Culver City Bar Crawl: Oldfield's Liquor Room and Bigfoot West

The 1933 Group is taking over Venice Blvd in Culver City with bars. This portion of Venice seems a strange place for bars, with nothing much around it but dry cleaners and liquor stores, but both Oldfield's Liquor Room and Bigfoot West were packed on a Thursday night.

I was recently invited to a "bar crawl" to visit both Westside bars for the first time. We started the night at Oldfield's, and we started fast and furious. The standalone building looks old and small from the outside, but the interior is spacious and sophisticated. We were greeted by a bowl of the Shrub Punch (Tru organic gin, Clemente Creole shrub, blackberry rosemary shrub, lemon, Perrier). Shrub, a liqueur made with vinegar, is making a big comeback recently and I've seen it appear on many cocktail lists from LA to NY to Chicago see this NYT article back in October). I, for one, am a big fan of shrub and loved this punch, but looking at how many cocktails we had ahead of us, I had to resist getting seconds.

The cocktail menu is divided into their own modern concoctions, and the classics. We started on the first list with the Speed King (English Harbour 5yr rum, walnut liqueur, Cynar, house chocolate stout liqueur)

Photo courtesy of Oldfield's

I liked the hint of chocolate in this otherwise strong drink. I wasn't sure what to expect from the cocktails here but they were surprisingly good.
Next we had the Peerless (Miller's Westbourne gin, apricot liqueur, apricot nectar, Fever Tree ginger beer). This was my favorite, and easy to see why: gin, fruit, and ginger. Aromatic, sweet, and refreshing.

from the Classics menu:
Delicious Sour (circa late 1800's): Laird's Strait Bonded Applejack, peach brandy, fresh lime, egg white

Photo courtesy of Oldfield's

This was a little too sweet for me, but it will certainly have its own fans.

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Sadie (Hollywood)

The former Les Deux lounge space had been transformed into a Sadie Restaurant, with a beautiful, quiet, large back patio: a dining space that's a respite from the Hollywood scene (at least before the Hollywood drinking crowd starts hitting the bar inside).

Other food and cocktail bloggers have had great things to say about Sadie and their cocktails (and food), so I looked forward to checking it out with LA & OC Foodie. The cocktail list indeed look quite interesting.
We started with the La China: lychee black-tea infused Avion Silver Tequila, fresh lime juice, organic agave syrup, Velvet Falernum ($12), and Kentucky Ninja: Japanese single malt whisky, bourbon, fresh lemon juice, lavender-infused wild honey, served in a Peychaud-rinsed glass ($13)

Both of them were a great start to the night. Kentucky Ninja is one of the most popular cocktails at Sadie, and I can definitely see why. A strong drink but sweet and balanced.

Recently, Chef Mark Gold of Eva Restaurant had jumped on board as a consulting chef at Sadie, so the menu has slowly been changing and Gold will soon be launching a new Spring menu. Some of the things I had are still on the menu now, like these oysters:
Oysters, Deer Isle, Maine (1/2 dozen blue hill blonde oysters, $18)

Market Chop salad: kale, beets, cucumber, peas, carrots, quinoa, lemon vinaigrette ($11)

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The Stanton Social (New York)

The lounge on the second floor of The Stanton Social turns into a hopping party at night. I don't usually go to these types of places for the food, but The Stanton Social was featured on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate for their French Onion Soup Dumplings. French onion soup what? Yes, dumplings.

The kitchen at The Stanton Social is helmed by Executive Chef Neill Howell and Chef/Partner Chris Santos, and their menu definitely looks much more promising than other lounge-y types.

Of course, we had to try the French Onion Soup Dumplings ($12)

(sorry for the flash. It was impossible to take photos without it!)

The dumpling is covered with melted gruyere and topped with croutons. Bite the chewy dumplings and hot french onion soup will come spurting out. It's not "the best thing i ever ate" but it was pretty damn good and addictive. I'm also bookmarking Habeas Brulee's recipe for it. Who knows, perhaps one day I'll actually attempt to recreate it.

The cocktails ($13 each), while couldn't stand up to Milk and Honey's which were still fresh on my mind, were pretty good and interesting. The Blood Orange Jalapeño Margarita is made with jalapeño-infused Milagro Reposado, blood orange juice, fresh lime, and Cointreau. Even though vodka has a bad rap among cocktail enthusiasts these days, I still enjoyed the Basil-Lime Gimlet made with Belvedere Vodka, muddled basil, lemon syrup, and fresh lime (I'm curious if it'll be better with gin though).

