http://www.isantemagazine.com/index.html Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:35:04 -0400 Merchantz 2.32.2 2009-12-18 http://www.isantemagazine.com/WebObjects/Merchantz.woa/wa/detail?store=1000031&item=1031501
]]> http://www.isantemagazine.com/WebObjects/Merchantz.woa/wa/detail?store=1000031&item=1031501 0.00 1031501 http://www.isantemagazine.com/WebObjects/Merchantz.woa/wa/detail?store=1000031&item=1033004 By David Rosario

"There is a real revolution going on in Los Angeles," proclaims Eric Alperin, co-owner, general manager, and head bartender of The Varnish in the city's historic Downtown district. Instead of Jack and Coke or vodka and tonic, a growing number of bars in la-la land are concentrating on the craft of the cocktail. It took some time, but LA is finally catching up to the likes of New York City, London, and San Francisco. A new crop of LA bartenders have spent time in other cities and brought their cocktail knowledge, including a firm grounding in the classics, to the City of Angels. They have been hired by the best new joints and are serving up new takes on classic recipes.

Craft Revival This isn't LA's first foray into the classics. During the 1920s and 1930s, there were plenty of speakeasies and great cocktails. In fact, the Moscow Mule and an abundance of Tiki drinks came out of LA, and, according to Alperin, the margarita and La Paloma got their legs there, too. But as recently as a couple of years ago, LA bargoers weren't asking for the classics and bars weren't featuring them. Seven Grand was one of the first to raise awareness of sophisticated, complex, and balanced libations of the Golden Age. Around the same time, Sona Owner and Chef David Myers traveled to New York City, London, and Tokyo, and was blown away by the cocktails he sampled. He immediately realized Sona's cocktail program didn't measure up. Myers brought in a New Yorker, barman Sammy Jay Ross, to create a cocktail program that, Myers explains, "focused on excellent technique, professional attitude and dress, and crafting the perfect cocktail." Beginning late last year, more cocktail bars began sprouting up, including, in Downtown LA, The Doheny (a members-only bar), The Edison, and The Varnish (the West Coast outpost of New York City's Sasha Petraske's cocktail empire, which includes Milk and Honey, Little Branch, and White Star); Michael Mina's XIV on Sunset Strip; and Copa d'Oro in nearby Santa Monica. While Alperin admits that he is still fighting to push LA past branded bottles and Red Bull and vodka, LA bar patrons are beginning to understand and are willing to wait for a well-made drink. "It's like pizza," says Vincenzo Marianella, head barman at Copa d'Oro. "Is it better fast-food style or from a wood oven?" After a year in business, people rarely come into Copa d'Oro and ask for a vodka and soda. ]]> http://www.isantemagazine.com/WebObjects/Merchantz.woa/wa/detail?store=1000031&item=1033004 0.00 1033004