For the first time, dozens of restaurants are also offering selected cocktails along with their Restaurant Week menus. Although they aren’t included in the prix fixe menus, many of these drinks will be discounted from their regular prices throughout Restaurant Week. After the jump, check out a few of the cocktails that will be featured at participating restaurants.

To help you navigate the Restaurant Week list, Caroline on Crack has a great roundup of restaurants with top notch cocktail menus. For a full list of restaurants, menus, and to make reservations, visit the dineLA Restaurant Week website.

dineLA Restaurant Week
January 22-27 and January 29-February 3, 2012
Citywide
www.dineLARestaurantWeek.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjcIMYvXAAY

Bar | Kitchen is already one of downtown LA’s best dining and drinking bargains. And its dineLA menu is hard to beat: at the Premier Dining ($34) level, Executive Chef Vahan Tokmadjian is featuring dinner options such as roasted veal sweetbread, rabbit and butterscotch pot de crème. To pair with dinner, B|K has a flight of three mini-cocktails:

• New Escobar: reposado tequila, Amaro Zucca, lime, grenadine, dash of ginger ale.
• Dead Meridian Punch: rye, arrack, lime, grapefruit, celery bitters, seltzer.
• Property Tax: bonded apple brandy, Amaro Nonino, lemon, maple, Angostura Bitters.

Bar | Kitchen
O Hotel
819 S. Flower St.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 623-9904
www.barandkitchenla.com

Mezcal Paloma

Border Grill has been a Restaurant Week participant since the program’s inception, and both of its Los Angeles locations are offering a specially-priced signature cocktail for $9. Border Grill Downtown LA is featuring the Mezcal Paloma: reposado mezcal, freshly squeezed grapefruit, spiced salt rim. Border Grill Santa Monica is featuring its Cucumber Margarita: 1800 silver, cucumber, jalapeño, fresh lime.

Border Grill Downtown
445 South Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 486-5171

Border Grill Santa Monica
1445 4th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 451-1655

Charlie Brown

With five restaurant bar programs under his watch, the odds were favorable that Julian Cox would have a cocktail or two featured during Restaurant Week.

• Picca will be offering a cocktail created especially for Restaurant Week, the Viceroy Old Fashioned: Pisco Acholado, Dolin Blanc, Bittermens Hiver Amer Liqueur, Peruvian Bitters. The Viceroy Old Fashioned will be specially priced at $10 (cocktails are regularly priced at $12).
• Playa is offering three drink specials that are “meant to complete your Playa experience.”
• Short Order is offering an optional “dessert” course, the Charlie Brown: vanilla custard, roasted Spanish peanut infused bourbon, chocolate ganache ($8, regular price $12).

El Guerro | Photo by Gabriella Mlynarczyk

Eva Restaurant mixologist Gabriella Mlynarczyk is showcasing several cocktails for Restaurant Week:

• Mlynarczyk’s take on the classic French 75, the Spirit of 75: house made orange blossom gin, Lillet Blanc, sugar, lemon, bubbles ($12).
• El Guerro: Mezcal, blended Scotch, agave, Dolin Blanc Vermouth, lime, cucumber, grey salt ($14).
• Mlynarczyk pays tribute to chef Mark Gold’s family with her Manhattan variation, the Sheepshead Bay: bourbon, house made kummel, benedictine, Cocchi Americano ($14).
• Flintlock: Blended scotch, Laphroiag single malt scotch, housemade lapsang tea liqueur, chocolate bitters, flamed orange, applewood smoked glass ($12).

Eva Restaurant
7458 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 634-0700
www.evarestaurantla.com

Fleur de Lis | Photo by David Guilburt

In Venice, Joe’s Beverage Director Jennifer Zerboni is featuring the Fleur de Lis: Luksusowa Vodka, lemon, grapefruit, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, muddled basil ($12).

Joe’s Restaurant
1023 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA  90291
(310) 399-5811
www.joesrestaurant.com

Oak Knoll Manhattan | Photo by Luis Nava

The Raymond offers a selection from the 1886 Bar’s Winter Menu, a Manhattan variation by Danny Cymbal that gives a nod to Pasadena. His Oak Knoll Manhattan uses housemade mulled wine vermouth crafted with locally-grown spices and botanicals, bonded bourbon, dry vermouth, and dried sugar garnish ($12).

The Raymond
1250 S. Fair Oaks Ave. (at Columbia)
Pasadena, CA  91105
(626) 441-3136
www.theraymond.com

Garden Collins

In what may be a first, Sadie is opening during Restaurant Week, on Tuesday, January 24th. Giovanni Martinez, who oversaw the bar program at Sadie in its previous incarnation as Les Deux Estate, is featuring a cocktail made especially for Restaurant Week, the Garden Collins: Old Tom Gin, cucumber, celery, simple syrup, fresh lime ($6).

Sadie
1638 N. Las Palmas Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 467-0200
sadiela.com

Related posts:

1. dineLA Welcomes Hungry Cat to Winter 2011 Restaurant Week
2. A Toast to 75 Years of The Thin Man
3. A Taste of the Fall dineLA Launch Party

If it’s autumn, it must be time for Julian Cox to unleash a slew of fall cocktail menus at restaurants all over town. As cocktail enthusiasts have come to expect, Cox will launch the new drinks with special one-night pricing during their debuts.

First up is Picca on Tuesday, October 18th. Starting at 9pm, pisco aficionados can try $9 cocktails like the Jonestown Sour (grape coulis, black pepper, cardamom, lemon juice, simple syrup, Quebranta pisco), while fans of the agave will enjoy the Huac This Way (rocoto puree, fresh huacatay, lemon juice, agave nectar, mezcal).

Picca Fall Cocktail Launch
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
9pm
Featuring $9 fall cocktails

Picca
9575 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
310.277.0133
www.piccaperu.com

Playa Fall Cocktail Launch
Thursday, October 20, 2011
5:30-7:30pm
Featuring $9 fall cocktails

Playa
7360 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 933-5300
www.playarivera.com

To go with the libations, Sotto will offer Specialty Bar Bites, which start at $3 and are available only at the bar during the Aperitivo and Digestivo Hours:

• Ceci Fritti
• Seasonal Crostini
• Calamari Fritti
• Lupini Beans Sott’aceto
• Arrosticini

Aperitivo Hour – 5:30pm-6:30pm, Tues.-Sun.
Digestivo Hour – 9pm-10pm, Tues.-Sun.
Note: Sotto is closed on Mondays.

