Remember the dark days of co*cktails past?
A gin and tonic was made with Gilbey’s and whatever came out of the bar gun, topped with a lime wedge that was old enough to vote.
A Margarita looked like a green Slurpee and tasted like a bitter iceberg.
And a martini was always made with Smirnoff’s vodka. Sometimes they skipped the vermouth; occasionally even the olive.
Prohibition almost killed the American co*cktail, which was a lively and artful subculture in many bars from the mid-19th century until that fateful day in 1920. After repeal in 1933, its recovery was fitful. While domestic wine and beer eventually found their way back to excellence, makers of American spirits took longer to get there, and the country’s bars reflected that deficit.
For decades, we drank noxious concoctions that hid the charms and intrinsic flavors of spirits in over-the-top co*cktails with names like the Harvey Wallbanger, the Tequila Sunrise and Sex on the Beach. Vodka, that tasteless interloper, became the boring spirit of choice for American co*cktails. Gin was what grandpa drank. Bourbon was for bad boys. Rye was for Canadians.
But thanks to the persistence of the artisanal spirits movement, combined with the tireless curiosity and deep historical knowledge of the newest generation of bartenders, the co*cktail has finally retaken its rightful place at the Classy Drinks table.
Here are four of O.C.’s newer bars that excel at the art of the co*cktail, together with places — some new, some well established — that are also worth your time. And since it’s inadvisable to drink on an empty stomach, we’ve included some information on food that pairs well with your drink.
The Bosscat is balanced with rosemary at Newport Beach’s Bosscat Kitchen + Libations.
(Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Bosscat Kitchen + Libations
The vibe is lively and the crowd is multigenerational and not too male-dominated at this popular Newport gathering spot. It’s a bit frenetic on weekends, so good luck finding a parking place in the smallish lot or a seat at the bar in the back. But that’s where you want to be, because it’s the pulsating heart of this hip, newish place, which has a doppelganger in Houston.
The service is, in a word, bipolar: While the mixologists are friendly and knowledgeable and the drink orders come up briskly, we had to wait forever for some food on a recent Friday, when the kitchen staff looked overwhelmed by the crowd. We sampled three custom co*cktails. All are $14.
The Bosscat (Basil Hayden, citrus, bitters and rosemary) was nicely balanced, with an acidic backbone and bracing dryness courtesy of the rosemary. The Dr. Seuss Bulldog (gin, house infused citrus, Cointreau) was a bit cloying and sweet — better for hummingbirds than hard drinkers. But the 38 Special (Bulleit bourbon, Aperol, Averna Amara and citrus) was manly and Manhattan-like – a serious Friday night co*cktail.
The food menu includes some co*cktail-worthy snacks. The best are cornbread madeleines ($6), pulled pork hush puppies ($9), fried oysters ($10) and bourbon chicken flatbread ($12).
4647 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach; 949-333-0917, bosscatkitchen-newport.com
A post shared by Mix Mix Kitchen Bar (@mixmixkitchenbar) onMar 8, 2017 at 10:31am PST
An Instagram post shows one of Mix Mix Kitchen Bar’s co*cktails, which it calls the Chambord Coronation.
Mix Mix
I’m sure there are many night owls who miss the terrific bar in the back room at the Little Sparrow, a restaurant whose reputation rose and fell like a shooting star (a memorable fail on Bravo’s “Best New Restaurant” might have sealed its fate).
But the Sparrow has been gloriously reborn as Mix Mix, whose talented chef and owner, Ross Pangilinan, was executive chef at Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge for seven years. It’s more austere looking and upscale than the Sparrow (no more comfy chairs by the windows in the bar and no art on the restaurant’s white walls), but the co*cktails and Pangilinan’s Filipino-influenced small-plate choices thrust it once more into the top ranks of O.C.’s bar scene.
Our appetizers (all snack plates are $8) were flawless: Chorizo and potato croquettes with jalapeno lime aioli and roasted cauliflower with gochujang (chili paste), citrus and cashews. We also tried a small plate ($12): Filipino ceviche with succulent chunks of yellowfin tuna, coconut, lime, avocado, pork cracklings and Thai chili.
There were seven custom co*cktails the night we were there – three stirred and four shaken – plus something called “barkeep’s inspiration” for $13. We loved the Silly Rabbit (Espalon reposado tequila, vanilla crème de cacao, carrot and Thai chili syrup, lemon-lime juice, cloves and a misting of mezcal). The bartenders are chatty, and they’ll give you samples if you seem informed and interested.
300 N. Main St., Santa Ana; 714-836-5158, mixmixkitchenbar.com
A Recess Room specialty is its own take on the Old Fashioned.
(Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Recess Room
Though it snagged its liquor license only a few weeks ago, this stylish bar in a nondescript Fountain Valley strip mall has already found an enthusiastic audience. Our first visit was during Lunar New Year, and there was a large Asian contingent in a celebratory mood. It was a good choice for the occasion – the bar food and the co*cktails have a sense of pizazz.
