An occasional roundup of L.A. cocktail culture in various media.

Just in time for Super Bowl Sunday, LA Times Magazine featured recipes for four classic tiki cocktails, “reimagined for a new generation.” Love the retro-style artwork, too.

On February 11, an LA Times Food article included a profile of Modern Spirits (TRU Vodka, found at some of LA’s best cocktail bars) and the ups and downs of being an artisan distillery.

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Two articles in the much-discussed Los Angeles issue of Saveur (#127, Feb) focused on LA’s cocktail culture:

Drink City is a solid list of cocktail destinations that includes The Edison, Seven Grand, Rivera, Roger Room, and Copa d’Oro. The Varnish wasn’t listed, but was instead mentioned in a sidebar on the Cole’s-Philippe’s French Dip rivalry.

In Spirits of Polynesia, Jeff Berry takes a look at the wonderful Tiki-Ti, affectionately calling the owners “textbook examples of how not to succeed in the bar business.”

Also in the Saveur issue are cocktail recipes for Rivera’s Barbacoa and Tiki-Ti’s Cuba Kola and Puka Punch.

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On Fat Tuesday, The Edison announced that Joe Brooke (named America’s Best Bartender and formerly at Copa d’Oro) would assume the role of Director of Spirits, a position formerly held by Aidan Demerest, now consulting for the cocktail program at the upcoming First & Hope.

The very next day, cocktail enthusiasts were a-Twitter over a Daily Dish post that said that Audrey Saunders had ended her Tar Pit partnership with Mark Peel. According to the LA Times, Peel said that Saunders “did all the training and designing for the original menu, and I think she did a great job. We just came to a parting of the ways.” It was announced that Marcos Tello would head the Tar Pit bar, until word came later that day that he was also leaving. Squid Ink followed up with a confirmation that Marcos had indeed resigned from the Tar Pit to return to The Varnish as well as consult on the aforementioned First & Hope.

Speaking of Squid Ink and First & Hope, Caroline on Crack posted a sneak preview of the forthcoming supper club, scheduled to open in mid-March. The preview also includes a recipe for the Champagne Julep, an upscale take on the classic mint julep.

A week after the dust had settled at the Tar Pit, the LA Times published a review by S. Irene Virbila. Tar Pit got two stars from Miss Irene, who gave it props for the cocktails but thought the kitchen was inconsistent.

On Thursday, February 25th, Alex Day worked his last shift at New York’s renowned Death & Company. What does this have to do with L.A. cocktail culture you ask? Well, according to his interview with the Village Voice, Alex is heading to Los Angeles to open a bar with Death & Co. owner David Kaplan. New York’s loss is L.A.’s gain; stay tuned, friends.

Last week, the LA Weekly published Jonathan Gold’s 99 Things to Eat in L.A. Before You Die, a list that covers everything from “fugu to foie gras, pizza to panuchos.” Best of all, you can also have a great cocktail when you check off a few of these must-eat dishes:

• Rivera’s tortillas
• Musso & Frank’s Welsh rarebit
• Cole’s French Dip
• Akasha’s quinoa with edamame
• Comme Ca’s cheeseburger
• Michael Cimarusti’s squid with piquillo peppers and pig’s ear
• Hungry Cat’s lobster roll

Mezcal and tequila fans have been eagerly anticipating the debut of 213 Downtown’s Las Perlas, and according to blogdowntown, the opening could happen as early as today. The post describes the interior in detail, noting that Ricki Kline is especially happy with how his latest design for 213 turned out.

Related posts:

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

It all started with a text message from Rivera‘s Julian Cox: “You, me, Thursday Friends and Family, Tar Pit. You down?” Hmm…go to a sneak preview of the most talked-about bar in town? Gosh, tough call! After carefully pulling my car over to text my reply, plans were arranged and we headed out to a superb evening of cocktails.

The Tar Pit is a collaboration between a truly stellar group of restaurant and mixology heavyweights. Food, wine, and operations are overseen by the Campanile team of Executive Chef Mark Peel, Managing Partner Jay Perrin, and Wine Director Taylor Parson. The cocktail menu was created by Audrey Saunders (Pegu Club) and Chad Solomon and Christy Pope (Cuff & Buttons).

