Trends in the LA Cocktail Scene in 2010

Tis the season of year-end wrap-ups and here are some of the trends that hit the LA cocktail and drinking scene in 2010.  Here are five trends of 2010 and 3 to look for in 2011:

2010 Trends

Neighborhood cocktail & wine bars.  With the launch in the fall/winter of Big Bar at Alcove, 1886 at the Raymond, and Bar | Kitchen, Los Feliz, Pasadena and Downtown LA all got comfortable neighborhood cocktail spots with drinks that are destination worthy.  Bar Covell in Los Feliz joined Lou in Hollywood on my short list of favorite places to drink wine by the glass.  They both have well curated idiosyncratic lists that reflect the personality of their owners, not just the same old selections or whatever Southern Wine & Spirits wants to sell.

Single Spirit Cocktail Bars.  Both Cana Rum Bar and La Descarga launched, bringing the daiquiri and classic  rum cocktails back in the public consciousness.  Las Perlas also raised the profile of Mezcal in Los Angeles.  Seven Grand had led the way with whiskey, but this trio expanded the possibilities, each in a very different way.

Hollywood as a destination for quality drinks.  This year the craft cocktail scene in Hollywood achieved critical mass, with Hemingway's, Les Deux and the Spare Room (officially opening next week) joining Library Bar and Hungry Cat as oases from the nightclub hordes that dominate the area.

Guest bartending: The Test Kitchen built upon the tradition that Aidan Demarest created with his Radio Room at the Edison by having a rotating selection of visiting bartenders from across the city and from out of town manning the bar to accompany the ever-changing chefs.  It would not have been possible without Julian Cox, who curated the guest bartender program and has relationships with and the respect of the entire Los Angeles bartending community.

Supperclubs as cocktail destinations: Both the Tar Pit on La Brea in Mid-city and First and Hope downtown launched with decor reminiscent of the classic supperclub era.  The Tar Pit, now under the care of veteran New York bartender Danielle Crouch has a more classic bent to its cocktails while First and Hope is known for its market driven cocktails.  In a continuation of this trend, a new spot called supperclub is opening in Hollywood next month.


Predictions for 2011:

Craft Beer on the Rise: The inaugural Craft Beer Crawl in downtown LA this year showed the pent up demand and enthusiasm for craft beer in Los Angeles.  Wurstkuche, which opened up two years ago, struck lightning in a bottle, and the wave of interest in beer is continuing to rise.  2011 will likely additional craft beer bars opening up and restaurants and existing bars take their beer programs more seriously.  Cedd Moses of 213 Downtown, which owns the Varnish and Seven Grand among many others, is reportedly considering launching a beer bar.

Craft Cocktails expanding to new neighborhoods: 1886 at the Raymond and 320 Main showed that there is a market for craft cocktails in the Pasadena and Seal Beach areas.  I'd expect to see bars that focus on quality cocktails to open up in the San Fernando Valley and other underrepresented areas.  The South Bay?  You don't have to to go downtown to get a great drink.  West of the 405, only The Tasting Kitchen and Copa d'Oro have programs that are in the top echelon, except so see more join their ranks.

Bars owned by bartenders: The top bartenders in town are hired as either consultants, bar managers or bartenders; it is extremely rare to see a bartender own their own watering hole, or a healthy percentage of it.  Dave Whitton of Villains Tavern (opened in 2010) is a partner in the business and Eric Alperin has a stake in the Varnish (opened in 2009).  In the next year or two expect several of the leading bartenders to shift from employees to owners/partners as they launch their own spots to create equity for themselves instead of building value for others.

Now Open: Les Deux Estate

Giovanni Martinez and Joel Black of Les Deux Estate

Last night Les Deux Estate opened in the former club space on Las Palmas. The new incarnation is a gastropub with cocktails from Giovanni Martinez of the Buffalo Club, Joel Black (ex Comme Ca and Cana) and Jason Robey of Bar | Kitchen and occupies the front room facing the street.  "Our focus is on quality food and quality drinks with a modest but good beer selection," Martinez said.

The cocktail list is short, with seven selections, as the bartenders expect to be making a lot of Dealer's Choice in which the customer describes the flavor profile and spirit they are looking for and the bartender "does the rest."  Each of the three bartenders contributed 2-3 drinks to the list; fans of Black will be excited that he brought his signature Smashed Irishman (below) to the program.  The Irishman includes Jameson Irish Whiskey, Lemon, Basil, Red Bell Pepper, Honey and a housemade Guinness Reduction.

The kitchen is helmed by David Schmit, former sous chef at the Buffalo Club in Santa Monica.  The food menu is also short and heavy on classic American bar food, with options such as the Strait Up Burger ($11), Honey Sambal Wings ($10), and the LD Caesar Salad ($9) as well as some more refined options like the Roasted Beet Salad ($11), the 1/2 Jidori Roasted Chicken ($19) or the Pepper Crusted Salmon ($20).  The only dessert is Bourbon Bread Pudding, so Chef Schmit must have confidence that it is a winning dish.

Martinez said that they are hoping to be a neighborhood spot where locals can grab dinner, a snack or a drink from 6 pm - Midnight on Wednesday through Saturday evenings and be a respite from the large clubs nearby.  The cocktail list is seasonal and they most of their herbs on site.  They are currently growing chili peppers, herbs and cucumbers on the roof.  "We'll be doing market driven cocktails with classical execution and classic drinks with a market driven execution.  There are no holds barred as we develop the menu," Martinez enthusiastically commented.  Martinez's Highlander cocktail is below.  It includes Tequila Ocho Blanco, Drambuie, Thyme Infused Agave and Lemon Juice.  It was garnished with a sprig of thyme on top and tasted great; the tequila flavor predominated.

