Blogger Bar Hop 2: The Mustache Ride

Last year bar impresario Aidan Demarest and Plymouth & Beefeater Gin Brand Ambassador Erick Castro led a group of cocktail bloggers on a journey across Los Angeles in the Trolley of Death.  This year the trolley was nowhere to be seen; in its place was the infamous Mustache Ride, only partly named for Castro's legendary stache.  The van that ferried us from bar to bar like thirsty lushes had an enormous mustache on the front of its grille, the better to deliver a full service and satisfying experience.  Blogger Bar Hop 2 was on!

The evening began at Neat, Demarest's bar in Glendale, where head bartender Arash Pakzad used Beefeater 24 to create a special cocktail with Spam and rosemary which were then torched to imbue the cocktail with their scent.

The next stop on the adventure was the Golden Road Brewery, where we munched on giant (enormous) pretzels that were served with legitimately spicy mustard.  To wash it down we sipped on pitchers of their signature Point the Way IPA and Hefeweizen.  Golden Road is only a short ride from Neat and it was a chance for two new neighbors to celebrate their openings and for us to get some foodstuffs in our bellies.

Aidan kept us on track, so we could be on time for our third stop at Tiki Ti, the home of Tiki cocktails in Los Angeles since 1961.  For 50+ years, Tiki Ti has been located in the same small spot on Sunset Blvd in Los Feliz.  It is only open four nights a week (Wednesday through Sunday) as the only employees are family members.  The small capacity can sometimes lead to lines at the door but Aidan had made arrangements and our merry band of revelers was welcomed with a round of potent cocktails that made us thankful for our designated mustache driver.

Tiki Ti in all its glory

Above Caroline on Crack enjoys her cocktail while Daniel Djang of ThirstyInLA photographs his beverage.

Below is a closeup of the cocktail from Tiki Ti before it was consumed, rapidly and gleefully.

Tiki Ti is cash only and thankfully there was enough cash on hand among the sponsors to pay for our cocktails as they don't take credit cards, even the Pernod Ricard corporate card.  Bartender Marcos Tello joined us at this point as Tiki Ti is his favorite bar, and he couldn't resist joining in the festivities.

Marcos Tello, Aidan Demarest and Erick Castro at the Three Clubs

Three Clubs was the fourth stop on our journey and it was nothing but efficient.  We walked into an almost empty bar and took  it over.  The bartender lined up ten martini glasses at the corner of the bar and proceeded to shake dirty martinis into all of them.  Within minutes of downing our chilled martinis, we were back on the bus.  There was no perusing the jukebox for tunes as we had to stick to the schedule as there were many bars still to come.

Number five is alive, or our adventure at Bar Marmont:  We found a robot made from liquor bottles and bar tools such as spoons, shakers and strainers.  The robot begged us to take him with us when left.  We got some light snacks and sipped on champagne cocktails but were not permitted the use of cameras inside.  The doorman/management was rather rude about the whole thing, so I cannot recommend this establishment.  Alas we have no pictures of our new robot friend, due to the camera prohibition.  I can only hope that he has escaped rather than be decommissioned.

Our spirits were revived and hunger and thirst addressed at the Eveleigh, where head bartender Dave Kupchinsky prepared a bevvy of farm fresh cocktails with Beefeater 24 and blood oranges at our sixth stop.  There was also a beautifully laid table of cheeses and oysters.  While I could not partake of the shellfish, they looked beautiful as did everything else Chef Toft prepared for us.  Kupchinsky's cocktail was a highlight of the evening.

Above, the Eveleigh cocktails.  Below bloggers in our crew celebrated at the Eveleigh.

Ah Skybar.  The seventh stop on our magical journey turned out to be a lame detour.  They gave our group much grief at the door before finally letting us in on the condition we do bottle service.  Once we were seated on a large bed adjacent to a couple who thought they were in their room with the drapes closed based on how they acted, we discovered that they were unwilling to sell us a bottle of Beefeater, despite prior arrangements having been made.  We had had enough and decamped to the eighth stop, an audible of Harvard & Stone.

Harvard & Stone was rocking on this Saturday night, which was also the farewell session for Lindsay Nader at the R&D bar there.  Bartenders such as Jaymee Mandeville and Nader's Pour Vous compatriot Devon Espinosa were there to show their love and the energy level rose to a crescendo.  Any annoyance at Skybar was forgotten as we celebrated the wonderful talent of LA's cocktail community with hardcore bloggers, talented bartenders and delicious spirits.  Such a great bonus that our final stop before returning to Neat included so many people who have worked to develop the cocktail scene in LA including those mentioned above, Pablo Moix of La Descarga and Alex Straus "in the House" of Hemingway's.

