Thirsty in LA » tequila

Tequila Against Cancer at Next Door Lounge

thirstyinla — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:18:03 +0000

On Sunday, November 13th, Christine England is hosting Tequila Against Cancer, a tequila tasting that will take place at Next Door Lounge. The event is raising funds for Enrico Caruso, who was recently diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. Caruso (a healthy lifestyle advocate and lifelong nonsmoker) is well-known as a pioneer in the tequila industry’s organic movement.

In 2005, Caruso joined college friend Chris Melendez’s new venture, 4 Copas. The duo was the first to use agave nectar in their cocktails, and the 4 Copas Organic Margarita subsequently became a staple in craft cocktail bars. The tireless efforts of Melendez (as 4 Copas President/CEO) and Caruso (Senior Vice President and National Sales Director) came to fruition in 2007, when 4 Copas became the first tequila in history to be certified organic. Caruso later became the National Sales Director for Infinium Spirits, whose portfolio includes Corralejo and Casa Noble, another certified organic tequila.

Tickets to Tequila Against Cancer are $40 per person and can be purchased with cash at the door, or online via the event link below. Entry includes a tequila tasting and food. Pours include Herradura, Casa Noble, Milagro and Milagro Barrel Select, Fortaleza, Alquimia, and Karma. Guests can also place bids on items like rare tequilas, show tickets, restaurant gift certificates, and more. Among the great raffle prizes is a trip to Mexico for a tequila distillery tour!

Casa Noble Single Barrel Añejo

The online auction items include:

Casa Noble Single Barrel Añejo, one of only 24 bottles ever made.
Herradura Seleccion Suprema (Bottle #201).
Tequila Tasting for 6 in the Tequila Vault at Mas Malo.
A “Learn to Bartend Like the Pros” session for eight people, presented by Joseph Brooke of Next Door Lounge.
One hour of bowling (up to 6 people) and a Large Punch Bowl (serves 16) at The Spare Room.
Queen of Tequila experience, including dinner for two and a bottle of rare tequila.
Two-night stay in an ocean view room at Venice Beach Suites & Hotel.

England says it best on the event page: “So raise your glass and say, ‘Enrico we are here to give you our strength, support and encouragement – not just today, but every day. Thank you so much for what you have done for the industry and your friends. ¡Salud!’”

For more information, to purchase presale tickets, or to make a donation, please visit www.tequilaagainstcancer.myevent.com.

Update Nov. 8: This just in, a great event gets even better with the addition of Zahra Bates (Providence) behind the stick!

Update Nov. 10: If you show your proof of purchase of a ticket to Speed Rack LA (also taking place on the 13th), admission to Tequila Against Cancer is just $25!

Tequila Against Cancer
Sunday, November 13, 2011
1pm-5pm
Featuring:

Tequila tasting and food (included with entry)
Tequila cocktails
Raffle and silent auction

$40 tickets: cash at the door, or via tequilaagainstcancer.myevent.com.

Next Door Lounge
1154 N. Highland Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90038
(323) 465-5505
www.nextdoorhollywood.com
Facebook: facebook.com/nextdoorlounge
Twitter: @nextdoorlounge

Enrico Caruso photo by James Weir.

Aug. 14: Spend Your Sunday Sipping Tequila with Dan Dunn

thirstyinla — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:20:33 +0000

On Sunday, August 14th, thirsty Angelenos will have not one, but two chances to sip tequila with Dan “The Imbiber” Dunn. The afternoon and evening tasting events, both hosted by the Living Loaded author, are taking place at Lexington Social House in conjunction with Ian Blackburn of LearnAboutWine.

The first session is from 3-5pm, presented exclusively by LearnAboutWine. The second session is part of the UrbanDaddy Perks series and starts at 6pm. Registration is required for both events; see below for info on ticket prices. Space is limited, and in the case of UrbanDaddy registration ends soon, so don’t slack!

Featured tequilas:
Blanco

Casa Noble Crystal
Karma Blanco
Avion Silver

Reposado

Tequila Ocho Reposado
Milagro Select Barrel Reserve Reposado
Cazadores

Añejo

Cabo Wabo
Herradura

Extra Añejo

Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Familia
Chinaco Negro

To soak up all that agave, Lexington Social House will serve assorted flatbread pizzas, duck rillettes and chicken skewers.

