1050 Special

Fresh off his Rising Star Mixologist award, Julian Cox has been hard at work creating over a dozen new drinks for Rivera’s spring cocktail menu, debuting tonight. For the launch party, Julian’s new creations will be specially priced at just $6, which should make it easier to make your way through a mouth-watering list that includes the Red Pilot (gin, Aperol, mezcal, maraschino) and the Jugo de Piña (blanco tequila, Thai basil, pineapple, cava float). Myself, I’ll head straight for the Smoked Manhattan, made with rye, Amaro CioCiaro, smoked rosemary, and Angostura.

Here’s tonight’s drink list:

RIVERA SPRING COCKTAIL MENU

• free bird – BOURBON, HOUSE MADE GRENADINE, BASIL, SELTZER
• spring fashion – REPOSADO TEQUILA, AMARETTO, ORANGE ESSENCE
• widow’s kiss – RYE WHISKEY, CALVADOS, YELLOW CHARTREUSE
• purple rain – VODKA, HOUSE-MADE VIOLETTE, GINGER, THAI BASIL, SODA
• sexy thyme – GIN, APEROL, ORGEAT, GOLDEN RASPBERRIES, THYME
• guns n’ lavender – REPOSADO TEQUILA, HONEY, LIME, SELTZER
• smoke on the water – SCOTCH, GINGER, RASPBERRIES, SMOKED SALT
• paper plane – BOURBON, AMARO NONINO, APEROL, LEMON
• jugo de piña – BLANCO TEQUILA, THAI BASIL, PINEAPPLE, CAVA FLOAT
• 1050 special – ACAI LIQUEUR, LEMON, CRUSHED ICE, RASPBERRY FLOAT
• smoked manhattan – RYE, AMARO CIO CIARO, SMOKED ROSEMARY, ANGOSTURA
• red pilot – GIN, APEROL, MEZCAL, MARASCHINO
• strawberry fields – BLANCO TEQUILA, VELVET FALERNUM, STRAWBERRIES, MINT

Rivera Spring Cocktails Launch Party
Thursday, March 25, 2010
9:30pm-close
Special $6 pricing

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

Related posts:

1. July 3: Rivera Summer Cocktails Launch Party
2. Recapping Rivera's Summer Cocktails Launch Party
3. A Toast to the Season: Rivera's Fall Cocktail Menu

Julian Cox brings the heat with his Barbacoas.

Martin Daraz | Photo: Highland Park

I was invited to the gala by Highland Park (one of the event sponsors), so I was eager to find their booth as soon as I entered the Fairmont courtyard. Julian was set up near the entrance, and he was already busy mixing rounds of his Barbacoa, a Rivera favorite made with Del Maguey Chichicapa mezcal, lemon juice, agave nectar, ginger syrup, chipotle purée, red bell pepper, lime wedges, and garnished with beef jerky. As I enjoyed my smokerrific cocktail, another guest took a sip of his own Barbacoa and pronounced it “the best cocktail I’ve ever had.”

Julian pointed me to the nearby Highland Park booth, where I chatted with Martin Daraz, Highland Park’s US Brand Ambassador. We’d met briefly at the last Seven Grand Whiskey Society event of 2009, when Martin brought bottles of the Highland Park 25-Year and 30 Year Old for us to taste. He mentioned that he was hoping to bring a bottle of the 40-Year in the next couple of months. Getting a chance to sample some Highland Park with someone with the depth of knowledge that Martin possesses was a rare treat. I’ve enjoyed the 12 Year Old before, but this was my first experience with the 18-Year, and I thought it was exceptional. The 12-Year’s familiar notes of smoke, peat, and heather are still present, with the added richness and spice gained from the longer cask maturation. Delicious, velvety smooth, silky sweet…I could go on about the 18-Year. It’s no wonder that F. Paul Facult called it the “Best Spirit in the World” (Spirit Journal, June 2005).

Eric Alperin mixes a round of Highlanders for guests.

Eric was stationed on the other side of the courtyard, next to the stage. There, he was serving the specialty cocktail he created for the gala: the Highlander, made with Highland Park 12 Year Old and Cherry Heering (recipe at the end of this post). It’s a simple, deviously tasty cocktail that went over well with guests.

That's not a spotlight, that's Thomas Keller's celestial aura. | Photo: StarChefs.com

And if the Highlander is good enough for Thomas Keller, well, that pretty much says it all.

Did I mention there was food?

A whole lotta bacon goin' on at the FIG station.