The ninth and final stop of the evening was back at Neat, where thanks to Caroline I was able to partake of one final round of beverages, as she was gracious enough to provide me a ride back.  Erick, Aidan and Caroline organized a blast of an evening.  This time there were no altercations with homeless people and we kept to the schedule; needless to say this was a classic night.  Good times to hop across town on a magic mustache ride with @carolineoncrack @thirstyinla @mikeprasad @squashblossom @mattatouille @LAOCfoodie and @foodgps

Try This: Lamb Meatballs at The Eveleigh

Chef Jordan Toft at the Eveleigh introduced a new winter menu this week and one of the winning dishes is the Sonoma Lamb Meatballs.  These meatballs are served with a crunchy breadcrumb salsa and "lamb chopper" cheese.  The meatballs are served pink in the middle, which I had never seen before.  They are juicy and have a  distinct lamb flavor to them.  The thin shredded lamb chopper cheese added a salty element to the dish.  The meatballs are served three to an order and are relatively large.  They are priced at $16.

If you haven't tried the Eveleigh yet, this is a great excuse to get there and try Toft's food and Dave Kupchinsky and Kiowa Bryan's cocktails.

The Eveleigh: 8752 West Sunset Blvd, the Sunset Strip.  Phone: 424.239.1630  | Website: www.theeveleigh.com

Farmers' Market Fresh Cocktails Sunday Evenings at The Eveleigh

Kiowa Bryan (above) and Kevin Tidwell have brought a new tradition to The Eveleigh, the comfortable spot on the Sunset Strip that makes rather good cocktails.  Each Sunday evening will feature a list of four original farmers' market inspired creations and Bryan and Tidwell will rotate weeks crafting the menus.

This past Sunday was Bryan's week, and the Fig Ol' Bitties was downright delicious and attractively garnished with a fig in a lemon peel on a skewer.  The cocktail is made with Willet rye, house-made fig syrup, and Miracle Mile Fig Bitters.  Even with the double dose of fig, the rye was able to stand up to it and come out on top.  This drink was so enjoyable that a drinking companion of mine finished it off once he had drunk a sip.

Another winner was the Mai Cherry Amour, made with cherry infused rum, orgeat, lime juice, Royal Combier, Allspice dram.  It is finished with a float of Goslings Dark Rum and garnished with a sprig of mint and some nutmeg sprinkled on top.  Nutmeg appears to the trendy ingredient of the hour in cocktails, having seen it everywhere lately from the Spare Room to Library Bar.  I worried that this drink might be too sweet but it was not; rather it was refreshing - the perfect cocktail for a lazy summer afternoon.

The other cocktails on offer were the Kentucky Beet Down (below) with beets, bourbon, lemon juice, honey and ginger; and the Midori Sour with chamomile infused tequila, green chartreuse, sage syrup, lemon juice and a honey dew ice cube.  Flavored ice cubes are a Bryan signature which she previously showed off at Lexington Social House, and add a flavor dimension to a cocktail that continually changes as it melts.

Bar manager Dave Kupchinsky had already created a noteworthy cocktail program and the Farmers' Market Sunday Cocktail series kicks it up another level.  Now you know where to find me on Sunday evenings this summer.  Next week Tidwell is up at bat.  Arrive thirsty.

The Eveleigh: 8752 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood.  Phone: (424) 239-1630.  Website: http://theeveleigh.com/

A Cocktail Benefit: The Gift of Food for Japan

Next Tuesday, Umamimart, Yamazaki and The Eveleigh are cosponsoring a cocktail party to raise money for Second Harvest Japan, Japan's first food bank, which is providing food aid to the survivors of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Northern Japan. Earlier this month, a San Francisco version of this event raised over $10,000. There is no reason that Los Angeles cannot top that figure; organizers are hoping to double it.

Tuesday's event begins at 6pm with a small cocktail party hosted by Yamazaki Whiskey on the rooftop of PRISM, where you can enjoy the views as you sip on Yamazaki highballs and munch on appetizers from The Eveleigh and desserts by Fruit & Flour. At 9PM, the party moseys over to the back patio at The Eveleigh, where there will be an open bar of cocktails featuring SKYY Vodka, Partida Tequila, Campo de Encanto Pisco, and Combier, thanks to a generous donation of liquor.

Tickets are available for only $50 in advance and $75 a the door. You can purchase tickets here. If you can't attend the fundraiser, plan on stopping by the Eveleigh beginning at 10pm, as the patio bar will be open to the public, with all proceeds from the cash bar going directly to support Second Harvest.  For additional donations, exclusive limited edition posters and t-shirts will be available, designed by Clare Rojas.

