “poolsize” pizza from Whist executive chef, Tony DiSalvo. Pizzas ($10-$17) include oven roasted tomatoes, burrata, basil�and sausage, salami, prosciutto, pancetta, tomato, mozzarella. There will also be a selection of beers from Unibroue and Stone Brewing Company as well as wines by the glass.