Next to the Highland Park booth was Ray Garcia (FIG) and his Bacon-Wrapped Bacon, a perfectly decadent pairing with the single malt Scotch. The signature FIG dish is a slab of succulent pork belly wrapped in crisp, smoky bacon and served with Sylvetta arugula, Brandywine tomatoes and cocktail avocados. I freely admit I went back for seconds and thirds during the event.

Michael Voltaggio's superb dish featured sous vide Wagyu short rib.

Chef Voltaggio plates his dish.

Michael Voltaggio (The Dining Room at The Langham) displayed the culinary skills that took him all the way to the Top Chef Season Six title. Voltaggio’s wonderful dish of sous vide Wagyu short rib, crispy broccoli floret, cream of dehydrated broccoli, and cheddar tagliatelle was well worth the long queue. The Wagyu was extraordinarily tender, the kind of melt-in-your-mouth slice of beef that carnivores like myself swoon over.

Other standouts:
Rory Herrmann (Bouchon) – veal ribeye with crispy sweetbread and Sauce Perigourdine.
Jason Knibb (Nine Ten, La Jolla) – Jamaican jerk pork belly with Scotch bonnet pepper jelly.
Kuniko Yagi (Sona) – seared foie gras with Okinawa black sugar and green tea mochi.

Then came time for the awards ceremony, and luminaries such as Keller and Neal Fraser spoke about the Rising Stars they mentored, such as Rory Herrmann and Diana Stavaridis, respectively. My favorite chef story came from David Myers, who talked about how Kuniko Yagi was his server when he was dining at Ubon and she happened to talk about her desire to be in the kitchen. Intrigued by her passion and sensing her potential despite her lack of experience, Myers hired her to work at Sona.

David Myers introduces Kuniko Yagi's parents.

The rest, as they say, is history: in three years she rose from an amuse station to sous chef, and six years after she was hired, the former banker is now chef de cuisine at Sona. Yagi’s parents, who had flown in for the event from Japan, were pointed out by Myers to rousing applause.

Jordan Kahn's winning dish: dessert as Abstract Expressionism.

Throughout the event, guests voted for their favorite Rising Star dish, and at the end of the night it was announced that the winning chef was Jordan Kahn, the former pastry chef at XIV. His avant-garde dessert looked like something cooked by Jackson Pollock: a white cube served on a white tile, decorated in Rorschach blots of violet sauce. Breaking through the cube’s white chocolate shell revealed a beet spongecake, cacao fruit, compressed native strawberries and elderflower. It was a remarkable, multifaceted dish filled with flavor, texture and surprises. Exactly the kind of dish you’d expect from a Rising Star.

For more information about StarChefs and the Rising Stars program, visit www.starchefs.com

The Highlander | Photo: StarChefs.com

“The Highlander” by Eric Alperin of The Varnish

½ oz Cherry Heering Liqueur
2 oz Scotch Whisky (Highland Park 12 Year Old)

Stir in a whisky glass over a big rock of ice. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Related posts:

1. All the Booze That’s Fit to Print – January 2010
2. March 25: Rivera Spring Cocktails Launch Party
3. The Nose Knows: Tasting the Dalmore with Richard Paterson

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

Cheers to a fantastic 2010!

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2009
Thursday, December 31, 2009

8 oz. Burger Bar
Govind Armstrong’s Melrose eatery closes its doors to throw a private New Year’s Eve Party, and you’re invited.

• Passed appetizers, dessert buffet, Champagne toast at midnight, and a DJ
• $35 pre-sale, $45 at the door

8 oz. Burger Bar
9pm-2am
7661 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
www.8ozburgerbar.com
Reservations: (323) 852-0008

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Comme Ça
“Les Années Folles”
Take the Wayback Machine to 1920′s Paris with Comme Ça’s prix fixe menu, featuring Amuse, Relevés, Supplement, Entrées, Pièces de Resistance, and Le Dessert courses.

• Five-course tasting menu: $95
• Wine pairings: $35 (standard) or $60 (premium)
• Champagne toast
• Period attire encouraged but not required

Comme Ça
Seatings begin at 5pm
8479 Melrose Ave.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
www.commecarestaurant.com
Reservations: (323) 782-1104 or maria@commecarestaurant.com

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Copa d’Oro
Just in time to ring in the new year, Copa d’Oro recently debuted four punches, including the appropriately-named 2010 (Sazerac Rye, Sweet Sherry, Elderflower Liqueur, fresh lemon juice, organic pear juice, Prosecco). No cover, two price points for table reservations.

