Villainy Springs Forth at Villains Tavern

The new Spring Menu at Villains has arrived and be prepared to be scandalized by the dastardly deeds the menacing mixologists have planned for you there.  Even Lemony Snickett would approve of these libations.  Head bartender and partner Dave Whitton developed seven new cocktails and a new large format punch.  In addition, there is now a signature burger developed by former Comme Ca chef Michael David.

I was recently invited to sample the new menu, along with several compatriots including Helen, the founder of Gastronauts LA, Daniel from ThirstyinLA, Caroline of Caroline on Crack and several other criminal elements.

The Athena (above) is a Junipero Gin Martini with muddled cucumber.  It is clean and crisp. Extremely simple with no extraneous ingredients or flavors.  Whitton said that he loves Junipero Gin and that "the cucumber brings out the flavors in the gin." It is a very warm weather cocktail and the namesake goddess would have been lucky to have such nectar to drink.

The Geryon is made with Makers 46, kumquats, fresh grapefruit juice, lemon juice and bitters.  Whitton noted that kumquats go well with lighter fruits.  This is a well balanced cocktail that is simply delicious.  Grapefruit juice is another of my vices and it is a pleasure to sin with a drink like this.

The Osiris Punch comes in a vessel that can hold 15-20 glasses of punch ($125), which should sate more than a handful of your devilish companions.  There is something dramatic about such a large punch service, which is made with two bottles of Champagne, Rye Whiskey, hibiscus, mint, citrus, spices and bitters.

Osiris Punch being stirred by the hand of the Devil himself

Whitton mentioned that several ingredients on his new menu, such as kumquats and peaches are Spring fruits, which add an element of seasonality to the cocktails.  As the cocktail menu at Villains has evolved over the months, he said that he has earned the trust of his customers to have them try new things and so these cocktails play with your palate more than the previous offerings.

La Barbie, named after a Mexican drug lord, not the doll, is made with Hacienda Tequila, Aperol, citrus, red pepper, lemon juice, cranberry juice and Tapatio sauce.  Whitton told us that he used the Aperol to reduce the sweetness from the juices.  There is a spicy element to the cocktail, but it doesn't dominate and there is also a pleasant boozy undertone.

Many green teas were experimented with to find just the right one to add to the Loki, which is made with Haute Vodka infused with green tea, sage, house-made honey peach syrup, citrus and soda.  This was a rather mellow cocktail.

The Isis, made with Pisco, basil, cucumber, lemon juice, lime juice, egg whites and sugar sounded liked a very frothy cocktail but was not.

For a cocktail on the sweeter side, the Astarte is a good option.  Elijah Craig, cucumbers, strawberries, flower water, cane sugar and citrus are combined in one goblet.

The final new cocktail on the menu is the Ma'at, named after the Egyptian personification of truth and justice.  You can have your soul measured against the goddess's feather or you can simply sip the drink named after her, made with Sagatiba Cachaça, canteloupe, citrus, and chile salt.  Note that the menu says "Chilean salt" but what is meant is chile salt, not salt from the country of Chile.

Former Comme Ça Executive Chef Michael David created a "Great Burger" for the food truck Great Balls on Tires, who take over the Villains Tavern kitchen several nights a week.  The Great Burger is made with a half pound of coarsely ground Angus beef, bacon onion jam, cheddar cheese, grainy mustard aioli, raw red onion on a toasted brioche bun.  I sampled it without the bacon onion jam and it was rather tasty.

However I was surprised by the Great Balls on Tires Ballywood chicken meatball dish.  It is made with Garam Chiken Masala with saffron Basmati rice and several chutneys.  This dish (below) is now in my top two or three food truck dishes, along with the Buttermilk Truck's Buttermilk Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches.  The Ballywood so exceeded expectations that I am plotting when to try it again.  Fortunately for me, they cook at Villains frequently, so I know where to get these amazing chicken meatballs.

The Geryon is the highlight of the new cocktail list for me, although if I was with a group I think the Osiris punch is irresistible and a great value.  The new cocktails are $12 each, although the Athena is $13.  After all, she is the goddess of wisdom.  The patio space at Villains only gets more appealing as the weather gets nicer. With live music every night they are open, the patio is a comfortable spot to while away an evening drinking cocktails, enjoying the food, listening to music or buying souls.  Tuesday night is trivia night.

Villains Tavern: 1356 Palmetto St, DTLA.  Phone: (213) 613-0766.  Website: www.villainstavern.com

Fall / Winter Seasonal Cocktails at Villains Tavern

Now that summer has faded away, although the 80 degree weather downtown could fool you, its time to cycle in fall and winter seasonal cocktails and Villains Tavern has launched their new list just in time for their Dark Carnival this weekend.

Dave Whitton, formerly with Seven Grand, is both the creator of the list and the man behind the bar.  No roaming cocktail consultant here.  The drinks include the Sleepy Hollow (pictured below), which includes Gin, Pumpkin, Citrus, Egg Whites, Sugar, Heavy Whipping Cream and Chocolate Chile Bitters.  This was my favorite of the list and it was nice and light.  The egg whites foam up the drink and even though there is whipping cream it does not have a heavy mouthfeel or texture. The drink reminds me a bit of the Silver Lining, a drink I first had from Marcos Tello.

