The Big Bar

Last week I stopped by a favorite Los Angeles mixology spot, The Big Bar located at 1929 Hillhurst Avenue (on the edge of Hollywood and Silver Lake). The Big Bar is part of Alcove Café & Bakery, which serves delicious fare and is open until midnight on weekends.  The Big Bar is a classic fresh juice program run by one of Los Angeles finest, Juan Sevilla who has worked in many of the region’s hottest bars including The Edison and The Soho HouseWest Hollywood.  Fortunately, he is now designing dreams in a glass at The Big Bar.

Whether you are flying solo and looking for a kickass cocktail, searching for the perfect place to chill with friends before music in Griffin Park, or on the hunt for a great place to meet up when you’re just not ready to call it a night – this is your bar.  It has it all: great food, fun music (normally selected by the bartender on duty), and cocktails so satisfying it’s hard to say anything but “wow” once the glass hits your lips.  

The Big Bar’s menu is seasonal and is constantly reinventing itself, offering fresh, innovative food and drink.  As you know, I don’t recommend telling a bartender, “I’m not sure what I want” but if it’s not too busy, take a minute to talk with the mixologist behind the bar.  It may be Rich Andreoli who recently received an invitation to mix at the Sundance Film Festival or Mia Sarazen who took home the “region’s best” at the 42BELOW Cocktail World Cup (and now moves on to New York to compete for a spot on the US team).  Regardless of who is on duty, The Big Bar mixologists are all extremely talented and given the time, they will talk with you about flavors, alcohol, likes and dislikes.  The result is a delectable concoction that will not disappoint.

           

Do yourself a favor – gather some friends and head to The Big Bar for something that you have not experienced in a while – a perfect night out enjoying exceptional cocktails.  Let’s all enjoy the quest.  Cheers!

the Rick House

Over the holidays,  I had the most amazing pleasure  of visiting one of the west coast's  most elite mixology spots,  The “Rick House” located at 246 Kearny St. SF, Ca 94108. While in quest for the perfect cocktail, a great place to look is this spot in San Francisco.  The outside of this place could easily be missed if you are not looking for it. This throw back to what looks to be a hidden distillery of the prohibition days is really a gem in the city. The inside is done in an all wood frame and a bar that towers with shelves of fine liquor.

Upon entering this bar. I was slightly shocked by the amount of people at the bar rail hankering for the bartenders attention at 2:30 in afternoon. I must say for the crowd size and the one bartender behind the bar, she was handling this thirsty crowd with ease.   As my turn came around to order,  I give you this most curtailed  tip: when in a busy bar,  any busy bar,  have your order READY! Do not fumble around with things like “I’m not sure what I want” or “what’s your favorite drink here?” bartenders hate this!  As a bartender myself, I can tell you in a busy bar if you're not ready I’m moving on and coming back to you when I think you are ready, trust me,  if the bartender has time,  they will sit and guide you through their cocktail list, but in a busy bar time is money! 

 So let' s see where was I? Oh yes,  when my turn came to order.  I had heard that there was one thing about the Rick House that is a must try, and that is their punch bowls.  My friends and I all shared a Pimm’s Cup punch bowl that was crafted to perfection.  The flavors were blended beautifully with hints of ginger, citrus but  the spirits are featured and not overwhelming the cocktail. My friends and I sat in the upstairs portion of this spot which was great because we escaped the crowds and people watched form a bird's eye view.

            This bar is a must if you are in San Francisco.   It's great for just a one stop cocktail with one person or a great place to meet your friends and spend a glorious night trying to find the perfect cocktail. Cheers everyone!

Lets Raise a Glass to The Year Ahead.

Ok so it’s that time of year again where we all are saying good bye to the year at hand and welcome the New Year with hopes and admirations, and a slight or heavy buzz. Yes it’s the new year, and parties are spring up left and right, so why not wow your guest with a great Punch for your party. No I’m not talking about putting together some sherbet and sprite with some vodka in it. I mean, let’s put something together that will bring in the New Year with style, class, and will not have your guest saying “Why in the hell did I drink that!?” 

Yes, 2011 is going to be the year of  the punch and why not start the year ahead of the curve by serving a punch at your New Years Eve Party. Now just so you know- if you have a favorite cocktail it can be batch into a punch, but try to be a little more creative, and I think I can help.

Spiced Pear PUNCH!

6-oz of roasted pear puree'

6-oz of old tom's gin or just a great London dry gin Oxely is a good one.