Premium Tables

• $50/person (minimum four guests)
• Includes 1 bottle of Louis Roederer

Standard Tables

• $25/person (minimum four guests)
• Includes 1 bottle of Prosecco

Copa d’Oro
Featuring: DJ Kid Japer
8pm-2am
217 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401
www.copadoro.com
Reservations: (310) 576-3030
NOTE: Copa d’Oro mailing list members who reserve a NYE table receive an additional complimentary bottle of Prosecco. RSVP: events@copadoro.com

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The Doheny
“Divine Lang Syne”
Cedd Moses’ private cocktail den opens its doors to non-members on NYE, with reserved table dinner packages and luxe amenities.

Reserved Table Seating:

Divine Deluxe – $525

• Bottle of Perrier-Jouët La Fleur Brut Champagne
• Dinner for two at Rivera
• One night stay at the O Hotel

Platinum Reserve – $450

• Bottle of Perrier-Jouët La Fleur Brut Champagne
• Dinner for two at Rivera

Gold Reserve – $350

• Bottle of Perrier-Jouët La Fleur Brut Champagne
• One night stay at the O Hotel

Silver Reserve – $200

• Bottle of Perrier-Jouët La Fleur Brut Champagne

Amenities:

• Tableside punch service
• Flights of luxury scotches and cognacs
• Complimentary artisinal cheese plate
• Handmade French chocolates

The Doheny
Featuring: DJ busbus
8pm-2am
714 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
thedoheny.com
Reservations: joel@thedoheny.com

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The Edison
“The Nautilist’s Ball”
The Edison’s second annual NYE bash features live music, performers, dining, and of course the Green Fairy.

• Individual tickets: $75
• Limited table reservations start at $300/table
• Entry includes Champagne Toast and Desserts at Midnight.
• All table reservations include a bottle of Champagne, midnight toast, desserts and entrance.

The Edison
Featuring: DJ Imagika, Gifted Performers, and Abney Park
Doors at 8pm
108 W. 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
www.edisondowntown.com
Table reservations: (213) 613-0000

NOTE: Pre-sale tickets for NYE are sold out! Tickets will be available at the door and space will become available as guests exit the venue. Tickets purchased at the door are $75.

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The Foundry on Melrose
“Hello 2010″
The Foundry is offering two seatings for Eric Greenspan’s special tasting menus, as well as a cocktail party in the lounge with passed apps and live jazz.

• First seating, 6-7:15pm – $95 ($135 with wine pairing)
• Second seating, 9-10:15pm – $150 ($200 with wine pairing)

Lounge Cocktail Party – $35

• 10pm-2am
• All you can eat passed hors d’oeuvres
• Complimentary champagne toast at midnight
• Live jazz all night

The Foundry on Melrose
7465 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
www.thefoundryonmelrose.com
Reservations: (323) 651-0915

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The Hungry Cat
“la nochevieja”
Hollywood’s Gato Hambriento is saying adios to the Aughts with an Iberian-influenced menu and an open bar.

• Spanish-influenced, multi-course feast
• Open bar featuring Hungry Cat Cocktails, Spanish wines, draft/bottled beers
• $135/person

The Hungry Cat
1535 Vine St.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
www.thehungrycat.com
Reservations: (323) 462-2155

Rivera
If you’ve ever thought about tasting Julian Cox’s entire top notch cocktail menu, NYE is your chance to do so…in ninety minutes. Oh, and there’s John Sedlar’s wonderful food, too.

Bottomless Cocktail Party

• 11pm-12:30am
• Unlimited cocktails from the Rivera Specialty Cocktails menu, plus “special punches”
• $50 pre-sale for a seat at the bar or lounge

Dinner options

• 6:30-7:30pm: 6-course menu ($75/guest)
• 9-10pm: 7-course menu ($110/guest)
• Wine pairings: $50 & $75
• Luis Roederer Brut Premier: $18/glass & $75/bottle

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

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Seven Grand
Get warmed up at downtown’s Whiskey Wonderland with $8 Manhattans til 9pm, then choose from three party options.

Seven Grand Private Reserve Seating

• Jackalope Drawing Room
• Choice of bottle: Perrier-Jouët La Fleur or Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon
• $180 for two guests

Seven Grand Top Shelf Seating

• Choice of bottle: Perrier-Jouët Champagne or Sazerac Rye
• $140 for two guests

General Admittance

• $20 after 9:30pm
• Complimentary East Coast Toast at 9pm, L.A. Toast at Midnight

Seven Grand
7pm-2am
Featuring: Deacon Jones Blues Review, DJ Slick Rick
515 W. 7th St., 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90014
www.sevengrand.la
Reservations: (213) 614-0737

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The Tar Pit
The new venture from Mark Peel and Audrey Saunders is hosting what promises to be a classy evening of food, cocktails, and music. There’s no cover, instead Tar Pit is requiring food and beverage minimums per person.