The Edgar Allan Poe (below) is a take on Jerry Thomas's classic 19th century eggnog and features Fighting Cock Bourbon, green apple juice, egg, sugar and nutmeg.  Also on the new list is the Day of the Dead, a hot mulled apple cider cocktail also featuring vodka, Laird's Apple Jack and bitters.  If you like hot apple cider you will really enjoy this as the apple jack and the bitters give the apple flavor and extra kick and the vodka adds to the booziness.  Lastly the Blackheart is a hot rum drink that was not my favorite (I tend not to be a big fan of hot drinks).  It includes several types of rum including Goslings Dark, Blackheart Spiced and Rum Batter along with hot water and heavy whipping cream.  The combination is not nearly as magical as the Sleepy Hollow but if its a chilly evening and you enjoy hot cocktails, then this might work for you.

Fortunately Villains also offers food to munch on as there isn't much else in walking distance.  I had the opportunity to sample the grilled cheese, which I enjoyed, but my favorite of their food options is the burger.  They cooked it perfectly medium rare and served it on a nice doughy bun that neither fell apart nor took over.

Villains Tavern: 1356 Palmetto @ Santa Fe, Downtown. Phone: (213) 613-0766. Website: VillainsTavern.com

Freak Shows, Circus Stunts, Live Music await at Villains Tavern's Dark Carnival

A smorgasbord of dastardly delights await revelers at the Dark Carnival at Villains Tavern this Halloween Weekend. Like something out of Lemony Snicket's feverish imagination, Villains will host a Dark Carnival including a "Red Tent" in the adjacent parking lot hosting a terrifying experience curated by Circus Insidious. Pregnant women and those with heart conditions should think twice before attending these debauched nights of revels, which will be held on Friday October 29 and Saturday October 30.

In keeping with the time of year, the Red Tent will also feature Oktoberfest beers and cocktails from Villains new fall cocktail list. In addition to the standard menu offerings of Villains, gourmet food trucks offering fiendishly delicious delicacies will be stationed out front to feed the hungry hordes.

There will literally be a Freak Show, in addition to Tarot Card readers, face painters, magic shows, stuff on fire and two stages with live music all evening long. In order to help you ease into the creepy environment, their infamous Mix and Match beer and shot combo will be available for $9.  Admission is free and the macabre merriment begins at 7 pm both nights.

Villains Tavern: 1356 Palmetto @ Santa Fe, Downtown. Phone: (213) 613-0766. Website: VillainsTavern.com

Villains Tavern: Downtown Dangerous

Villains Tavern opened last month in the Downtown Arts District, not far from Tony's Saloon and Church & State Bistro. The new bar from Dana Hollister has a bar inside with a giant gothic church window behind it reconfigured as a mirror (pictured above) and church pews outisde. The eye catching space also has an extensive patio with an additional bar serving beer and shots and more than 25 beers on tap.

The location is somewhat isolated but has the element of a hidden discovery about it. The steampunk decor is truly unique, unlike anywhere else in town. When you enter the doorway to the patio from the parking lot, you leave downtown behind and enter the world of Hollister's imagination.



Dave Whitton (pictured above), formerly of Seven Grand, created the cocktail list, which as of last week had ten beverages. Cocktails are named in accordance with the Villainous theme, with names such as the Belladonna, Fatal Hour and Poison Apple. I sampled the Fatal Hour, described as "A Rittenhouse Manhattan with an Evil Twist." The evil twist in this case was chocolate bitters, although one of the bartenders said she is continually asked whether absinthe is the secret ingredient.

Whitton said he looked to make his drinks both delicious and accessible, so that customers could enjoy them so much, they'd be happy to order drink after drink off of the list, rather than stick with their standard orders.



A signature element of the drinks menu is the Mix & Match, in which customers get a jar of beer with a shot of alcohol for only $8. There are 20 options each for the beer and booze, which is a great selection. The choices include such beers as Deschutes Porter, Lagunitas IPA, Stella and Racer 5 in addition to mass market beers such as Pabst and Bud Light. Shot selections include Rittenhouse 100 Rye, Elijah Craig Bourbon and Fernet Branca for the medicinal enthusiasts.

There is also a premium Mix and Match for $14 with Guinness, Old Rasputin, Maredsous 10, Chimay, Lucifer, Affligem, Spaten Optimator and Framboise as the premium options.



In addition to the extensive beverage menu, Villains also offers a pub food menu of burgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, french fries etc.

Villains tavern is open Wednesday - Saturday from 5:30 pm - 2 am, with live music nightly. The outdoor patio looks to be an excellent spot to chill, enjoy a nice beverage and listen to some tunes.

Villains Tavern: 1356 Palmetto @ Santa Fe, Downtown. Phone: (213) 613-0766. Website: VillainsTavern.com