From the food menu, we sampled three winners: the octopus salad (frisee, roasted potato, watermelon radish, chorizo, chimichurri and kalamata aioli, $15); the Doritos (fried jidori chicken skin, ranch powder and white miso corn porridge, $12); and the blue crab beignet (Maryland blue crab, mascarpone and chipotle aioli, $17).
From the eight specialty co*cktails (all $14), we tried the Cruella Deville (reposado tequila, jalapeno-infused agave, fresh beet juice, mango, lemon and Grand Marnier-infused foam), the Nora Needs to Catch Up! (Nolet’s silver gin, St. Germain, apricot brandy and fresh litchi puree) and the Recess Room Old Fashioned (Iwai Japanese whiskey, Rittenhouse 100 proof rye, Hennessy cognac, smoke and salt and pecan magnolia habanero bitters, garnished with a flamed orange).
They were all inventive, daring and, surprisingly, not as gimmicky-tasting as their recipes suggest – the sign of thoughtful and knowledgeable bartending.
18380 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley; 714-377-0398, therecessroom.com
Mike Magnuson and Kristen Adams share a drink at the Stag Bar & Kitchen.
(Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Stag Bar + Kitchen
Owner Mario Marovic did a stellar job modernizing without ruining this venerable watering hole on Newport’s Balboa Peninsula, which first opened its doors 109 years ago in one of the peninsula’s original buildings.
It offers an impressive selection of high-end spirits, especially bourbons. The biggest change Marovic has made since he reopened the place in late 2015 is introducing 21st-century mixology. Some co*cktails are traditional, but with a twist. The Sazerac is made with Rittenhouse rye. And they’ve dreamed up a couple of variations on the popular Moscow Mule. The Stag’s Mango Habanero Mule uses Ketel One vodka, Mango/Ginger Wine Shine, ginger beer and dried mango.
Other co*cktails are pure Newport Coast: the whimsical Juice Cleanse, with Tito’s vodka, Firewater bitters, lemon, ginger syrup and cayenne pepper, is as smack-in-the-face spicy as its ingredients imply. The Good Karma is made with Giffard Pamplemousse, basil, Karma blanco tequila, lemonade and fresh grapefruit juice and finished with a slice of grapefruit.
The menu is famous for three things: meatballs, meatballs and meatballs. They’re addictive, and the variations are staggering. You can choose from three kinds, two sauces, three cheeses and three presentations: slider, sub or skillet. This could be dangerous info for your waistline, but on Meatball Mondays all meatballs are $2 each.
121 McFadden Place, Newport Beach; 949-673-4470, stagbar.com
OTHERS TO TRY
320 Main:One of the first local bars to take mixology seriously. The classic co*cktails are meticulously made and include such rarities as Pisco Punch and the Army Navy. 320 Main St., Seal Beach; 562-799-6246, 320mainsealbeach.com
The Blind Rabbit:This speakeasy imitator hidden deep within the Packing House looks like a thrown-together 1920s club, with old odds and ends, low lighting and a couch made out of a claw-foot tub. Ask for any classic co*cktail here. One of the bar rules: “Please exit through the bookcase.” 440 S. Anaheim Blvd., Suite 104, Anaheim; theblindrabbit.com
Central Bar:A circular bar surrounded by cozy couches in The District’s Union Market. Attentive service and great classics-with-a-twist co*cktails combine with first-rate people-watching to make this a popular hangout for shoppers. 2493 Park Ave., Tustin; 714-258-8161, unionmarkettustin.com
The Fifth:This rooftop bar in the Grand Legacy at the Park Hotel is one of the prettiest places in O.C. to have an upscale co*cktail. The menu includes tempting seasonal co*cktails as well as classics. 1650 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim; 714-772-0899, thefifthoc.com
Red Room:Art deco-themed bar within a bar at Costa Mesa’s new social lounge, Holiday. Highlights include the Chili Chaplin with St. George Green Chili Vodka, fresh lime, muddled cucumbers and jalapenos, topped with ginger beer and served in a copper mug. The Red Betty combines Tito’s Handmade Vodka, muddled strawberries, fresh squeezed lime juice, cane sugar and fresh basil. 719 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa; 949-371-9992, holidaycm.com
Social Costa Mesa:There’s plenty to choose from in the list of “bespoke co*cktails” (all $14) at this friendly and popular place. We’re partial to the Black Magic Woman: tequila, mezcal, pineapple, Fresno chili, mango tea, AnchoReyesand lime. 512 W. 19th St, Costa Mesa; 949-642-2425, socialcostamesa.com
Y.N.K.:This tiny, whimsically decorated bar hidden behind the lobby of the Irvine Marriott Hotel changes its co*cktail list every few months, choosing its theme geographically, and two large screens run continuous scenes from the chosen country. Right now it’s Spain, and the handwritten co*cktail menu includes an undisputed star: The Spanish Armada. 18000 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, ynk-irvine.com
Contact the writer: 714-796-7979 or phodgins@scng.com