• First seating, 6:30pm – $75 (dining room) / $60 (bar) food & beverage minimum per person
• Second seating, 9:30pm – $95 (dining room) / $75 (bar) minimum per person
• Live entertainment starting at 9:30pm
• Champagne midnight toast, party hats, and “festive sundries”

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

The Varnish
Downtown’s preeminent cocktail bar is offering a two-part New Year’s Eve.

Part One, 7-9:30pm – $9 Champagne Cocktails designed by the Varnish
-or-
Part Two, 10pm-close

• Open Bar with Varnish Cocktail List drinks
• Bottomless punch bowl with Grand Marnier Centenaire
• Champagne toast
• Limbo!
• Tables for parties of two, four, & six, or standing room at the bar
• $125/person

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Southern California USBG.

The Varnish
118 E. Sixth St.
Los Angeles, CA 90014
www.thevarnishbar.com
Reservations: Eric at (213) 622-9999, or thevarnish@thevarnishbar.com

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New Year’s Eve Guides

• Citysearch
• e*star LA
• LAist Parts I, II, III
• LA Times
• Los Angeles Magazine

Related posts:

1. Roy's and Moët Present the Perfect Pairing: Champagne and Sushi Dinner
2. All the Booze That’s Fit to Print – February 2010
3. It's Your Patriotic Duty: Celebrate Repeal Day December 5th

“What America needs now is a drink.” ~ President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Amendment XXI (click to enlarge) | Source: NARA

While the quote above may be more appropriate than ever, FDR said those words back in 1933, after 13 years of Prohibition were finally ended.

From repealday.org: “On December 5th, 1933, Utah, the final state needed for a three quarters majority, ratified the 21st Amendment, repealing Prohibition and restoring the American right to a celebratory drink.”

Although it’s been 76 years since the end of Prohibition, Repeal Day is a relatively new tradition, the brainchild of Portland mixologist Jeffrey Morgenthaler. You can read the story behind Repeal Day on his blog.

REPEAL DAY
Saturday, December 5, 2009
www.repealday.org

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This Saturday, December 5th, some of L.A.’s favorite cocktail venues are hosting Repeal Day celebrations. So do your patriotic duty, exercise your rights as an American, and raise a glass (or two) to the 21st Amendment!

The Edison

As we’ve come to expect from the Edison, when they do an event, they go all out. Repeal Day is no different, as the Edison will be offering ice skating with Santa at Pershing Square, then a special cocktail featuring its exclusive blend of Woodford Reserve back at the Edison.

6pm-8pm
Ice Skating in Pershing Square
532 S. Olive St.
With a gift from Santa
Hot chocolate and treats for the first 100 guests

8pm-9pm
Cracking the Barrel of Edison’s Christmas Blend of Bourbon
108 W. 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0000
www.edisondowntown.com

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Comme Ca & Pizzeria Ortica

David Myers’ Comme Ça and Pizzeria Ortica will be celebrating Repeal Day (in West Hollywood and Costa Mesa, respectively) with a mix of classic and new school cocktails.

• Classics: Old-Fashioned, Sidecar & French 75
• Mary Pickford (rum, pineapple juice, grenadine, maraschino cherry)
• Colony Cocktail (gin, grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur)
• Barbary Coast (Scotch, gin, crème de cacao, heavy cream)
• Bacardi Cocktail (rum, lime juice, grenadine)

Buy the first cocktail for $11, give ‘em the password (“Roosevelt,” natch), and pay just 76 cents for the second (limit one per guest).

Comme Ça
Repeal Day menu
Friday, Dec. 4 – Sunday, Dec. 6
8479 Melrose Ave.
West Hollywood, CA
(323) 782-1104

The Repeal Day menu will also be available at Pizzeria Ortica, from Dec. 4 through Dec. 11.