Sotto
9575 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 277-0210
www.sottorestaurant.com

Photo of Julian Cox by @dine_LA via Instagram. Video by Evan Romoff, courtesy of dineLA.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZWBKwJ8iLA

Related posts:

1. It’s a Julian Cox Summer: Cocktail Menu Launch at Rivera, Specials at Picca and Playa
2. That’s Amaro: Julian Cox Creates the Opening Cocktails for Sotto
3. Fall Cocktails and New Sunday Brunch at Wood & Vine

Mezzanine Bar at Picca | Photo: Picca

Cox’s most recent launch was at Picca Peru, Chef Ricardo Zarate‘s new restaurant in the Townhouse on Pico. Picca is celebrating this weekend’s opening of its upstairs Mezzanine Bar with The $25 Treat: choose three items from the causa sushi or anticucho menu, paired with a cocktail or glass of wine, Monday-Thursday 9pm-12am, and Friday and Saturday 9:30pm-12am. (Special available in the Mezzanine Bar only.)

Picca Peru
9575 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 277-0133
www.piccaperu.com

Last Friday, Playa was the setting for the debut of Cox’s Summer Cocktail Menu, along with new summer items from Chef John Sedlar, including Gazpacho Fission, Thai Tamalli and Mussels Meltdown. For night owls, Playa has launched a Dos y Uno special that includes a choice of two maize cakes and a cocktail or glass of wine for $22, from 10pm to close.

Playa
7360 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 933-5300
www.playarivera.com

This week, Cox is back at the restaurant where he first flew solo, when he debuts his Summer Cocktail Menu at Rivera on Tuesday, August 2nd. As with Cox’s previous Rivera menu launches, the new drinks will be specially priced at $9 for one night only.

Rivera
1050 S. Flower St, #102
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 749-1460
www.riverarestaurant.com

But wait, there’s more: in September, Sotto (downstairs from Picca in the Townhouse on Pico) will be launching an Aperitivo and Digestivo Hour (an early and late night happy hour) along with Cox’s Late Summer Cocktail menu.

Sotto
9575 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 277-0133
www.sottorestaurant.com

Related posts:

1. October 8: Rivera Fall Cocktail Menu Launch Part 2
2. Recapping Rivera's Summer Cocktails Launch Party
3. July 3: Rivera Summer Cocktails Launch Party

Plenty of room on the Rose Bowl field during the early part of the 2010 Summer Tasting Event. Organizers have greatly expanded the amount of space for this year's edition.

Often imitated but never duplicated, the LA Street Food Fest returns with its 2nd Annual Summer Tasting Event, taking place once again at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, July 16th. Everything about this year’s edition of the festival has been expanded, from the number of participants to the event space, which now includes three soccer fields in the Rose Bowl’s Brookside Park. With plenty of room and staggered event times (see below), Co-Founders Shawna Dawson and Sonja Rasula hope to mitigate the long lines and food shortages that affected the latter part of last year’s Summer Tasting Event.

The list of participants features dozens of the city’s favorite gourmet trucks, old school carts and stands, celebrity chefs, and some of LA’s top restaurants. Vendors include food trucks like The Grilled Cheese Truck and Great Balls on Tires, street eats by foodie faves Starry Kitchen and Guelaguetza, and one of Food & Wine’s 2011 Best New Chefs, Ricardo Zarate (Picca, Mo-Chica). Bill Esparza (Street Gourmet LA) has helped to assemble a first-ever gathering of legendary Baja chefs, including Javier Plascencia and the chef widely acknowledged to have the best street cart in the world: Diego Hernandez of Corazon de Tierra. The always-popular Ice Cream Social makes a welcome return, featuring cult favorites CoolHaus, Master Chef’s Batch from Scratch, and a preview of the upcoming Mother Moo Creamery.

The Sailor Jerry station is sure to be a popular stop again this year.

Sampling all that great food is thirsty work, so the Summer Tasting Event will have two Singha Beer Gardens, plus cocktail bars featuring Sailor Jerry Rum, Milagro Tequila and Hendrick’s Gin.

Tequila Corrido makes it a very happy birthday at the 2010 Summer Tasting.

Agave aficionados will want to zero in on the Tequila Tasting Tent, featuring:

• Angel Bendito Tequila
• Agave de Cortes Mezcal
• Inocente Tequila
• Reserva Quintero
• Sacacuento Ultra Premium Mezcal
• Tequila 55
• Tequila 1519
• Tequila Abondonado
• Tequilas Bracero
• Tequila Capaz
• Tequila Corrido
• Tequila El Agave
• Teteo Tequila

TICKETS
Summer Tasting attendees have several ticket options for entry to one of three 3-hour sessions, capped at 1500 people each:

• Session I: Picnic in the Park (all ages, 10am-1pm)
• Session II: Family Fun Day (all ages, 2pm-5pm)
• Session III: Date Night (21+, 6pm-9pm)

No word yet on what Starry Kitchen's Nguyen Tran will be wearing at this year's festival.

The $60 All-Inclusive Session Ticket features:

• 75+ street food vendors
• Cocktail bars and Singha beer gardens
• Tequila Tent
• Ice Cream Social
• Beverages from IZZE, Honest Tea, Coba
• Street Food Cook Off
• DJ Bryan Davidson
• Portion of proceeds to benefit Downtown Women’s Shelter

The $75 Luxe Lounge Ticket includes all of the above plus the Test Kitchen Luxe Lounge:

• Private tented lounge hosted by Test Kitchen
• Hendrick’s Bar featuring Julian Cox
• Special bites by Chef Farid Zadi
• Massage station with Dr. Kevin and Dr. Steve
• Preferred parking and special entrance

NOTE: only 200 Luxe Lounge tickets are available per session.

Family Pack tickets start at $130 for 2 Adults and 1 Junior (ages 8-12) for Session I or II.

Online tickets are on sale now at Eventbrite. No tickets will be sold at the door.

A portion of every ticket sold will benefit the Downtown Women’s Center to support its mission “to provide permanent supportive housing and a safe and healthy community fostering dignity, respect, and personal stability, and to advocate ending homelessness for women.” In 2010 the LA Street Food Fest raised over $10,000 for St. Vincent Meals on Wheels and Woolly School Gardens.