This promises to be a very fun and delicious event and a wonderful way to help a worthy cause.  I have had Yamazaki before; it is one of my favorite whiskeys, and I can also vouch for the food and cocktails at the Eveleigh.  Whether you come for the cocktails or you come for the cause, please come and give generously.

Tickets: http://www.umamimart.com/lajapanbenefit/

PRISM: 8746 West Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood

The Eveleigh: 8752 West Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood. Phone: (424) 239-1630. Website: http://theeveleigh.com/

Image courtesy of Umamimart

Cocktails at the Eveleigh: Old Man Winter Warms You Up

The Eveleigh, a new restaurant and bar, sits quietly on Sunset Blvd nestled behind shrubbery, an oasis from the hectic boulevard outside.  Inside, Dave Kupchinsky manages the bar, creating a welcoming atmosphere and creating new cocktails and tweaking the classics, as his style continues to evolve.  He most recently managed the bar program at The Tar Pit and at The Eveleigh it is evident that he feels more at home as his cocktails are more confident and he is more relaxed.

Blood & Smoke

I was recently invited to sample some of the cocktails. I was joined at the bar by the legendary Yolanda Evans, a New Orleans native known to bartenders from Los Angeles to Paris as fan of all things spiritous. The first cocktail we tried was the Blood and Smoke (above) made with Mezcal, Serrano pepper, blood orange, cherry Heering, sweet vermouth and mesquite smoke. In this take on the classic Blood and Sand, the smokiness of the mezcal and the mesquite smoke was tempered by the rich blood orange juice.

Old Testament

The Old Testament, made with Noah's Mill Bourbon, nutmeg-bay leaf simple syrup and Forbidden bitters did not last long in my glass.  The simple syrup was infused with both the nutmeg and bay leaf.  Kupchinsky has been working on creating more infusions and the Old Testament is typical of the investment he has been putting into the bar program.  This cocktail is delicious on a Biblical scale.

The Eveleigh

The signature Eveleigh cocktail (above) is made with Hendrick's Gin, rose and lavendar rooibos tea, vermouth blanc, and Barolo Chinato.  This is a gin drink for brown spirits drinkers.  Attractively garnished with the flower but don't let that deceive you as the power of the digestive Barolo Chinato gives the cocktail a lot of backbone.

The Sad Bastard (below) is made with bourbon, gin, ginger, clove, lime juice and bitters, shaken and garnished with candied ginger.  I only got a quick sip of it, as my drinking companion enjoyed it so thoroughly.

The Sad Bastard

The Old Man Winter is named for the barman himself and as is described as best served with lukewarm by a grumpy bartender.  This is not a drink to begin the evening with as it will blow your palate.  No shrinking violet, the Old Man Winter includes Scotch, Campari, Benedictine, Fernet and heavy angostura.  This drink served neat in an old fashioned glass packs a wallop.  Boozy and stirred, this drink was created with imbibers like LushAngeles in mind.  I am not sure what Kupchinsky is trying to say about himself with this cocktail except "beware," as he has got a lot going on.

Old Man Winter

The Lucky Louis (below) is a produce driven drink that was a refreshing counterpoint to the Old Man Winter.  It is made with Rhum Agricole, kumquats, star anise, and lime juice.  This shaken cocktail served on the rocks has the kumquats floating in it, which gives the drink a festive look.  It is easy to drink and the combination of citrus and spices was enjoyable.

Lucky Louis

The cocktails are fairly priced at $12 (note that the Old Testament is $16), which can be a deal in the neighborhood, where many cocktails are suboptimal and overpriced.  The bar itself is comfortable and large and dominates the inside room.  Even when the room was busy, Kupchinsky and his team were able to get the cocktails flowing quickly; speed without sacrificing quality.

The menu looked attractive but as I had already eaten, I only tried one item, the chicken liver parfait with orange muscat jelly, pickles and toasts.  The chicken liver was delicious and creamy, easily spreading on the toasts.  The one drawback to this dish is that Eveleigh should serve it with more toasts.  More were brought when asked, but there seems to be an epidemic in Lo Angeles of serving dishes like steak tartare or pate with not enough toasts.  Toast is easy and cheap, please serve more.

So mosey on down Sunset Blvd, get an Old Testament and you might get lucky, or at least a Lucky Louis.  Worst case is you have some excellent cocktails and perhaps a snack to wash them down.  In any case you'll be sure to see the grumpy bartender, pouring his cold dark heart into these wonderful drinks.

The Eveleigh: 8752 West Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood.  Phone: (424) 239-1630. Website: http://theeveleigh.com/