Tequila Tasting with Dan Dunn
Sunday, August 14, 2011

First Session: 3-5pm
$69 Advanced Sale / Two for $125 Special
$55 for Vintage Members
Register: LearnAboutWine

Second Session: 6pm
$59 for UrbanDaddy Perks Members
Register: UrbanDaddy Perks

Lexington Social House
1718 Vine Street
Hollywood, California 90028
(310) 451-7600
www.lexingtonsocialhouse.com

Image courtesy Lexington Social House.

LA Street Food Fest – 2nd Annual Summer Tasting Event

thirstyinla — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 02:05:47 +0000

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:

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

June 15: ¡Viva Sangrita! ¡Viva Tequila Ocho! at The Edison

thirstyinla — Tue, 31 May 2011 20:13:00 +0000

Photo: Kara van Malssen

For aficionados, sipping a fine tequila is an elevated experience, worlds away from the shot-lime-salt ritual that has been the bane of many an undergrad’s night (and morning). Sangrita (“little blood”) is a traditional Jaliscan accompaniment to tequila, meant to complement the crisp, peppery spirit and cleanse the palate between sips. Though its variations are many, sangrita is typically made with tomato juice, orange juice, lime juice, and a spicy element (e.g. hot sauce or chilis, fresh or dried).

To generate awareness and expand the possibilities of this spirited ritual, Tequila Ocho and The Bon Vivants (Josh Harris, Scott Baird and L.A. Ambassador Alex Straus) teamed up to launch ¡Viva Sangrita!, a nationwide competition that challenged bartenders to create original sangritas to pair with one of the three current Tequila Ocho releases: the 2009 Las Pomez Plata, 2009 Las Pomez Reposado or the 2010 San Augustin Añejo. Innovation was encouraged, and other than the flavor profiles of tart, sweet, spicy and savory, there were no restrictions on the sangrita creative process.

Recipes from around the country were submitted in April, and now The Bon Vivants are hitting the road to judge a series of events taking place in cities representing five regions: San Francisco, Miami, New York, Austin and Los Angeles. Entries weren’t limited to residents of the host cities; Texas has an entry from Milwaukee, while sangritas from Boston and Washington D.C. will be competing in New York.

Sangrita Sorbet by Morgan Schick. | Photo: The Bon Vivants

One winner will be selected per region to compete in the ¡Viva Sangrita! National Finals, taking place in New Orleans in July. The National Champion will win a trip to visit the Tequila Ocho distillery in the highlands of Jalisco and “experience all this amazing spirit has to offer, in the place of its birth.” Last week, Morgan Schick (Nopa) was chosen to represent San Francisco at the National Finals. Schick’s winning Sangrita Sorbet is paired with the 2009 Las Pomez Plata.

The Los Angeles semi-final event will take place on Wednesday, June 15th at The Edison. The contestants will take over the main horseshoe bar and guests can sample the sangritas paired with Tequila Ocho. Passed apps and music will add to the festivities.

Following are the five Los Angeles bartenders and their respective sangrita entries:

Rich Andreoli (Harvard & Stone) – El Cantante
Joseph Brooke (The Edison) – Singhrita
Kate Grutman (Sotto) – Leche Materna
Naomi Schimek (The Spare Room) – Ritual de lo Habitual
Doug Williams (Liquid Alchemy) – Smoked Sour Cherry Gel Sangrita

Guests will have something more to do than sip tequila and sangritas: The Bon Vivants are inviting everyone at the event to vote for their favorite sangrita. The popular vote will be factored in with the judges’ scores to determine the winner. So there’s a possibility that the judges will choose one sangrita, but the crowd influences the final outcome by throwing its weight behind a different entry.

I spoke with Harris before he, Baird and Straus embarked on their ¡Viva Sangrita! tour. While all the sangrita entries are impressive, Harris thought that L.A. and S.F. in particular “came on really strong.” Harris hopes the tasting events will appeal to everyone and not just the cocktail geeks. No problem there: ¡Viva Sangrita! at The Edison promises to be a fun, educational and interactive night of excellent tequila and delicious sangritas created by some of the city’s best bartenders.

¡VIVA SANGRITA! ¡VIVA TEQUILA OCHO!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
6pm-9pm
Featuring:

Sangritas paired with Tequila Ocho
Passed appetizers
Music
No cover

RSVP: kaitlin@bonvivants-sf.com

The Edison
108 W. 2nd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0000
www.edisondowntown.com

“Tequila y Sangrita” photo by kara_vanmalssen, used with permission through CC BY-NC 2.0.