Walking into the Tar Pit is like stepping into a supper club from Hollywood’s Golden Age, exactly as the creative team intended. Taking its cues from the legendary Cocoanut Grove and My Man Godfrey, Tar Pit’s design oozes class and sophistication, a place where you’d imagine Nick and Nora Charles would have a drink (or three).

We commandeered one of the booths set against the back wall. Cut out panels separate the booths to ensure privacy without closing off groups, allowing guests to discreetly peek at adjoining tables’ orders. Even the coat racks (a nice touch) were designed to the period.

The mood was set by a jazz trio playing holiday standards from a stage that will (hopefully) see plenty of use in the days ahead. Mark Peel chatted with guests while also checking in on the kitchen. Due to an injury, Audrey Saunders wasn’t able to mingle, but instead held court in a corner of the bar. Servers were nattily attired in black, dishing out passed trays of sample-sized cocktails and bites.

Cucumber-Mint Creole

Guests were treated to half a dozen cocktails from the Tar Pit’s full Specialty Cocktails menu, including these Neo-Classics:

Cucumber-Mint Creole – gin, aquavit, sherry, muddled cucumbers, muddled mint, fresh lemon juice. The herbal notes of the gin and aquavit were offset by the cucumber and mint, with the sherry adding a perfect touch of sweetness. Our first-ever drink at the Tar Pit, and a great start to our evening.

Jamaican Firefly – dark rum, housemade ginger beer, lime juice, simple syrup. Probably our favorite of the samples we had, Tar Pit’s take on the classic Dark and Stormy is a wonderful combination of flavors.

Agave Bravo

Agave Bravo – tequila, mezcal, agave nectar, lemon essence. Although it wasn’t on the printed menu, samples of the Agave Bravo were part of the preview. The smoky mix of tequila and mezcal was tempered by the agave nectar, enhanced by a hint of citrus.

The Flame of Love – bay leaf infused vodka, fino sherry, flamed orange peel. A variation on a drink created for Dean Martin by Chasen’s Pepe Ruiz. There’s a surprising depth of flavor from the simple recipe.

Aperol Sunset – tequila, aperol, demerara syrup, grapefruit syrup, fresh lemon juice. Julian somehow ended up with a full size version of this one; a solid cocktail, though a bit tart for my tastes.

The Flame of Love

Also served last night, but we didn’t get to try:

• Gin Gin Mule – gin, mint, lime simple syrup, housemade ginger beer.
• Lemon Thyme Daiquiri – white rum, muddled lemon thyme, housemade lime syrup, lime juice.
• Old Cuban – aged rum, muddled mint, fresh lime jice, Angostura bitters, topped with champagne.

Neo-Classicals and Tributes are priced at a reasonable $11, while Champagne Opportunities (e.g. the Old Cuban) are $16.

To go with the libations, bites from the Bar Menu (“where food and beverages get to play in the sandbox together”) included:

Cold

• Pickled Deviled Egg – shaved Smithfield ham
• Saffron-Scented Shrimp Cocktail – seville orange remoulade
• Duck Rillette & Stilton – pickled pearl onions, mustard, smoked salt, multigrain toast

Hot

• Fried Oysters – crisp ginger remoulade
• Artichokes Trastevere – cynar aioli, deep-fried lemon

By far our favorite bite was the shrimp cocktail, which was outstanding. The fried oysters were a close second for me, though Julian practically swooned over the pickled deviled eggs. The lone bite from the Dining Menu was the Gnocchi with Escargots (crisp garlic, parsley, butter, olive oil), very good but not something I’d go out of my way to order. Like the cocktails, the food menu is reasonably priced, with entrees topping out at $17 (Lobster & Scallop Newberg, Steak Diane).

Diners can choose from a list of 27 wines, featuring “unique varietals and up-and-coming regions.” All bottles are $38.

Aperol Sunset

During our session we were briefly joined by Wyatt Peabody, author of a series of excellent articles for LA Times Magazine, including a snapshot of our city’s cocktail scene and a profile of Del Maguey founder Ron Cooper. The shop talk between Julian and Wyatt was great to observe; my contribution to the discussion consisted of occasional laughs and nods of agreement.