6-oz of ginger liqueur such as king's Ginger, also maybe ginger beer would work.

6-oz of cognac

3-oz of lemon juice

18-oz of prosecco

Combine all ingredients except prosecco chill for several hours. Then when ready to serve add prosecco and ice.

Pear Puree'

 Oven to 350, peel, halve and core 5 RIPE pears. arrange in a roasting pan with 4 table spoons of demerara sugar, 4 oz of cognac, 6 cinnamon sticks 8 star anise and 12 cloves. cut 1 vanilla bean lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds and then add them to roasting pan along with pod. Roast for 30 min. remove the spices and vanilla bean pod, then puree the pears and liquid a blender. 

If this seems a little to much work to have prepped by tomorrow night- I have given a great recipe (that will take half the time and have the WOW just the same) to a good friend of mine, Hawlie Ohe. You can check out on here web site: http://thefablifeofahousewife.wordpress.com/

                                                                    Pimm's #1 Punch

            So this will more then likely be my last blog until the New Year, and I say this... Good news is just not the same without champagne. Lets all enjoy the quest and please have a safe New Year.

    Cheers!

Champagne Cocktails Continued

Champagne cocktail for new years/awards party

SO I thought I would put together a little video on how to make that bottle of Champagne into a great awards party cocktail for all your guest. I hope you enjoy. Cheers

The holiday's are here!

  So I have been getting many requests for the perfect holiday Cocktail, and I have been giving some friends some great cocktails to start their holiday party off right. But what about you guys my fans in quest for the perfect cocktail? Well I thought that I would whip some stuff up and share it with the world. Now if you are throwing a party I really suggest you whip together a large punch for you and your guest. This way you can make it before your friends arrive, and that way you are not busy all night making single servings all night miss your own party. However if you are like me and you know making single servings will quickly become the life of the party then hear are some great holiday cocktails. 

    The first is a something I am calling the "Christmas Margarita"(actually this is a classic drink called the infante, but myself and many of my fellow co workers refer to it as "Christmas in your mouth") which is:

            - 2 oz of tequila Blanco

             -3/4 oz of lime juice

             -3/4 oz of orgeat  (Orgeat syrup is a sweet syrup made from almonds)

-Shake with ice and then strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Dash of two to three drops of rose water, and then shave nutmeg and cinnamon on top. 

Next is a cocktail that I came up with for my good friend Hawlie Ohe and her web site called   thefablifeofahousewife.wordpress.com. and this is called a "Partridge in a Pear Tree" Which is:

            -1½ oz pear vodka

              -½ oz lemon juice

             -½ oz simple syrup

             

Shave over ice and strain into a champagne glass or coupe, top with champagne or sparkling wine and garnish with a rosemary sprig. 

And there you go some great cocktail ideas that will wow your friends and make you the life of your party.

In quest to find the perfect cocktail

  My name is Brian Justin Stewart and I am setting sail today on my journey to find the perfect cocktail. How does one find or justify the perfect cocktail? -Some might ask. Well, it really is a never ending quest, but I have made it my passion to understand the cocktail and the history around it. The truth is that the Perfect cocktail for me might just indeed be out there, but that might not be the perfect cocktail for you. And that is what this blog is all about. It is really a journey for all who want to come on it. I will review bars, recipes, and anything Mixology related so that I might aid you in finding your perfect cocktail.

  Lets start with a history lesson. Back in the day, early settlers would finish their day of labor, and with about an hour or so of day light left they would travel to the center of their town to sit at the tavern. Now this is not a bar like you and I are used to seeing. They would walk in and there would be large tables with a large bowl in the center of table. People would sit at these tables and talk about their day, and solve problems between neighbors. All this, while they shared a punch bowl filled with Punch that was a combination of luxurious ingredients. The drink was made using the rinds and juice of imported lemons, limes, and even oranges- commonly mixed with rum, and white or brown sugar.
 It was not till some where near 1876 when a man named John Collins realize the potential money making possibility of these punches. So he creates a single serving cocktail called (you guessed it) "A John Collins". It would take a while for this single serving cocktail to catch on but, there you have the foundation of what we now know as are favorite bar. So lets raise a glass and give thanks to all who laid the foundation of the cocktail, and to John Collins for making are wallets a little less heavy when it comes to splitting the tab, and lets set sail on this quest to finding the perfect cocktail.

Cheers everyone.