May 18: Herradura Double Barrel Reposado Pairing at WEST

thirstyinla — Wed, 11 May 2011 21:04:00 +0000

On Wednesday, May 18th, WEST Restaurant & Lounge is hosting an exclusive Herradura Double Barrel Reposado Pairing, featuring six small plates paired with six tequila cocktails. As guests admire the view from the Penthouse Level of the Hotel Angeleno, they’ll enjoy dishes prepared by West Executive Chef Manuel D. Medina and cocktails by John Yuhico. As an added bonus, the event will feature a live agave shaving demonstration.

Herradura Double Barrel Reposado is made in the town of Amatitán, Jalisco, in the heart of Mexico’s tequila region. Every bottle of Herradura begins with 100% Blue Weber agave, descended from the original agave that grew on the Hacienda in 1870. To create the Double Barrel Reposado, the tequila is first rested in toasted oak barrels for 11 months (9 more than category standards), giving the reposado its deep copper color and a notable smoothness. The tequila is then matured for an additional month in a new, toasted oak barrel. The handmade barrel, specially created to augment aging, allows the spirit to develop additional depth of character and flavor, including notes of cooked agave, dried fruits and sweet brown spice.

Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com/event/1641013315.

Herradura Double Barrel Tequila Pairing
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
7pm-9pm
Tickets: $39
Featuring:

Six small plates
Six paired tequila cocktails
Agave shaving demonstration (7:30pm)

WEST Restaurant & Lounge
Hotel Angeleno
170 N. Church Lane
Penthouse Level, 17th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 476-6411
www.westatangeleno.com

Images courtesy WEST / Hotel Angeleno.

Cuatro de Mayo Celebration at La Descarga

thirstyinla — Wed, 04 May 2011 03:37:47 +0000

Looks like Bill Esparza’s saxophone (and his liver) will be very busy the next couple of nights. Not only is he throwing a party on Cinco de Mayo, Esparza sent this tweet earlier today:

Tequila mob!!2morrow nite at La Descarga,we're doing the 4 de Mayo. @CamarenaTequila truck,Steve+Pablo drinks, my LD musical debut.VAYA!

May 3, 2011 3:15 pm via webReply RetweetFavorite

@streetgourmetla

Bill Esparza

Translated from Twitterspeak, the Street Gourmet LA writer and musician will be making his La Descarga debut and leading the house band during Wednesday’s Cuatro de Mayo Celebration.

Tequila and mezcal-fueled cocktails and shots will be featured all night, including the “Wet Baquiri,” “Kraken Micheladas” and more. For early arrivals, the Camarena Tequila Taco Truck will be outside La Descarga starting at 9:30pm, dishing out free tequila-infused grub while it lasts.

There’s no cover and no RSVPs are needed, but early arrival is strongly recommended!

Cuatro de Mayo Celebration
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
8pm-2am
Featuring:

Tequila and mezcal drinks and shots
Camarena Taco truck (9:30pm-12am)
La Descarga band, featuring Bill Esparza
DJ Henry Helix

La Descarga
1159 N. Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 466-1324
www.ladescargala.com

Cinco de Mayo 2011: Bring On the Agave

thirstyinla — Tue, 03 May 2011 01:34:07 +0000

Cinco de Mayo may have limited national significance in Mexico, but here in the U.S. and elsewhere, it’s a great day to celebrate Mexican culture by imbibing some of its finest exports. Bars and restaurants all over town will be hosting special events on the day that honors the Mexican Army’s victory over the occupying French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

Following is a list of selected Cinco de Mayo events taking place on Thursday, May 5, 2011. Salud!

Photo: Border Grill

Border Grill
Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger offer several Cinco de Mayo options to enjoy their upscale, modern Mexican food, whether it’s paired with Margaritas at their Border Grill Downtown LA and Border Grill Santa Monica urban cantinas, or on the go at the Border Grill Truck and the Border Grill Stop kiosk.