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Casey’s Irish Pub
Repeal Day Party
9pm-2am
Feat. live music by The Damselles & TC4
DJs Pony vs. Tiger

Dinner & drink specials
Prize for best 30′s attire
Free fedoras while they last

613 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 629-2353

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Word is that Tony’s Saloon and Rivera also have special Repeal Day shenanigans in the works, so stay tuned…

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Update 12/5: Julian Cox announced that Rivera’s Late Night Cocktail Menu will be specially priced at $5 in honor of Repeal Day. Classics like the Manhattan, Corpse Reviver, and Blood and Sand will be available from 10pm to close.

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

Related posts:

1. So Long Aughts, and Thanks for All the Fish!
2. July 13: Radio Room at the Edison Celebrates Manhattan
3. World Cocktail Day

Bartender Matt prepares a cocktail from the new Fall Menu.

Last Thursday, Rivera’s Julian Cox unveiled eight new cocktails (of a planned twelve) from his eagerly awaited Fall Menu. To mark the occasion, the new drinks were priced at $5 each, to go with a selection of $7 classics such as the Blood & Sand and Dark & Stormy. Our crew enthusiastically dove into the new menu and were duly impressed with Julian’s offerings. As always, his use of seasonal ingredients and inventive flavor profiles consistently surprised and delighted our palates.

Picking a favorite from the new list is next to impossible, but standouts include the Autumn Sour, the Dude Abides, and the New York Flip. All three perfectly captured the essence of the season, from visual appeal to taste.

Below are pics of several cocktails from the new Fall Menu. Needless to say, we can’t wait for the rest!

Scofflaw: rye, dry vermouth, grenadine

The Dude Abides: deconstructed White Russian, pecan tincture

Bee's Nuts: amontillado sherry, rhum agricole, Bärenjäger, pecans

Tony Manzana: fresh apple juice, applejack, honey, ginger

New York Flip: bourbon, port, cream

Not shown:

• Autumn Sour – pear infused rye, applejack, lemon, egg white
• Intro to Chartreuse – chartreuse, pineapple gomme, lime
• Smooth Criminal – blanco tequila, bianco vermouth, grapefruit

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

Related posts:

1. A Taste of the Fall dineLA Launch Party
2. Recapping Rivera's Summer Cocktails Launch Party
3. All the Booze That’s Fit to Print – Fall 2009

Besides Los Angeles Magazine’s cover story on L.A.’s Best New Bars and coverage in its annual Best of L.A. issue, L.A. cocktail culture was well represented this summer:

• The Edison was named “America’s Bartending Mecca” in the cover story for the September/October issue of Mutineer Magazine, with the July 29th Radio Room serving as the issue’s launch party. According to Mutineer’s website, the issue is sold out; wonder if having the Edison’s Green Fairy on the cover had anything to do with that?

• Rivera’s Julian Cox was named one of “The New Tequiliers” in the August issue of Wine & Spirits Magazine. The article mentions Julian’s Anejo Honey Sour and Pancho Villa cocktails, as well as the seminars top tequila producers conduct to train his staff.

• In the September/October issue of Imbibe, the Varnish’s Eric Alperin discusses a variety of gin-based cocktails in Ginning Things Up, including the Gin-Gin Mule, the Eastside, the Turf, the Angel Face, and his 1930s-style take on the classic Martini. Included in the print edition only is Alperin’s recipe for his genever-based Skid Row.

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• On Sunday of Labor Day Weekend, LA Times Magazine featured Liquid Heaven, a great article highlighting some of the city’s best cocktails. Besides photos and quotes, the online edition includes bonus videos of L.A.’s top mixologists demonstrating how to make their creations. It’s an excellent snapshot of the cutting edge of the Los Angeles cocktail scene, which writer Wyatt Peabody boldly states is “the most exciting” in America.

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 – February 2010

According to Editor Mary Melton, the article is intended to “herald the return of the bar—not the velvet-rope animal of yore but the chummy neighborhood pubs, crowded wine bars, and fanciful cocktail emporiums that now constitute our nightlife.” With that in mind, the story covers 15 bars, divided into three sections: Cocktail Bars, Wine Bars, and Local Bars.

The Cocktail Bar section is spot on, featuring Rivera, Bar Centro, Roger Room, the Varnish, and Copa d’Oro. Other than Bar Centro, they’re all personal faves and places I’d highly recommend to anyone. As interesting and unique as Bar Centro is, I don’t go there regularly and can’t really say it’s a favorite. LA magazine certainly likes Bar Centro; in last month’s Best of LA issue Bar Centro was crowned with the city’s Best Manhattan.