LA Street Food Fest – 2nd Annual Summer Tasting Event
Saturday, July 16, 2011
10am-1pm (Session I), 2-5pm (Session II), 6-9pm (Session III)
Online tickets: Eventbrite

The Rose Bowl
Brookside Park
360 North Arroyo Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91103

NOTES:

• Children age 7 and under are admitted free with a paying adult to Session I or II.
• Due to health and Rose Bowl regulations, no dogs allowed. Sorry, Snoopy.

Update 7/12: For those of you lucky enough to have Luxe Lounge tickets, here are the cocktails by Julian Cox!

• Peat Rose – Hendrick’s Gin, fresh lemon, cane sugar, seltzer or soda, lemon verbena, Islay Scotch, rose air
• Gin y Hendrick’s – Hendrick’s Gin, fresh lime, mint, agave nectar, salt, cucumber espuma

For more information on the LA Street Food Fest, visit lastreetfoodfest.com.
Follow LA Street Food Fest on Twitter: @LAFoodFest
Become a fan on Facebook: LA Street Food Fest

Related posts:

1. July 24: LA Street Food Fest – Summer Tasting Event
2. March 14: St. Patty's Fest in Hollywood
3. April 5: Why Wait Till Mayo? Tequila Tasting at Malo

"Hulk smash!"

Cox had been talking up his Hulk el Increible for some time, so I knew I had to start the session with it. Demonstrating the axiom that great minds drink alike, my friend Amy was already sipping her own Hulk when I arrived. The Hulk is made with blanco tequila, micro cilantro, Green Chartreuse, tomatillo and “Hellfire” bitters. It’s a green monster of a drink, balanced between the agave and the funky Chartreuse, with Cox’s house bitters bringing home the heat.

Hellfire bitters: tastes like burning.

I took Cox up on his offer to taste the Hellfire bitters, which he had made with various peppers and molasses. Cox calls his bitters the “gamma rays” that power the Hulk; one drop is enough to turn anyone into a raging beast.

Spring Fashioned

Amy’s second drink was the Spring Fashioned: reposado tequila, agave nectar, Amaretto and bitters. Cox worked his magic to create an excellent Old Fashioned riff that even whiskey purists will appreciate.

The Hurt Locker: “It’s the bomb!”

My second round was The Hurt Locker: bourbon, lemon balm, Cardamaro and orange bitters. Another winner, elevated by the amaro’s distinct nutty, spicy character.

Carroll Gardens

Medrano Cobbler | Photo: Kristina Howald

Amy finished with a classic Hemingway Daiquiri, made with Rhum Agricole, fresh grapefruit, lime, maraschino liqueur. My final drink was the Carroll Gardens: rye whiskey, Carpano Antica, Nardini Amaro, maraschino liqueur and lemon peel. Created by Death & Company bartender Joaquin Simo and named after his Brooklyn neighborhood, the Carroll Gardens is a drink with some heft. The bitter, mint and anise notes of the amaro gives the cocktail its backbone.

Other spring cocktails from the Late Night Menu Launch:

• The Improved Alabama Cocktail: bourbon, fresh lemon and orange juices, orgeat
• Oaxacan Rose: mezcal, Amontillado Sherry, lavender bitters, rose water
• Fish House Punch – Two Ways: Venezuelan or Jamaican Rum, cognac, fresh lemon, créme de pêche, soda, lemon peel
• Rosé Perez: cachaça, rosé wine, lime, sugar, egg white, Peychaud’s bitters
• Medrano Cobbler: Amontillado Sherry, Amer, cinnamon bark demerara, crushed ice

The entire Spring Cocktail Menu (at regular prices) will be available starting tonight, with Cox once again behind the bar. There’s no rest for the weary, though; Cox is debuting a new Playa menu next week with a Rivera-style launch. Then there’s one more project to work on before he and fiancée Kristina Howald finally take their much-delayed trip to Europe, which Cox won at The Classic & Vintage End of the Road Show during last year’s Manhattan Cocktail Classic.

Rivera
1050 S. Flower St, #102
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 749-1460
www.riverarestaurant.com

Related posts:

1. A Toast to the Season: Rivera's Fall Cocktail Menu
2. October 8: Rivera Fall Cocktail Menu Launch Part 2
3. March 25: Rivera Spring Cocktails Launch Party

Julian Cox, during a preview night at Sotto.

After a weekend of previews and a final event on Tuesday night, Chefs Steve Samson and Zach Pollack are scheduled to open their Italian restaurant Sotto on Wednesday, March 30th. Sotto is opening in the space that formerly housed Test Kitchen, the celebrated über pop-up restaurant located in the ground floor of what is now known as The Townhouse on Pico. Sotto will feature Samson and Pollack’s menu of regionally-inspired Southern Italian dishes, including fresh house-made pastas and Neapolitan pizzas cooked in a handcrafted wood burning oven, reportedly the first of its kind in the Los Angeles area.

To complement the market-driven cuisine, Julian Cox (Playa, Rivera) is creating a cocktail menu and curating a spirits selection that showcases the bitter Italian herbal liqueurs known as amari. Cox is very familiar with the Sotto space, having been Test Kitchen’s bar manager for the duration of its four month run. With Sotto’s opening fast approaching, Cox invited me to stop by his latest endeavor during a busy friends and family night.

Your photo would be blurry too, if you just did a shot of Zedda Piras.

Test Kitchen regulars will likely be startled by the dining room’s transformation: the lighting has been dimmed; a dark palette of brown and black replaces Test Kitchen’s brighter tones; wooden ceiling beams and raw tabletops add an elemental touch; new additions include common tables and a wine bottle wall. One thing that hasn’t changed is the room’s vibrant energy, as if you’re stepping into a lively dinner party where all of the guests have known each other for ages.

Kate Grutman

Brian Summers and Kate Grutman, who were both members of Cox’s opening team at Playa, are joining him at Sotto and were kept busy mixing drinks from the preview’s menu of three cocktails. Although Cox will be splitting his time between Sotto and Playa, Summers and Grutman will be at Sotto full time.

With a broad smile from behind the bar, Cox proudly showed off the re-designed digs, starting with the new zinc bar top, which he said will develop a patina over time as it ages. The elegant bar top extends to the far wall and turns the corner, so guests will now be able to dine from the best seats in the house to watch the open kitchen in action. From my corner bar stool it was easy to see the buzz of activity surrounding the artisanal oven. As described in Squid Ink, third-generation oven-builder Stefano Ferrara hand built Sotto’s oven with materials imported from Naples.