Border Grill Downtown LA
445 S. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 486-5171
4pm-10pm
Featured on the Patio and in The CANTINA:

$5 Margaritas by Karma Tequila
$3 Tacos
$5 Quesadillas – Cooked on the outdoor griddle on the Patio

Border Grill Santa Monica
1445 4th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 451-1655
3:30pm-10pm
Extended happy hour drinks and bites:

$4 Margaritas
$3 Tacos

Border Grill Truck
Cinco de Mayo at LA Plaza
501 N. Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 542-6200 / (888) 488-8083
4pm-7pm
Featuring:

Border Grill Truck menu: Quinoa Fritters, Tacos, Quesadillas, Ceviche and more
Live mariachi music and DJ Betto Arcos (KPFK “Global Village”)
Free LA ArtLab all-ages art workshops
Free admission to LA Starts Here! and Calle Principal exhibitions

Border Grill Stop
601 S. Figueroa St. (at Wilshire)
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 244-6861
11:30am-1pm
Featuring: $5 Quesadillas cooked on the outdoor griddle

Photo: The Yard

La Jarda – Cinco de Mayo
Head west to The Yard in Santa Monica, and instead of Chef Chris “CJ” Jacobson‘s gastropub fare, you’ll find his special menu of Mexican favorites such as Fried Quesadilla with Shrimp, Scallop Ceviche, Carnitas Tacos, House Queso, Fish Tacos, La Hamburguesa, Churros with Mexican Chocolate, Flan and Horchata.

The Yard
119 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 395-6037
5pm-11:30pm
Featuring:

$5 Margaritas and Tequila cocktail specials
Special Mexican food menu

Click to view

Las Perlas
Downtown’s shrine to artisanal tequila and mezcal will celebrate Cinco de Mayo early this year, opening its doors at noon on Thursday. Las Perlas will offer specials on cocktails, tequila and cerveza all day, and DJs will spin a wide range of genres from 2pm to close. To soak up the agave libations, Pal Cabron will be serving Chicken Tamales with Black Mole ($5) and Puebla-style Tacos Arabes ($3) starting at 6pm.

Las Perlas
107 East Sixth St.
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 988-8355
12pm to close
Featuring:

$5 Margaritas and Palomas (12pm-8pm)
$5 Herradura Shots (12pm-8pm)
$3 Tecates (12pm-8pm)
$8 Modela Especial cervezas with a shot of Tequila (8pm to close)
Pal Cabron chicken tamales and tacos arabes (6pm-2am)

DJs:

2-6pm: Jose Galvan (Sala de Espera, Indie 103FM)
6-10pm: Takashi (Kapsoul)
10pm-2am: Darren Revell (Big Sonic Heaven, Moheak Radio)

Click to view

Malo – Cinco de MALO Celebración
Malo and its sister restaurant Mas Malo offer two locations with multiple levels of tequilas and mezcals, drink and food specials, and DJs to keep guests in the agave groove. Mas Malo kicks things off in downtown at 11am, while the original Malo in Silver Lake starts its festivities at 5pm.

Malo
4326 West Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 664-1011
5pm to close
Featuring: 901 Tequila

Mas Malo
515 West 7th St. (1st Floor)
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 985-4332
11am to close
Featuring:

Partida Tequila and Casa Noble Tequila (main level)
Corralejo Tequila (cantina)
4Copas (mezzanine)
Mezcal on the Mezzanine: Sacacuento and Agave de Cortes (6-8pm)

Click to view

The Tijuana Underground at Vitello’s
Meanwhile in the 818, Bill Esparza (Street Gourmet LA) is teaming up with his friends Chuy Tovar (Real de Mexico Tequila) and Brad Roen (Vitello’s) to present a night of music, food and of course tequila. Esparza’s Cinco de Mayo party at Vitello’s is a return to a family tradition started by his father’s cousins in Northern California, which Esparza kept going here in LA until recently. As Esparza says on the party’s Facebook event page:

“My group the Tijuana Underground will be laying down pop, rock, and soul music hits for your listening and dancing pleasure, 100% agave Real de Mexico tequila will flow from the Real Girls, and Mexican food will be served from the guys that cook in most Italian-American restaurants…..Mexicans!!”

Upstairs at Vitello’s
Vitello’s Italian Restaurant
4349 Tujunga Ave.
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 769-0905
8pm-12am
$15 cover, doors at 7pm
Featuring:

Music by the Tijuana Underground
Drinks by the Real Bellas of Real de Mexico Tequila
Special “Tastes of Mexico” menu

Espolón Tequila Cocktails and Taco Trucks for Cinco de Mayo

thirstyinla — Mon, 02 May 2011 17:37:40 +0000

Following its 2009 purchase by Gruppo Campari, cult favorite Espolón Tequila was reintroduced to the United States last year with new packaging and a lower price point. Now managed in the U.S. by Skyy Spirits, Espolón recently sent its Blanco and Reposado releases for review, along with recipes from three top mixologists to liven up this week’s Cinco de Mayo festivities (see below).