The Local Bars list is great as well, including Tony’s, Laurel Tavern, Wurstküche, and Verdugo Bar. Tony’s and Wurstküche are pretty close to each other and are regular stops on my downtown excursions. The Arts District is very lucky to have them both! Also listed is Simmzy’s, which I haven’t been to but will definitely check out the next time I’m in Manhattan Beach.

Besides the capsule reviews, there are nice sidebars like the Varnish’s Marcos Tello demonstrating how to make a Sazerac, and Musso & Frank’s Manny Aguirre critiquing a few classic cocktails at Seven Grand, the Edison, and Mandrake.

All in all, it’s a fun read and well worth checking out.

Best New Bars
Los Angeles Magazine
September 2009
On sale now
www.lamag.com

Related posts:

1. All the Booze That's Fit to Print – Summer 2009
2. 10 Los Angeles Bars in Food & Wine's Top 100
3. Esquire's Best Bars in America

Love Stoned

Last Friday, Julian Cox debuted his eagerly awaited Summer Cocktail Menu at Rivera. To mark the occasion, cocktails that night were just $5, a great way to sample Julian’s latest creations for a fraction of the normal cost. When I arrived, the bar area was packed with a thirsty crowd, and Julian and his crew were kept busy mixing drinks for appreciative guests.

I started with the Love Stoned, made with rye, Bing cherries, lemon, orgeat syrup, and plumberry tincture. This delicious cocktail is so good it’s dangerous: the fruit forward profile is anchored by the orgeat syrup’s pronounced almond flavor and the plumberry’s floral notes. Julian’s choice to present the cocktail with a basil garnish enhances the flavor mix as well as pleases the eye. The Love Stoned is tasty enough to rival his signature Rivera creation, the Blood Sugar Sex Magic, which I previously thought was untouchable as far as the Rivera menu was concerned.

Qweens Park Swizzle

For Round Two I ordered the Qweens Park Swizzle, made with rum, mint, Angostura and Peychaud’s Bitters. The flavors are pretty straightforward, but its colorful, layered presentation as an über snowcone takes it to another level. This drink is tailor made to be enjoyed outside on Rivera’s Flower Street patio.

I finished the night with a Bensenhurst: rye, Carpano Antica, Cynar, and Maraschino, served up. While I really enjoyed this cocktail, its strong, smoky profile was probably better suited as a starter, rather than as my last drink of the night. That said, its complex mix of flavors work well together, the bitterness of the Cynar offset by the rich, chocolate flavor of the Antica and the cherry/almond notes of the Maraschino.

As always, Julian has hit it out of the park with his summer menu. I can’t wait to dive into other libations like the Peruvian Daisy and the 19th Century. Due to the seasonality of their ingredients, most of the summer cocktails won’t be available in a few months; do yourself a favor and get down to Rivera before you miss some of the best drinks in town.

Bensenhurst

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

Related posts:

1. July 3: Rivera Summer Cocktails Launch Party
2. March 25: Rivera Spring Cocktails Launch Party
3. A Taste of the Fall dineLA Launch Party

The Bramble officially debuts this Friday.

You know you’re doing something right as a mixologist when peers like Erick Castro (of San Francisco’s acclaimed Bourbon & Branch) stop in for a drink and give you props. Such is the case with Rivera Restaurant’s Julian Cox, who has received praise from all the local media (e.g. the LA Weekly) and was just name checked in the August issue of Wine & Spirits Magazine (“The New Tequiliers”).

Julian has been putting the final touches on his new summer cocktail menu, and last Saturday he surprised us with a sneak preview of two of his latest creations. I sampled The Bramble (gin, lemon, simple syrup, muddled blackberries), while my friend was presented with The 1050 Special (VeeV Açaí, lemon, muddled raspberries). Both cocktails were refreshing, flavorful, and ready-made for the dog days of summer. As we enjoyed our drinks, Julian described The Love Stone, another summer cocktail made with rye, fresh cherries, and a plumberry tincture. In all, he expects to add 15 new cocktails, with around 5 holdovers from the previous menu. Julian revealed that John Sedlar is also working on new Rivera menu items, as well as the debut of a raw bar, charcuterie, and cheese plates.

The 1050 Special, also new for the summer.

Rivera’s summer cocktail menu officially debuts this Friday, July 3rd. Guests will be able to order the new drinks when Rivera opens for dinner, but starting at 9pm Julian will be hosting a launch party, featuring $5 cocktails and a special bar menu. Summer cocktailing and Latin fusion cuisine, can’t think of a better way to kick off Independence Weekend!

Summer Cocktails Launch Party
Friday, July 3, 2009
9pm-close

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

Related posts:

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