The back bar at Sotto, a work in progress.

Custom brushed metal racks have been installed for the back bar, a work in progress that’s opening with 18 amari filling one shelf (“the usual suspects for now,” as Cox put it), a bitters collection taking up another, and some leftover Test Kitchen inventory rounding out the selection. As with Playa’s Great Wall of Booze, Cox will use LEDs to illuminate Sotto’s back bar. Cox pointed out the Italian mixing glasses, inspired by Sotto’s Mediterranean vibe.

Regarding the spirits displayed on the back bar, Cox half-jokingly said, “There are no mezcals up there…for a reason.” It’s not that Cox is abandoning the agave-based spirits and cocktails that first won him acclaim at Rivera and more recently at Playa. In fact, he’s about to debut Rivera’s Spring Cocktail Menu with one of his popular late night launch parties, and is working on new cocktails for Playa. But like an actor typecast into a role, Cox has been eager to expand his cocktail repertoire beyond his familiar tequila-mezcal orbit, and his enthusiasm about Sotto was evident.

Daiquiri di Brevetto

Cox started me with his Daiquiri di Brevetto: J.M Rhum Agricole, Amaro Averna, cane sugar and muddled pineapple. One sip of this Caribbean-Mediterranean summit meeting is enough to be excited about Cox’s approach: the peppery heat of the overproof rhum is tempered by the earthy, bittersweet amaro, and then a taste of the tropics rounds out this superb cocktail. It was an excellent introduction to Sotto’s cocktail menu, which Cox said will feature less than ten drinks when it debuts, with prices around $10-12.

Preparing a pizza for the wood burning oven...

...and minutes later, adding the finishing touches.

Between drinks I took an informal poll of fellow patrons, and some of the standout dishes include: sardines alla piastra (Sicilian winter citrus salad, shaved fennel, crushed olive-pistachio vinaigrette); the casarecce with braised lamb ragu, egg, and percorino; and the pizza salsiccia e friarielli (sausage, broccoli de ciccio, mozzarella, chilies).

Típico Italiano

While I was distracted by the piping hot pizzas coming out of the kitchen at a rapid clip, Summers made me one of his Sotto creations, the Típico Italiano: Beefeater Gin, Amaro CioCiaro, lemon and grapefruit juice, and marjoram. As with Cox’s daiquiri, the herbaceous, bitter amaro anchors Summers’ cocktail, offset by the acidity of the citrus and the oregano-like marjoram. Another great sipper with depth and complexity. Summers said he’s still fine-tuning the cocktail, but the essential blueprint is there.

Brian Summers

The visit was brief, but it was long enough to tell me that cocktail enthusiasts and Italian food aficionados alike will be clamoring for a seat at Sotto. The tantalizing glimpse of Julian Cox’s new menu bodes well for his fans, and for those who are unfamiliar with amari, he and his team seemed eager to educate guests. And by “educate,” I mean pour the occasional shot. After all, isn’t that what friends and family are for?

Sotto
9575 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 277-0133
www.sottorestaurant.com

Note: as of this writing, the Sotto website isn’t live but the restaurant’s OpenTable page is taking reservations.

Related posts:

1. Fall Cocktails and More from Julian Cox
2. It’s a Julian Cox Summer: Cocktail Menu Launch at Rivera, Specials at Picca and Playa
3. April 8: Caña Grand Opening Party

It’s been a long time since I’ve done one of these compilations, but it’s not for a lack of exciting things happening in the L.A. cocktail scene. Quite the contrary, in fact; with a slew of bar openings and more on the way, there’s never been a better time to be a cocktail enthusiast in the City of Angels. In recent weeks the amount of coverage has ramped up, which makes it as good a time as any to collect some highlights from the last few months. Here’s hoping it won’t take me a year to post another digest. Cheers!

Last month’s superb Brand X Mixology Issue (Feb. 16, 2011) takes its place alongside Jonathan Gold’s The New Cocktailians (LA Weekly, 2009) and Imbibe Magazine’s A Star is Re-Born (Jul./Aug. 2010) as essential guides to the state of the L.A. cocktail scene.

Among the great reads: a profile of Zahra Bates (Providence); an in-depth look at Harvard & Stone; Q&A’s with Julian Cox (Playa) and Matt Biancaniello (Library Bar); a mixology glossary by Justin Pike (The Tasting Kitchen); and a spirits buying guide.

In a previous Brand X issue, Joshua Lurie detailed an interesting connection between Aidan Demarest, John Coltharp, Joel Black and Brian Summers in La Frite, a Family Tree Nourished by Alcohol (Dec. 6, 2010).

LA Times Magazine continues to pair cocktail recipes and gorgeous photos, such as Apricot Dreams (Dec. 2010), featuring a couple of recipes by Varnish co-owner Eric Alperin. Recent entries in the magazine’s Cocktail Confidential blog covered the opening of Bar Toscana (Dec. 14, 2010) and the long-awaited launch of liquor sales at Silver Lake’s Bar Keeper (Sep. 24, 2010).

Camper English (Alcademics) has been writing a great series of articles for the magazine, including:

• Sherry Reconsidered (Feb. 2011), with recipes by Zahra Bates, Alex Day (Proprietors LLC), and others.
• The Martini Does Not Exist (Jan. 2011)
• Cognac Cocktails (Nov. 2010), with recipes by Damian Windsor (Roger Room).

• After a visit to Test Kitchen, Frank Bruni returned to New York and embarked on a quest for an elusive cocktail in Smitten with a Cocktail Called Frisco (Oct. 28, 2010).
• Matt Biancaniello is featured in the T Magazine article Savory Cocktails (Dec. 8, 2010), which includes a photo by Dylan Ho (The Cocktail Revival).
• In a Sunday Travel article (Feb. 20, 2011), a guide on how to spend 36 Hours in Downtown Los Angeles includes The Varnish, The Edison and Seven Grand.

In his acclaimed new book Living Loaded: Tales of Sex, Salvation and the Pursuit of the Never-Ending Happy Hour, author Dan Dunn (The Imbiber) begins each chapter with one of 16 original cocktail recipes, created by top bartenders such as local stars Vincenzo Marianella (Copa d’Oro) and Steve Livigni (Harvard & Stone), as well as King Cocktail himself, Dale DeGroff.

More love for The Varnish in the March 2011 issue of Bon Appetit, in an article called Hollywood Eats: 10 Ways to Do L.A. Like a Star. Number Five is Polish Off a Perfect Cocktail at The Varnish, and includes a recipe for a Bols Genever cocktail, the Holland Red Light.