On the nose, the Espolón Tequila Blanco is delicate and sweet, with floral notes, and hints of tropical fruit and citrus. The palate is soft and light- to medium-bodied, with subtle agave, and some pepper and vanilla. The finish is clean with a bit of spice. The Espolón Blanco was recently awarded Best Silver Tequila (Double Gold Medal) at the 2011 San Francisco Spirits Competition, and scored 93 points at the 2011 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

The gold-colored Espolón Tequila Reposado (which is aged six months in American oak barrels) begins with a spicy nose of caramel and a hint of chocolate. The rounded mouthfeel has a medium- to full-bodied palate, with notes of roasted agave, banana, vanilla and brown spices. The finish is not particularly long but has a sweet and spicy fade.

The Espolón distillery in San Nicolas (NOM 1440), remains the same under the guidance of Master Distiller Cirilo Oropeza, though Espolón’s fabled heat has reportedly been tempered. Both expressions are certainly approachable and mixable, and with the Espolón Blanco and Reposado retail priced at just $24.99, and stores like BevMo discounting them to $19.99, Espolón is ideal for those seeking a “bang for your buck” tequila for mixing.

For an in-depth tasting of the new Espolón Tequila releases, check out the Tequila Whisperer’s review. A particularly interesting segment in the video clip comes around the 29:30 mark, when Lippy opens a bottle of the old (pre-Skyy Spirits) Espolón Reposado for a taste comparison.

Espolón Tequila Blanco

80 Proof (40% ABV)
750ml bottle
Retail price: $24.99

Espolón Tequila Reposado

80 Proof (40% ABV)
750ml bottle
Retail price: $24.99

For more information, visit www.tequilaespolon.com.

Carnitas and Eric Alperin's Bebida de Puebla: a match made in taco truck heaven. | Photo: Young Yun

Espolón Tequila Cocktails
To liven up this year’s Cinco de Mayo festivities, Espolón Tequila asked mixologists from Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York to create cocktails to pair with taco truck offerings in their respective cities: Eric Alperin, H. Joseph Ehrmann and Adam Schuman.

Bebida de Puebla

Bebida de Puebla
Eric Alperin (The Varnish) created his subtly smoky Bebida de Puebla to pair with hearty pulled pork, and the cocktail’s coffee liqueur is matched by the mildly sweet seasoning of the meat. Though it’s inspired by the famed Kogi BBQ Spicy Pork Tacos, Alperin’s cocktail could just as easily go with other L.A. favorites like the carnitas at Highland Park’s La Estrella taco truck, or the Yucatan Pork Tacos from the Border Grill Truck.

BEBIDA DE PUEBLA
Created by Eric Alperin
Ingredients:

2 oz. Espolón Tequila Reposado
.25 oz. Benedictine Liqueur
.25 oz. Coffee Liqueur
.5 oz. Lustau “Los Arcos” Dry Amontillado Sherry
Lemon Peel

Directions:

Stir all ingredients with ice in a chilled mixing glass.
Strain into a chilled coupe.
Spray and garnish with a lemon peel.

Sidra de la Mula

Sidra de la Mula
H. Joseph Ehrmann (Elixir) set out to create a simple, refreshing cocktail to pair with San Francisco’s El Tonayense Taco truck. For this variation of the Gin-Gin Mule, Ehrmann swaps out the ginger beer with Sidral Mundet, the popular apple-flavored Mexican soft drink. The light and drinkable Sidra de la Mula (“Apple Cider Mule”) pairs with the citrus notes of the Pollo Asado Taco.

SIDRA DE LA MULA
Created by H. Joseph Ehrmann
Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Espolón Tequila Blanco
12 oz. Bottle of Sidral Mundet
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 squeeze of a Lemon Slice

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a 16 oz. glass of ice and stir.