The Stanton also features some locally distilled liquors. Try the Brooklyn Lemonade made with Brooklyn Gin, lemon syrup, lemon juice, muddled cucumber, and ginger beer.

OK, moving on to more of the food.

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Barrel Aged Cocktail Flight, New Fall Menu at 1886 Bar

Vintage Caprice, 1886's barrel-aged gin cocktail has been on the menu since last season. At that time, it was a 4-month aged cocktail. What we didn't know then, is that they were still aging 2/3 of the barrel. Now, the 8-month aged version has hit this Pasadena gem, and guests can now enjoy a whole flight of the Vintage Caprice: a freshly made one, the 4-month, and the 8-month aged. It's the best way to see what barrel aging does.

The Caprice is a forgotten classic cocktail made with gin (1886 uses Beefeater), benedictine, dry vermouth, and orange bitters. 1886 barman Danny Cymbal thought it had potential for aging. The "Vintage" Caprice is this cocktail aged in a Hudson bourbon barrel that has been rinsed with sherry. To fill the barrel, they dumped 24 bottles of Beefeater.

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Cocktailing at Next Door Lounge with Joseph Brooke (Hollywood)

Hollywood's latest bar, Next Door Lounge, isn't exactly next door to me but with The Edison's alum Joseph Brooke behind the bar, it is certainly worth a visit. Joe Brooke joined the team right before the lounge opened, so while he's added his concoctions on and revamped some of the drinks they already had on the menu.

Next Door Lounge is owned by the same man as The Corner, but unlike the casual comfort food joint, Next Door Lounge is aiming for a sophisticated speakeasy feel. When I checked out the place with LA OC Foodie and e*starla, I got to really take in the space during the quieter early evening, and it's beautiful.

The cocktails are mostly $12, with a couple that run $14 (one of them also happened to be one of our favorites, the Volstead and Vice made with Ilegal Mezcal Joven, Pernod Absinthe, cucumber water, agave nectar, lime juice). Yep, we love smoky drinks.

Here are some more of the cocktails I liked:
The Dame Next Door (Canadian Club 12 yr, dry vermouth, clove-infused pineapple gomme syrup, pineapple juice, pasteurized egg white, angostura bitters)

See the key-shaped bitters sprayed on the drink? That's the Next Door Lounge logo.

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The Aviary Kitchen Table Experience (Chicago)

Ten cocktails, paired small bites, and over 2 hours of watching The Aviary bartenders and chefs in action inside the kitchen - or as they call it, the cage. That's the Kitchen Table experience at Grant Achatz's new bar, The Aviary.

Since I wasn't able to snag a reservation at Next Restaurant on my last Chicago visit, I opted for the Aviary's $165 10-course cocktail tasting at the Kitchen Table. While the main lounge area featured plush booths and dim lighting, the kitchen table (inside what's dubbed "the cage") is a tall metal table and two stools facing the minimalist kitchen and "bar" (with perfect lighting for photographs, I may add).

Even though this was a cocktail tasting, they still wanted to start off with a sparkling wine, so Course #1 was an Alsace sparkling wine with strawberry puree, which was paired with Compressed watermelon with soju, topped with sesame seed.

I had begged my companion to come here with me even though he can't drink much alcohol. I'll drink his share, I said. But when they saw he wasn't finishing his first cocktail, he told them he doesn't really drink, and Aviary decided to do a non-alcoholic version of the tasting for him. In some cases, that just meant water instead of liquor. In others, it was an entirely different drink (that still pairs with the bite).

Course #2: Rhubarb cocktail with Peychaud ice

Instead of adding a dash of bitters, those ice spheres you see contain Peychaud bitters which release flavors as the ice melts instead of diluting.
This was paired with Cantaloupe compressed in champagne and topped with prosciutto, an elevated version of the typical prosciutto and melon.

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1886 at The Raymond (Pasadena): Reliving the Heydays of Cocktail

The Raymond restaurant in Pasadena is a long-standing restaurant with about 35 years of history. Under its new ownership and management though, The Raymond is getting revitalized with a new chef, and now a new bar featuring hand crafted cocktails that pay homage to how cocktails are classically made.