In the March 2011 issue of Condé Nast Traveler, Bricia Lopez (Guelaguetza) gives props to her two favorite bars, La Descarga and Las Perlas, as part of the 27 Reasons to Love L.A. Now.

And to bring it all full circle, last week’s LA Weekly cover story featured Jonathan Gold’s list of L.A.’s Best Cocktails (Mar. 3, 2011). The collection of 55 drinks includes classics, signature favorites like the Donaji and Tapping the Admiral, intriguing unknowns like the Faulkner’s Breakfast at Musso & Frank, and left field choices like the Picon Punch in Bakersfield, of all places.

One more for the road: In anticipation of its upcoming Cocktails 2011 book, the April issue of Food & Wine magazine lists America’s Best New Bars, including The Tasting Kitchen and 1886 at The Raymond.

Related posts:

1. All the Booze That’s Fit to Print – January 2010
2. All the Booze That’s Fit to Print – February 2010
3. All the Booze That's Fit to Print – Summer 2009

Brian Summers (L) and Julian Cox are fired up for Playa's opening night.

Anticipation is hitting a fever pitch this week for Playa, the new venture from Rivera chef John Sedlar opening on Friday, February 11th. Foodies are salivating at the prospect of exploring Sedlar’s “Urban Latin Cuisine,” while cocktail enthusiasts are ready to sip the latest creations from Julian Cox, the acclaimed mixologist and 2010 StarChefs Rising Star. At a special sneak preview event last night, friends and family were among the first to sample Sedlar’s menu, selected cocktails, and glasses from sommelier Ben Broidy’s 130-bottle wine list.

From the cuisine to its spacious, earth-toned interior, Playa is meant to capture “the spirit of L.A.’s open-air, laid-back, coastal lifestyle.” Unlike Rivera’s hidden-in-plain-sight facade, Playa features showcase windows that will surely tempt rush hour drivers to pull over and see what’s happening on the south side of Beverly Blvd.

Playa's signature chandeliers evoke tumbleweeds, sea urchins, and possibly tribbles.

When you enter the soaring, double height space (formerly home to Grace), the first thing you’ll notice are the striking, fibrous chandeliers, which evoke tumbleweeds from Sedlar’s hometown of Santa Fe.

Be still my heart: the Great Wall of Liquor.

Off to the right is a sight that will thrill many an imbiber: a wall of liquor that reaches to the ceiling, featuring a library-style ladder for those hard to reach bottles. A secondary wall with top shelf (literally) spirits is likewise accessed by the ladder. Visual appeal aside, it will be interesting to see how this design plays out on busy nights.

The bar shares an open area with a station where maize cakes are made to order, while beyond is the glassed-in kitchen. Cox has assembled a formidable bartender team, with several that will be familiar to regular guests of Test Kitchen, Library Bar, La Descarga or Tar Pit.

A Oaxacan the Clouds

As final preparations for the preview wrapped up, I settled into a corner of the bar with Christopher Day (Dr. by Day), who will be working the Playa bar a few times a week and was lending a hand to set up for the event. I started with Davidson Fernie’s A Oaxacan the Clouds: Del Maguey Mezcal Vida, lemon juice, agave nectar, garnished with roasted cherry tomatoes and fried sage, topped with a sprinkle of kosher salt and Piment d’Espelette.

As luck would have it, my first cocktail at Playa was made by Jonathan Kleinbart, an old friend from SF who was previously at Swig. Fernie’s creation was the ideal introduction to Playa: balanced and smoky, with a hint of spice.

A Bespoke Cocktail from Brian Summers, dubbed El Rodeo.

One of the pleasures of drinking at a quality craft cocktail bar is going off-menu for improvised cocktails that are based on a guest’s spirit and flavor preferences. Case in point was the Bespoke Cocktail that Brian Summers made for Day, which was dubbed El Rodeo: Mezcal Vida, lemon, lime, cinnamon tincture, and a house syrup of toasted guajillo and arbol chiles that took Summers over three hours to prepare. One sip of Day’s drink and I had to have one as well. If the ingredients are available, I highly recommend saddling up to Summers’ El Rodeo, especially if you’re a fan of smoky and savory cocktails with a kick. Or have a Playa bartender create something else entirely; you’ll be in good hands.

"What...is your quest?" "I seek The Grail."

I’ll have to revisit The Grail, but the sip I had was intriguing and flavorful: 12-Year Apple Brandy, malbec, pressed apple, Don’s Mix, a splash of Mexican Coke, topped with an apple espuma and garnished with a dehydrated apple chip.

An Andalusian Before: Paso Fino

Next was An Andalusian: 3 Ways, a cocktail made with slightly different ingredients, based on whether it’s ordered before, during or after the meal. Like the cocktail itself, the variations are named after horses: Paso Fino, Palomino and Furioso. All three versions are made with Tequila Ocho Reposado, Cocchi Aperitivo Americano, and Spanish Vermouth. Then come varieties of Sherry: Fino, Amontillado, or East India. Finally, a twist of lemon, Meyer lemon, or grapefruit. The Paso Fino was well-balanced, bright and refreshing; a perfect segue from the bar to the table as we were seated for dinner.

The Playa menu is divided into Cool and Warm (small plates), Big (mains), Sides and Desserts. The Cauliflower (Indian spices, green chiles, chana crisp) is an outstanding Side, while Rivera fans will recognize the popular Tortillas Florales.

A Cool favorite was the Octo-Palm: grilled octopus, palm hearts, scallions, oven-dried cherry tomatoes and oven-dried red onion. Another standout was the Maize Cake Cauliflower x 3, with cauliflower three ways (caramelized, oven-dried, hibiscus-picked), oven-dried jalapeño, and curry. One caveat about this and other maize cake items: they’re excellent, but depending on your appetite and the size of your party, you may want to order several.

The Spice Trade

To go with the Cool dishes, I ordered The Spice Trade: Dos Maderas P.X. (5+5) Double Aged Rum, kaffir lime tincture, lemongrass syrup, and Fever-Tree Bitter Lemon. In flavor and bite The Spice Trade reminds me of a Dark N Stormy, and its tanginess went well with our first plates.