Head Bartender Marcos Tello (formerly at the Edison) also stopped by, visibly excited and justifiably proud. During the preview he was behind the well, mixing all the sample drinks for the servers to dish out, while the rest of his team helmed the bar. He confirmed that Tar Pit will eventually offer gueridon service for food and cocktails, so expect to see trolleys with servers filleting, carving, flambéing, and mixing tableside.

Dave Kupchinsky makes a couple of Tributes.

As the preview wound down, staff set up tables on the empty main floor and two tops along the back aisle. At 9:30pm, The Tar Pit was officially open for business!

This of course, was cause for celebration, so before heading out to a late dinner, we bellied up to the bar for a final round. We put ourselves in the capable hands of Dave Kupchinsky, who was trained by Julian when they were both at Comme Ça. 

Trident (Robert Hess, 2000)

Coming soon: The Night Marcher.

Dave mixed us a couple of drinks from the Tributes section of the cocktail menu:

Trident (Robert Hess, 2000) – aquavit, fino sherry, cynar aperitif, peach & orange bitters, lemon essence. This one hit hard at first, pungent and bitter. But a few sips in, its profile softened and the drink became something else entirely. It’s not for everyone, but we both really appreciated its complexity and depth. We also loved the long-stemmed glass.

Lil Jig (Phil Ward, 2006) – silver tequila, yellow chartreuse, thai basil, simple syrup. Not as memorable as the Trident, but a fine drink for tequila lovers. Also served in that great glass.

Dave then showed us the infamous Night Marcher tiki mug, complete with ball gag. It’s not yet on the menu, but his description of what the cocktail will look like should ensure its renown. The NY Times recently posted the Night Marcher recipe.

Just as we were about to leave, Daniel Eun (The Varnish) handed us an extra Jamaican Firefly that happened to be laying around. It’s almost like the Tar Pit didn’t want us to leave. But leave we finally did, after a brief chat with Audrey and the promise of many return visits to come.

Jamaican Firefly

The Tar Pit
609 N. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, California 90036
(323) 965-1300
www.tarpitbar.com

Open daily from 5pm-2am.
Limited bar menu available from 5-7pm, and 11pm-1am. Full menu available from 7-11pm.

Update 12/21: For more impressions and pics from the Tar Pit preview event, be sure to check out these great posts:

• Caroline On Crack
• e*star LA
• Eating LA
• Eater LA
• Food GPS
• Hobson’s Choice
• Los Angeles Magazine
• Los Angeles Times

Related posts:

1. All Roads Lead to Classic & Vintage Spirits
2. All the Booze That’s Fit to Print – February 2010
3. Choose Your Weapon: Sampling the New Cocktails at Caña Rum Bar

ERA features designer Yotam Soloman’s official Fashion Week party; a live performance by recording artist Michelle Shaprow; a special guest set by DJ Lady Sha; and resident DJs Beat Ventriloquists.

From 6pm to 10pm, Campanile will offer a prix fixe dinner (3 courses for $40), as well as its regular menu. To pair with the food, Campanile will serve a specialty 1920′s-era cocktail menu.

As cocktail enthusiasts await the November opening of The Tar Pit (the highly anticipated restaurant/bar from Campanile chef-owner Mark Peel and GM Jay Perrin), ERA may be the perfect glimpse of what’s to come a mile north.

ERA
Saturday, October 24th, 2009
9pm to 2am
Featuring:

• Live performance by Michelle Shaprow
• Guest set by DJ Lady Sha
• Resident DJs Beat Ventriloquists
• Yotam Soloman’s Spring-Summer 2010 collection

Tickets: $10 before 11pm, $20 after with RSVP
Free before 10pm with RSVP
Complimentary Hennessy cocktails from 9-10pm

Bottle service: (213) 321-5886
Dinner reservations: (323) 938-1447
RSVP: www.redlightpromotions.com/era. Password is GARBO.
Cocktail attire recommended, 1920’s theme encouraged.

Campanile
624 S. La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
www.campanilerestaurant.com

Related posts:

1. The Wayback Machine: Cicada Club at the Oviatt
2. The Wayback Machine: Speakeasy in Hollywood on August 21
3. The Wayback Machine: Bloody Marys for 36 Cents