Honey Nut Old Fashioned

The Raymond had solicited Marcos Tello and Aidan Demarest from Tello Demarest Liquid Assets as consultants of the new cocktail program, which holds true to "how cocktails used to be made": homemade syrups and hand crushed ice and all. The 1886 Bar is named after the year that The Raymond Hotel (which no longer exists) was opened. The building was actually the caretaker's cottage and the historical building is an appropriate stage for these cocktails.

The bar will officially open in early December but it is now in its soft opening stage and was already packed when I visited. The full specialty cocktail list of about 25 isn't fully available currently but you can still choose among about 10 great cocktails.

The cocktail list during the soft opening featured bold flavor and a lot of spices (think mescal with ginger or jalapeno). The honey nut old fashioned strikes strong at first taste but turns into an excellent, well balanced cocktail with a hint of nuttiness.

For the winter months, you can warm up with the Hot Cider Toddy (apple brandy, maple syrup, apple cider).

1886 also has an eclectic menu of bar appetizers. We started with the Hamachi sashimi with cucumber and melon, which I didn't see on the bar menu but was recommended by the manager.

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The Tap Room at The Langham Pasadena Launch Party

The restaurant and bar at The Langham in Pasadena have undergone a massive revamp of concept. The Dining Room, last manned by Chef Michael Voltaggio, have reopened as The Royce, headed by Chef David Féau, previously of Patina Group's Cafe Pinot. The bar is now reopened as The Tap Room and is one of the few places in Pasadena offering hand crafted cocktails (the list is expanding, thankfully, with 1886 at The Raymond).

 

I was able to attend their launch party about a month ago and checked out the swanky spot with its plush couches and a cozy patio overlooking the lush lawn.

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LA's Best: The Cocktail Edition

In honor of "cocktail week" (although yes, I realize we're at the tail end of it), I thought I'd finally bust out my list of favorite cocktail bars (or restaurant+bar) in LA!

This has been sitting in my draft box for a while - I was hoping to go back to some and take better photos and hit my to-do list. I'll just have to update it later :)
Tiki Ti
4427 W Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 669-9381
A tiny family-owned tiki bar that's usually packed with people yelling "toro! toro! toro!" while the bartender tops off your Blood&Sands. An uber-fun place like no other, and if you're one of those guys who always forget about dress codes and end up with flip flops when you're supposed to go drinking, then this is your place. Pictured above is my favorite, the Missionary's Downfall.

Seven Grand
515 W 7th St Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 614-0737
Known primarily as a whiskey bar, Seven Grand offers the best of that and more. Manned by some of the best bartenders in LA, you won't go wrong with a menu classic like the Mint Julep (left) or a specially concocted Pisco Sour. Oh, and if you're sitting at the bar drinking beer, then I'm the girl glaring at you for wasting precious seats.


The Edison
108 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
A cool-looking lounge with some pretty awesome drinks. Pictured to your left is a Pisco Punch. We're talking pisco and absinthe here. Don't miss the happy hour on Thursdays and get your $0.35 classic cocktail.


The Varnish
118 E Sixth St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 622-9999
The worst kept secret in LA! "Hidden" in the back room of Cole's, The Varnish has recently been one of the most popular bars around. A small printed menu, but it does include "Bartender's Choice" so you can go a long way.

Rivera
1050 S Flower St #102, Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 749-1460
Flights of infused tequila? Awesome. Add to that a Latin-influenced, highly creative (and sometimes spicy!) cocktail menu featuring drinks like Purple Rain with ginger and basil (left) and Blood Sugar Sex Magic with whiskey, red pepper, and basil.




Other Bars Worth Checking Out:

• The Wilshire. 2454 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403
• FIG Restaurant. 101 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
• The Bazaar. 465 S. La Cienega Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA. Molecular gastronomy meets cocktails produce fun drinks like a Magic Mojito with cotton candy and liquid nitrogen cocktails.
• The Hungry Cat. 1535 Vine St, Los Angeles, CA90028
• STK. 755 La Cienega, West Hollywood, CA 90069

On my To-Try List:

• Copa D'Oro. 217 Broadway Santa Monica, CA 90401
• One Sunset. 8730 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Meet Me at The Edison

A few weeks ago we LA-based bloggers had a nice little get together organized by CarolineOnCrack. The setting was The Edison Bar in downtown, during one of their Tuesday Speakeasy nights. Everyone else was already there by the time I got there, and were sitting on a long table. The people I managed to talk to on my end of the table included LA&OC Foodie, Joz, travalex, javajunkee, and estarla.