Highlights from the Warm items include the Tamalli Châteaubriand (wild mushroom duxelles dumpling, filet mignon, chipotle béarnaise) and the Arroz con Pato (duck confit, baby vegetable pickles, arroz blanco jus, Fresno chiles, chives, micro cilantro). Two other Maize Cakes were top notch, the Breakfast (63° egg, pan-seared potato, espuma de queso, black trumpet mushrooms, truffle cheese) and the Bombay Taj (pork belly confit, chile-lime jicama, mango pickle, masala, chana crisp, raita espuma).

Of the Big items, the Twice-Seared Duck (garbanzo crème, pepitas, white and black sesame, blood orange olive oil) was particularly memorable. As with the Maize Cakes, the mantra with the mains is quality, not quantity.

Several dishes were beautifully presented as part of an ongoing series that Sedlar calls Reflexiones. The interplay between the artfully designed food and imagery on the plate, the color and symbolism results in visually appealing dishes that are truly almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

An Andalusian During: Palomino

To wind down the meal I had the Palomino, which paired very nicely with the Warm and Big items. The Andalusian variations are more than just high concept; the changes in flavor profile are attuned to the guest experience and invite pairings throughout the evening. I never got to the Furioso, but I’ll be back to work my way through the cycle.

I’m admittedly not a sweet tooth, but there’s no question that I’ll have the superb Luna Mezcal again: chocolate cake, chocolate glaze, mezcal ice cream, caramel popcorn, Spanish peanuts, hibiscus sauce, and blackberry basil sorbet. While the mezcal ice cream was the initial attraction, the delicious sorbet is what will tempt me on my next visit.

The kitchen and bar were on point throughout the preview event, with dishes and cocktails executed to perfection. Diners lingered over their meals, table hopping and sharing recommendations. As the night progressed, the conversations and music grew louder and livelier, all part of a sophisticated dinner party that Angelenos can’t wait to attend.

Playa opens for dinner on Friday, February 11, 2011.

Playa
7360 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 933-5300
www.playarivera.com

Related posts:

1. It’s a Julian Cox Summer: Cocktail Menu Launch at Rivera, Specials at Picca and Playa
2. Recapping Rivera's Summer Cocktails Launch Party
3. An Evening in Spain: Fig & Olive Opens in Los Angeles

Wherever you go on New Year’s Eve, please celebrate responsibly: Metro is offering free fares on all Metro Buses and Metro Rail Lines on Dec. 31st, and Y Drive or a taxi is just a phone call away.

Cheers to a fantastic 2011!

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2010: Friday, Dec. 31, 2010 to Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011

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213 Nightlife – New Year’s Eve Downtown LA

• 8pm-2am
• General Admission ticket: $119
• VIP ticket: $250
• Tickets and info: www.nyedowntownla.com

213 Nightlife is going all-out with a New Year’s Eve Downtown LA crawl that takes place at eight of its bars. (See below for what’s happening at The Varnish.) For $119 General Admission, New Year’s Eve revelers can enjoy a plethora of unlimited drink offerings, midnight champagne toasts, and live music at Broadway Bar, Caña, Casey’s, Cole’s, Golden Gopher, Las Perlas, Seven Grand and Tony’s Saloon.

213 is offering a special $99 early bird price to the first 200 guests to purchase tickets online.

Featuring:

• Casey’s Irish Pub – Open bar well spirits, 11 craft beers and wine. Gram Rabbit live, Special Guest DJs.
• Caña Rum Bar – Daiquiri Bar and fresh handcrafted cocktails served all night. The Icy Hot Club of California serves up “vintage gypsy jazz with a modern twist.”
• Broadway Bar – Open bar on all wells, all night. DJs B-Mix and J-Cru spin 80′s, Disco and Funk.
• Cole’s French Dip – Open Champagne Cocktail Bar with house-made and branded bitters, plus Cole’s classic cocktails all night.
• Golden Gopher – Open bar on wells, beer and wine all night. DJ Mike Turski spins rock ‘n’ roll til 2am.
• Las Perlas – Open bar features the Las Perlas House Margarita, Spiced Daisy, El Jimador Tequila and cerveza. “Indie Big Sonic Heaven” with DJ Darren Revell and Kapsoul.
• Seven Grand – Vieux Carre, Manhattan, and Bourbon Fix cocktails featuring Jim Beam Rye, Wild Turkey Rye, and Buffalo Trace Bourbon well spirits. Or call for Maker’s Mark. Music by Deacon Jones All-Star Blues Revue, with Artwalk Jamal and Special Guests.
• Tony’s Saloon – Open well bar with select premium cocktails all night. “Rock and twang” with Paul Chesne and Guest DJs.

The General Admission ticket allows entry to the eight bars included in the event. However, the ticket does not guarantee entry; for obvious safety reasons each venue must observe its respective capacity limit. With that in mind, 213 Nightlife is also offering a limited number of $250 VIP tickets. These no-wait line passes guarantee entry and ups the ante to premium pours at all eight bars throughout the night. Needless to say, whichever ticket you buy, early arrival is strongly suggested.

The Varnish – Rare Groove New Year’s Eve Soul Revue

• 9pm-2am
• $125 per person (gratuity included)
• Unlimited craft cocktails
• Bottomless Bols Genever punch
• Midnight champagne toast
• Countdown to 2010 by the Apple Sisters
• Reservations: (213) 622-9999 or email thevarnish@varnishbar.com

The Varnish will be dancing to its own beat on New Year’s Eve, with an all-inclusive $125 ticket that features unlimited craft cocktails, bottomless punch, a “Served with a Twist” contest, and more.

Tables in the intimate venue are available for parties of two, four and six. Seating for New Year’s Eve is very limited; for reservations contact Varnish GM Chris Bostick at (213) 622-9999, or email thevarnish@varnishbar.com.

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1886 Bar / The Raymond – Good Old Days Are Back Again!
Nothing like a new year to start fresh, and with that in mind, Pasadena’s 1886 Bar and The Raymond welcome 2011 with the optimism and nostalgia of Good Old Days Are Back Again! For a $20 cover, guests at the recently-opened 1886 will enjoy entertainment, champagne toast and special bar menu.

The Raymond will offer guests two dinner seatings on New Year’s Eve. The early and late seatings will each have prix fixe menus that feature Chef Tim Guiltinan’s innovative, contemporary cuisine. Guests who opt for the late seating will also enjoy party favors, entertainment and a midnight toast.

Dinner reservations can be made at (626) 441-3136.