Bucking Borracho

Bucking Borracho
Adam Schuman, the Beverage Director for New York’s Fatty Crew (Fatty ‘Cue, Fatty Crab), is familiar with pairing cocktails with unusual spices and ingredients. Schuman’s slightly sweet, slightly sour Bucking Borracho is ideally suited to the rich and complex flavors of the Braised Tacos de Lengua from Brooklyn’s El Diablo Taco Truck.

BUCKING BORRACHO
Created by Adam Schuman
Ingredients:

2 oz. Espolón Tequila Reposado
.25 oz. Ginger Syrup
.5 oz. Lemon Juice
.5 oz. Lime Juice
2 dashes Blended Chocolate Bitters (equal parts Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate and Bitter Truth Xocolatl Bitters)
1.5 oz. Ginger Beer
Lemon Slice
Mint Sprig

Directions:

In a shaker mix tequila, ginger syrup, lemon juice, lime juice and chocolate bitters with ice.
Shake and strain into an iced highball, leaving enough room to top with chilled ginger beer.
Garnish with lemon and mint.

Cocktail recipes and photos courtesy Espolón Tequila. Carnitas photo by Pabo76, used with permission through CC BY-NC 2.0.

Let’s Get This Party Started: Playa Opens February 11

thirstyinla — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:53:41 +0000

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

Dec. 16: Las Perlas Private Reserve Release and Mezcal Collective Launch

thirstyinla — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:57:21 +0000

Photo: 213 Nightlife

On Thursday, December 16th, agave aficionados will have two excellent reasons to be at Las Perlas, the downtown L.A. shrine to mezcal and tequila: an exclusive release of Herradura Double Barrel Reposado, and the launch of the Mezcal Collective, an ongoing series of gatherings that will celebrate and educate about all things agave. For its debut, the Mezcal Collective welcomes Ruben Aceves, Casa Herraruda historian and global brand ambassador, who will discuss Herradura’s 140 years of hand-crafted tequila production.

Click to view. | 213 Nightlife

For an all-inclusive ticket price of $99, guests will get their own gift box (valued at over $150), featuring a 750ml bottle of the Las Perlas Private Reserve Herradura Double Barrel Reposado, signed, numbered and authenticated by Casa Herradura’s Master Distiller. Also included in the admission are gourmet Mexican bites and free margaritas throughout the event: the Las Perlas House Margarita and the Spiced Daisy.

213 Proprietor Cedd Moses personally selected the exclusive Las Perlas barrel in early October, when he was a guest at Hacienda San José del Refugio, Herradura’s home for 140 years. Herradura Double Barrel Reposado is hand-crafted and estate bottled in the town of Amatitán, Jalisco, in the heart of Mexico’s tequila region. Every bottle of Herradura begins with 100% Blue Weber agave, descended from the original agave that grew on the Hacienda in 1870.

To create the Double Barrel Reposado, the tequila is first rested in toasted oak barrels for 11 months (9 more than category standards), giving the reposado its signature deep copper color and exceptional smoothness. The tequila is then matured for an additional month in a new, toasted oak barrel. The hand-made barrel, specially created to augment aging, allows the spirit to develop additional depth of character and flavor, including notes of cooked agave, dried fruits and sweet brown spice.

The exclusive Herradura offering commemorates the launch of the Las Perlas Mezcal Collective, a series of tastings and events premiering Mexico’s finest mezcals and tequilas, as well as selections from the extensive Las Perlas collection of artisanal spirits. Las Perlas GM Raul Yrastorza describes Mezcal Collective events as “a cultural immersion and mash-up, with estates and bottlers providing rare insights, an exploration of mezcal’s many myths and legends, tools of the trade, and traditional glassware, while celebrating regional expressions of spirits, food, art and music.”

To join the Las Perlas Mezcal Collective and receive updates and invites, visit www.lasperlas.la, or email Raul Yrastorza at raul@213downtown.la.

Las Perlas Private Reserve Release Party
Hosted by the Las Perlas Mezcal Collective
Thursday, December 16, 2010
7:30pm – 9:30pm
All-inclusive ticket: $99

Personal gift box with Las Perlas Private Reserve Herradura Double Barrel Reposado (750ml bottle, $150+ value)
Complimentary margaritas all night: Las Perlas House Margarita & Spiced Daisy
Gourmet Mexican bites

NOTE: tickets and space for the release party are limited.
Tickets are available at: lasperlas.eventbrite.com

Las Perlas
107 E. 6th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 988-8355
www.lasperlas.la