Tonight at Sadie: Suntory Time!

San Francisco bartender Neyah White, the Suntory whiskey West Coast Brand Ambassador, will be holding court this evening at Sadie, the Hollywood restaurant and hot spot.  He will be guest bartending at Sadie tonight, the first in a planned series of guest bartenders.  Not only will he be making signature cocktails with the Hibiki, Yamazaki and Hakushu whiskeys, but there will be other special elements.

If the Suntory whiskey is not enough of a draw, there will be a Japanese ice carving demonstration in which blocks of ice are carved into perfect spheres.  Sadie beverage director Gio Martinez described the Japanese style of service as "one gesture of appreciation after another.  The act of taking the time to make perfectly shaped ice shows attention to detail and service that is so admirable and cool."

Your chance to experience the Bill Murray of whiskeys is tonight from 7 - 11 pm at Sadie.  I have tried these whiskeys and am a fan; these are truly delicious.  White is very understated and Martinez is the consummate host, so tonight should be a blast.  Kampai!

The Parlor at Sadie: 1638 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood | 323.467.0200 | www.sadiela.com

Cocktails at Fig & Olive: Provence Arrives on Melrose Place

The West Hollywood branch of Fig & Olive opened last month with much fanfare on Melrose Place, across the street from Bastide. They have wisely hired Giovanni Martinez to create their cocktail program and he has created an approachable list that will appeal to a wide audience. Now that the weather has turned warm and spring is in the air, the cocktails lean towards crisp and refreshing. Some highlights from the program are below:

The Pompelmino is a take on an Italian aperitivo using both Cocchi Americano and Aperol. It has a pleasant citrus flavor from the lemon juice and grapefruit foam.  Yes, there is foam in this cocktail.  But it works to give you an extra bit of the citrus and air in your mouth as you sip on the drink.

Wild Strawberry is made with Martin Miller's Gin, fresh strawberries, orgeat syrup, lemon juice and Moët Ice Imperial Champagne on the rocks. Giovanni was able to simulate the wild strawberry flavor using orange blossom water as the precise strawberries he was looking for were unavailable.  This drink is light and refreshing; very summery. It is the perfect brunch cocktail, which has arrived just in time for the launch of outdoor seating at the restaurant.

The Matador is my favorite on the list. As attentive readers and many local bartenders know I am a big fan of spicy cocktails.  The Matador is genuinely spicy due to the inclusion of jalapeño. The cocktail is made with Zapopan blanco Tequila, Sagatiba Cachaça, house made cilantro syrup, fresh lime juice, and muddled jalapeño.  This may be my favorite cachaça cocktail.  Now this is the kind of spicy that with each sip you want to take another, not the kind of spicy that blows your palate and you have to struggle to finish it;  the spicy challenge at Jitlada this is not.  The drink tastes fresh and spicy at the same time, perhaps due to the muddled jalapeño, house-made cilantro syrup and freshly squeezed lime juice.

The full cocktail list is here, so get drinking as Spring has arrived and what better way to welcome Printemps en Provence than with a cocktail in hand?

Fig & Olive: 8490 Melrose Place, West Hollywood.  Phone: (310) 360-9100.  Website: http://www.figandolive.com/locations-reservation/melrose-place/

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