1886 Bar

• 9pm-2am
• $20 Cover
• Party Favors
• Entertainment (TBA)
• Champagne Toast at Midnight
• Limited Bar Food Menu will be offered with special items

The Raymond – Early Seating

• 5pm-7pm
• 5-Course Prix Fixe Menu
• $90

The Raymond – Late Seating*

• 7pm-9:30pm
• 6-Course Prix Fixe Menu
• $105

*Also includes Party Favors, Entertainment & Champagne Toast at Midnight

Bar | Kitchen
Since taking over Bar | Kitchen in October, Alex Day and David Kaplan (Proprietors LLC) have revitalized the O Hotel’s restaurant and lounge with new menus and an understated interior that more closely matches the boutique hotel’s classy vibe. For New Year’s Eve, Bar | Kitchen offers its mix of high quality and affordability with two options: a Prix Fixe Dinner and Booze & Bites.

The Prix Fixe Dinner features a 3-course menu of seasonal American cuisine from Executive Chef Vahan Tokmadjian, which includes a glass of sparkling cava with dessert. (The chocolate pot du crème with whipped cream and fleur de sel is superb.)

The Booze & Bites Menu offers an open bar with specialty cocktails, beer and wine, plus a midnight toast. To go with the libations, passed trays of bites will be served until midnight, including bruschetta, flatbreads and chorizo skewers. Booze & Bites drinks will be served until last call.

Prix Fixe Dinner

• 6pm-11pm
• $55
• 3-course menu (includes glass of sparkling cava with dessert)

Booze & Bites

• 8pm-2am
• $35 plus tax & tip
• Unlimited cocktails, beer and wine
• Sparkling midnight toast
• Passed bites

Reservations for the prix fixe dinner are required and can be made by calling the O Hotel at (213) 623-9904, or emailing Azzi Kashani at azzi@ohotelgroup.com.

Photo: Big Bar

Big Bar – NYE x 9

• 4pm to 12am
• Different internationally-inspired cocktail every hour
• Complimentary champagne toast at midnight
• Open until 1am

Big Bar is living up to its name by celebrating New Year’s Eve nine times on Friday. Starting at 4pm, Big Bar will feature a different internationally-inspired cocktail every hour, so guests can welcome 2011 with friends around the globe. Add in a free champagne toast at midnight, and you’ve got the makings of a world-class New Year’s Eve.

4PM GMT (London, Lisbon, Reykjavik, Casablanca, Dublin)

• Sugar Rose: vodka, orange bitters, rose water, sugar

5PM EGT (Scoresby Sund – Greenland)

• Scoresby Sund Buck: spiced rum, apricot liqueur, lime, ginger

6PM BRST (Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo)

• Carioca Velha: Sagatiba Velha Cachaça, lime, Angostura bitters, mint, sparkling wine

7PM ART (Buenos Aires, Santiago)

• Pisco Sour: gran serape Pisco, lemon, egg white

8PM AST (Halifax, La Paz, San Juan)

• El Cantante: Bacardi 8, lime, elderflower, rhubarb bitters

9PM EST (New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Havana, Lima)

• Manhattan: Woodford Reserve Bourbon, sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters

10PM CST (Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, Mexico City)

• Grito Suave: añejo tequila, amaretto, lime

11PM MST (Phoenix, Denver, El Paso, Edmonton)

• Canadian Maple: Woodford Reserve Bourbon, maple syrup, Angostura bitters, lemon

12AM PST (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver)

• Los Angeles Cocktail: Woodford Reserve Bourbon, vermouth, lemon, egg white, nutmeg

Copa d’Oro

• $20 cover
• Complimentary bottles of champagne and party favors for all reservations
• Entertainment: Special Surprise Guest DJ & Expanded Dance Floor

Reservations

• Available for parties of six or more
• Phone: (310) 567-3030
• Email: info@copadoro.com

Copa d’Oro is already jammed on weekends, so on New Year’s Eve expect the volume at the Santa Monica nightspot to go to 11. Head bartender Vincenzo Marianella is bringing in reinforcements for the big night: according to a Huffington Post Q&A, Zahra Bates (Providence) will be joining Marianella behind the bar on Friday.

The Edison

• Doors 8pm
• General Admission: $75
• Premium Table Reservations: $300 per table and up
• Entertainment by The Yard Dogs Road Show
• Tickets: edisondowntown.com/tickets/index.php?eventid=744

Venues don’t get more stunning than The Edison, which is ringing in the new year with its mix of cocktails, champagne and music. General Admission Tickets ($75) include a champagne toast and passed desserts at midnight. Premium Table Reservations start at $300 per table and include a bottle of copper-clad Beau Joie Champagne and a dessert plate.

Entertainment will be provided by The Yard Dogs Road Show, a “hobo cabaret” that fuses Vaudeville with modern rock.

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First & Hope – A New York New Years

• Prix Fixe Seatings starting at 4:30pm
• Live Music in Fedora All Night
• Party Favors & Giveaways
• Best Cocktail Dress & Sharp Dressed Man Contest
• Champagne Toast
• East Coast and West Coast Countdowns at 9pm & 12am
• Reservations: (213) 617-8555 or visit FirstAndHope.com

First & Hope is doing the bi-coastal thing with its New York New Years celebration, featuring East and West Coast countdowns, champagne toast, live music, and a Best Cocktail Dress & Sharp Dressed Man contest.

On New Year’s Eve, First & Hope is offering several prix fixe dinner seatings, with the earliest one beginning at 4:30pm.

Update 12/22: First & Hope has announced that Alain Giraud will be the guest chef on New Year’s Eve. Pricing and details for the prix fixe dinner options have also been revealed, with seating available in the main dining room or in Fedora, featuring Brenna Whitaker.

Pre-Theatre Seating (4:30 & 5pm)

• $85: 3-course in main dining room
• $110: 3-course in Fedora (live music)

Premiere Seating (7:30 & 8pm)

• $120: 4-course in main dining room
• $140: 4-course in Fedora (live music)

Late Seating (10:15pm)

• $95: 3-course in main dining room
• Fedora opens to everyone

First & Hope is giving away a New Year’s Eve prize package (valued at over $500) that includes a pair of tickets to see New Year’s Eve with Kristen Chenoweth at Walt Disney Concert Hall, plus dinner for two at First & Hope. Tickets are for the 7pm concert, and a gift card to First & Hope is for $200. The contest ends at noon on Dec. 29, and the winner will be notified that day. To enter, visit www.firstandhope.com/nye/.