However, one thing to note is that the decor does not jibe with the gastropub concept. Just ignore that and head straight to the bar and get a cocktail. It is refreshing to see a list of drinks that 100% of which were developed by the bartenders making your cocktail in front of you. There was no consultant swooping in from out of town. Giovanni, Joel and Jason are veterans and it shows in their beverages.

It is refreshing to see a velvet rope, DJ/promoter driven place evolve into an establishment that respects quality. So don't expect any clipboard wielding women or burly bouncers blocking your way into Les Deux. The doors are wide open now, so feel free to check it out. Well-made drinks await you.

Les Deux Estate: 1638 N. Las Palmas,  just South of Hollywood Blvd.  Website: www.lesdeux.com

Bar & Kitchen in the O Hotel: A Butterfly Sheds its Cocoon

Bar | Kitchen in the O Hotel downtown announced that they have hired Dave Kaplan and Alex Day, partners in Proprietors LLC, to consult on and partner in operating the hotel's restaurant and bar .  Bar | Kitchen has been in business since the 67 room boutique hotel opened in 2007; two months ago the owner brought in Proprietors to revamp the offering.  Kaplan is the owner and creator of Death & Company in New York City, which was recognized at Tales of the Cocktail in July as the Best American Cocktail Bar and as having the World's Best Cocktail Menu.  Day is a well-respected mixologist who began working with Kaplan at Death & Company before they launched their consulting partnership together, and consults on cocktail programs globally, including several recent projects in Asia.  Bar | Kitchen represents their first joint effort in which they have worked with an existing establishment, rather than helping create something from the ground up, like their successful launch of the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company in Philadelphia last year. 

As a full service restaurant and bar in a hotel serving lunch five days a week and dinner Monday – Saturday, Bar | Kitchen is a different kind of venture for Kaplan and Day.  The philosophy of the kitchen and the bar program is to be approachable and ingredient driven.  If you are expecting a temple of the cocktail, you will be disappointed as that is not what Bar | Kitchen is about.  Instead it seeks to bring craft cocktails and delicious approachable food using quality ingredients at reasonable prices.  The three course lunch is only $18 and the three course prix pixe dinner is only $28.  Cocktails are only $10 and during happy hour “thrifty mixed drinks” will be available for $7.

The current cocktail list is pared down with only four, two of which are available on the happy hour menu, including the Site Hound, a take on the greyhound, but with gin as the base spirit and with aperol, scarlet glow infused tea, fresh lemon and grapefruit juices and seltzer water.  This was refreshing and a light introduction to the cocktail program.  I also sampled the Smokescreen, with a base of islay scotch, fresh lime juice, a dash of green chartreuse and fresh mint.  The smoky flavor of the scotch imbued the drink without drowning out the other components.  Although the cocktail list may be short, the bar has been staffed with bartenders that know their way around the classics, including one female bartender who makes one of the best Manhattans available in Los Angeles.

In addition to the cocktail program, there is a new wine list focusing on interesting and well-priced bottles, with a significant portion coming from the Iberian Peninsula.  At the bottom of the wine list it states “all of our wines are chosen for quality and value, but also to showcase interesting styles and regions without getting all prissy about it.”  The crisp vihno verde from Portugal is typical of the unsung gems on the list of less than a dozen selections that Day described as “structured to take away pretense.”

What to eat at Bar | Kitchen?  Seasonal pickled vegetables ($5) is a pleasant vinegary option, although the Perishable Pop-Up has nothing to fear from these.  A more interesting choice is the White Anchovy Bruschetta with celery gremolata ($6).  This dish exemplifies the “honest” food that Kaplan described as their goal.  The bruschetta was simple, letting the anchovies shine and the ratio of topping to toast, which can often get out of whack like an oversized piece of nigiri on a tiny bed of rice, was perfect.  Simple and delicious.  No fuss. 

If you see the Braised Beef Short Ribs with roasted carrot puree and seasonal root vegetables ($19) on the menu, look no further.  Short ribs can be an overdone winter dish but this fresh take with the carrot puree and root vegetables is a clean and filling meal.  Baby white onions, some carrot puree and some of the tender beef make a satisfying forkful.  The short ribs were flavorful without resorting to the cloying sweetness that sometimes plagues versions of this dish.

To end your meal, you can opt for a pot of Intelligentsia coffee and/or one of the three desserts, my favorite of which is the chocolate pot du crème with whipped cream and fleur de sel ($6).  The salt brings out the flavors of the chocolate and adds a savory element to the dish.

Day and Kaplan changed everything from the soundtrack to the color of the walls in addition to the food and drink.  The décor has been updated on a tight budget with the use of dark and chalkboard paints, to unify the space.  In both the use of chalkboard and the menu typeface, there are evident influences of The Tasting Kitchen in Venice, one of the duo’s favorite restaurants.  The previous incarnations of Bar | Kitchen had not been real draws and lacked a feeling of a cohesive whole.  Kaplan mentioned the over one dozen different colors on various walls in the space and the disconnects between the menu and the beverages in the old version.  Now Kaplan and Day have created a “continuity in hospitality” as Kaplan describes it across every aspect of the operation.  Bar | Kitchen is still a work in progress, but it is like a butterfly that has emerged from two months in its cocoon, ready to take flight and spread its wings and leave its earthbound caterpillar stage far behind.  As Kaplan and Day concluded our interview, “We’re excited to expand upon what this can be.”

Bar | Kitchen is located in the O Hotel at 819 S. Flower Street in Downtown Los Angeles.  Phone: (213) 623-9904.  Website: ohotelgroup.com  Become a fan on Facebook to learn about new promotions etc.