I saw their menu online and decided to eat dinner there, but since they are not normally open on Tuesdays they had a limited menu. Fortunately though, they still had enough for a real dinner.

While waiting for the food I started with their Golden Lillet Martini, a strong, yellow, buttery concoction. Their cocktails are served in these gorgeous vintage glasses. They're so pretty that I want to put them in my purse, but luckily I was sober enough not to.

We started with some heirloom tomato salad.
A simple dish that focuses on the nice, fresh tomatoes. Nice flavor combination with the burrata, baby arugula, and olive oil.

We also had the 20th Century sliders: Kobe beef, arugula, onion marmalade, and blue cheese.
There are two sliders in each order. I really liked them - juicy, flavorful patties between delicious buns. They use good ingredients here and it really shows.

Also, we all had an order of sweet potato fries to share.

I can't remember what else they had food-wise, everyone seemed to order the same things.

So. Speakeasy Night. I had heard that there would be cabaret, and the entertainment we got was a pleasant surprise. First there was a lady strutting around in tight leather outfit singing and making jokes in a Russian accent.

She also went UP ON our table and danced there!

(I tried cropping the photo so as not to show us bloggers' faces)

Then they also had a Japanese belly dancer who did a couple of great acts. I thought she was pretty good, and it was quite unique from other belly dancings I've seen (in Moroccan restaurants).
There was also a magician who performed some fun tricks involving an audience.


Towards the end of the night, I scored a sip of the Pisco Punch from a FoodDigger.

This drink contains Pisco, pineapple juice, and a bit of the green fairy (absinthe).
Amazing drink. I wish I had ordered this earlier on. Not overly sweet but goes smoothly and was just delicioussss.

Drinks were $14 so not cheap, but I was really happy with my experience there. I am scared of the weekend crowd, but I will definitely be back for some food and drinks, and perhaps even some unique entertainment!

The Edison
108 W 2nd St
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 613-0000

www.edisondowntown.com

Mini Bar Hop in K Town

Somewhat recently I had the good fortune of meeting Mattatouille and friends, who then introduced me to Tai, the owner of Scoops.

I will leave our conversation with Tai for another post. What I wanted to blog about today is what happened after :) Mattatouille's friend (don't want to put her real name here, especially when I may misspell it :P ) suggested we go bar-food hopping in K-town. Being a non-Korean-speaker or reader, this was untested waters for me, and I like these new people I just met, so I took them up on it!

First Stop:
Dansungsa
3317 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90005 (213) 487-9110

This place a complete Korean dive. Well, not that I would know. But with the dark interior, smoky haze from the bbq in the middle, and old movie posters, it sure seemed like it to me.

The menu is completely in Korean, so I wasn't sure what we ordered. All I know is that we got these spicy kalbi which were delicious, and were #52 on the menu! Don't know what it's called, but it's #52 my friends!Not that spicy, and extremely addicting.

We also got some scallion pancakes (pa jeon? I tried googling it).
Somewhat thick, with tons of scallions, and a nice crispy exterior!

This segment, with some Hite beer, was ~$10/person total.
I wanted some more ribs, but we gotta move on to the next one!



On to stop #2: The Hite Bar
Hite Kwang-Jang
3839 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 384-7999
In direct contrast to the previous place, this place looks like a little western cafe you might find in Asia, probably selling spaghetti. It might've even been called Bear House. But no, it's actually Hite cafe (supposedly used to be Hite factory) serving up (in addition to some western style dishes) blood sausages, and - what we came there for - chicken wings in sweet & spicy korean sauce.I think this was called "yang nyum chicken" ? Not completely sure ...
This was ... spicy! The sauce was deliciously sweet and sticky but also spicy, spicier than the kal bi from dansungsa. I was having trouble eating this and ended up gobbling tons of the marinated turnips.

Oh, and drinking a lot of Hite.

They had a dark, light, and "special" Hite which is just a mix of the two. Sounded interesting enough, so we went with a pitcher of that.

Not much difference than the regular Hite - still light.



We also got some scallion pancake here, which was served there for free. Thinner and crispier than the previous one, which in a way is better, but I did like the fact that the previous one was more loaded with scallions!
I had to stop here for the night, unfortunately. I had a great time and hopefully will get another chance to hang out with these people! I'll be training to eat spicy food beforehand ...