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La Descarga – Havana 1909

• 9pm-2am
• All-inclusive ticket: $150
• Black Tie required
• Premium Open Bar all night
• Complimentary Hand Rolled Cigars
• Midnight Toast
• 7 Courses of passed appetizers and desserts
• 8-Piece Band and dancing
• Reservations: nye@ladescargala.com

For its first New Year’s Eve celebration, La Descarga is using the Wayback Machine to transport guests to an elegant black tie affair set in Havana, circa 1909. Included in the $150 ticket is an all-night open bar, champagne toast, multi-course apps and desserts, live music and dancing. And to ensure you have plenty of room to shake your money maker, attendance for Havana 1909 will be limited to 150 guests.

Photo: Rivera

Rivera

• Prix Fixe Dinner – First Seating: $70
• Prix Fixe Dinner – Second Seating: $100
• Champagne toast (Second Seating)
• Reservations: (213) 749-1460

Unlike the open bar frenzy of last year, Rivera mixologist Julian Cox will be mixing a couple of New Year’s Eve cocktails to pair with the Prix Fixe Dinner menus. The First Seating will be five courses for $70 per person, and the Second Seating will be seven courses for $100 (includes champagne toast).

Photo: The Tar Pit

The Tar Pit – A Revival, Happening.

• Doors 8pm
• $95 per person
• 10-course passed appetizers
• 2 specialty cocktails
• Midnight champagne toast
• Music by Vintage Trouble
• Reservations: info@tarpitbar.com

For a swellegant New Year’s Eve, The Tar Pit is offering cocktails, champagne and passed apps for an all-inclusive $95 admission. Vintage Trouble performs “live-wired, straight-shootin, dirty-mouth’d pelvis-pushin’ juke music” starting at 10:30pm.

Related posts:

1. So Long 2011, and Thanks for All the Fish!
2. So Long Aughts, and Thanks for All the Fish!
3. 213 Nightlife and The Beer Chicks Present LA Craft Beer Crawl, Launch 8th Street Bottle Shop

Autumn Sour

Last night, Rivera mixologist Julian Cox debuted several of his new cocktails from an impressive fall menu that spans some 20 drinks, including signature creations, classics, and a few salutes to his fellow bartenders. The rest of the fall menu debuts tonight at 10pm.

By the time I arrived for the late night specials, Ron Dollete (Lush Angeles) had nearly finished his Chartreuse Swizzle (Green Chartreuse, fresh pineapple, Velvet Falernum, lime, swizzled). I started with an Autumn Sour: D’Anjou pear-infused rye whiskey, Lairds Applejack, canela syrup and egg white, topped with Angostura bitters. From flavor to texture it’s a wonderfully balanced cocktail, the epitome of “dangerously good.”

Ron went with a Scofflaw for his next round, a classic cocktail made with rye, dry vermouth, fall spiced grenadine and lemon. Our fellow bar patron was enjoying his Oaxacan Rose, a gorgeous cocktail made with mezcal, Amontillado Sherry, rose water, fall grenadine and lavender bitters. I wonder if we can change the name and add it to a certain list of mezcal cocktails…

Phil Collins

Next for Ron was the Phil Collins: Cynar, Oro Blanco grapefruit, agave nectar, aromatics and seltzer. In addition to being an excellent tall drink, it’s a cocktail order most likely to cause random singing at the bar. No thanks to Ron for getting “Sussudio” stuck in my head.

The Tipperary Cocktail: like buttah.

We were then joined by Dylan Ho (Eat Drink & Be Merry), who had sampled from the new menu earlier with his wife Jeni Afuso (Oishii Eats). For this round, Dylan went with his favorite: the Tipperary Cocktail, made with Irish whiskey, Carpano Antica, Green Chartreuse, and lemon essence. As Dylan put it, the Tipperary “tastes like butter.”

Other cocktails that debuted last night:

• Scobeyville (Chad Solomon and Christy Pope) – Lairds Applejack, Dolin Blanc Vermouth, Maraschino liqueur, Campari
• Dem Apples – bourbon, fresh pressed apple juice, Clear Creek Pear Eau de Vie, Allspice Dram, cinnamon tincture
• Vodka Gimlet – choice of lime or berry

Debuting Friday night: the East India.

My final cocktail of the night was a sneak preview from the full menu that debuts on Friday, the East India: Appleton 12-Year, East India Sherry, Ramazzotti and mole bitters. Stirred and served up with no garnish, it’s a deceptively simple cocktail that offers a surprising depth of flavor in each sip.

Rivera Fall Cocktail Menu Launch Part 2
Friday, October 8, 2010
10pm to close
$9 cocktails:

• 3 Monks Buck – Armagnac, Yellow Chartreuse, Benedictine, lemon, Pear Eau de Vie, ginger syrup, topped with soda
• That’ll Do Fig – mezcal, lemon, honey, Crème de Cassis, muddled fig, topped with soda
• 19th Century – Buffalo Trace Bourbon, lemon juice, Crème de Cacao, Carpano Antica
• Siesta – tequila, lime, simple syrup, grapefruit, Campari
• Vote 4 Pedro – rye, Pedro Ximénez Sherry, Aperol, dash Dandelion Bitters
• Baby Daisy (Erick Castro) – London dry gin, Appleton 12-Year, lemon, grenadine, simple syrup, splash of champagne
• Smoke of Scotland (Vincenzo Marianella) – Laphroaig Cask, St. Germain, Dry Vermouth, dash peach bitters
• East India – Appleton 12-Year, East India Sherry, Ramazotti, dash of mole bitters
• Pride of Oaxaca – mezcal, cognac, lemon, honey, Crème de Pêche, topped with champagne
• Maple Leaf – añejo tequila, maple syrup, Carpano Antica, Amontillado Sherry, dash Angostura bitters, dash mole bitters
• Bees Kiss – aged rum, cream, simple syrup
• Uva Mendes – Pisco or Cachaça, lemon, lime, simple syrup, Crème Yvette, bitters and egg white

NOTE: the entire fall cocktail menu will be available tonight, but only the new cocktails listed above will be priced at $9.

Rivera
1050 S. Flower St, #102
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 749-1460
www.riverarestaurant.com

Related posts:

1. October 12: Drago Centro Fall Cocktail Menu Launch
2. A Toast to the Season: Rivera's Fall Cocktail Menu
3. September 28: Drago Centro Fall Cocktail Menu Launch