Boston: Where to Drink in Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA

One thing I like better at MIT compared to Caltech is that there are more good bars I can walk to. Granted, I walk farther here than I did in Pasadena ... But anyway, here are my top three cocktail bars near MIT / Kendall Square!

West Bridge
1 Kendall Square b300
Cambridge, MA 02139

West Bridge isn't only one of the best restaurants in town, but also has a solid cocktail program. While the menu is relatively small and only a few items rotate every season, you can always find something interesting with fresh and unusual ingredients, like the Amarillo by Morning made with hay-infused bourbon, hickory, benedictine, and sarsaparilla. In most of the cocktails you'll find a touch of fresh produce, like cucumber or beet infusions. Cocktails are $11 each.

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Chef Jose Andres' Barmini (Washington, DC)

Chef Jose Andres not only has a group of some of the best restaurants in Washington, DC, but also one of the best cocktail bars in the city. Barmini is a small, beautiful bar right next to Minibar. You have to be seated and most of it is reservation-only but they do allow walk-ins if there are seats available.

The drinks here are more expensive than usual, but everyone that comes in gets a free welcome cocktail. The night I was there, the welcome drink was a 19th Century Cocktail: bourbon, lemon, creme de cacao, lillet rouge

There are quirky details that I love here, like this suspended chair, and other things you'd see later.

The cocktail menu is vast, and I had a hard time choosing between so many promising options. The bartender was recommending classic drinks, which I'm sure are excellent here, but at Barmini I wanted to try out the more unusual things. I've done the cotton candy and olive sphere and liquid nitrogen drinks at Bazaar in LA, so I ended up going with the Veruka Salt (peanut infused rum, pineapple grog, crumbled salted peanuts - $15)

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Old Town Pasadena Drinking at PUNCH

While 1886 Bar is one of my favorite bars in the LA area, there wasn't many other options for cocktails in Pasadena. That is, until recently. Now, you can get pretty good drinks at Trattoria Neapolis, though they've gone through some staff changes lately. One of the latest entrants is PUNCH Bar (it's been a while now since they've opened), headed by Robin Chopra and Darwin Manahan, who are also manning the bar at Corazon Y Miel.

The bar is a bit hard to find. It's on top of PICNIK, and I think you're supposed to go up the stairs from the parking lot around the back, but I got lost and they let me upstairs from inside PICNIK.

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Opening Alert: The Nice Guy (West Hollywood)

Taking over the former Mezze space in West Hollywood is a mafia-inspired hangout called as The Nice Guy. Taking cues from late 70’s and early 80’s interior, the H.Wood execs (the brain behind hotspots such as Bootsy Bellows, Hooray Henry’s, and Shorebar) never seemed shy about being upfront with their upbringing.

The vibe here feels like your favorite supper club with its intimate candles setting, piano play, white-marble bar tops, floral-patterned booths, large couches, and dark wood walls. Also, the reservation-only concept breaths hospitality - they want to make sure they know who you are, what you like to drink, what time of the night you’d like to eat and where you like to be seated every night. I imagine in an upscale lounge like this, they expect a sense of intimacy, familiarity, and camaraderie within the regulars. But fret not…to score a reservation, all you have to do is call the hostess and answer her questions.

John-Carlos Kuramoto, formerly of Michael’s in Santa Monica, has put together Italian-inspired bites, ranging from healthy to comfort fare. My favorites are the Duck Banh Mi Pizza, Chicken Parm Wings, and the 8 oz Dry Aged New York Steak.  And for the healthier items, I thought the Black Tuscan Kale Chips, Blue Crab Arancini, and Charred Baby Sprouting Broccoli were excellent. Other than those, of course, they have the classic Margherita or Prosciutto Pizza, Meatballs with tomato sauce, and the Burger with candied bacon. Even if you decided to go with the more conventional dishes, rest assured the dishes will be carefully executed and taste much better than the typical bar food.

Other than the food, The Nice Guy is also a craft cocktail destination. Helmed by master mixologist Brian Stewart (of SoHo House) in collaboration with h.wood Group's Adam Koral, this place boasts a large selection of spirits, fresh juices, and top shelf Liquor. 

I thought the Bobby Soxer (Casamigos Reposado, blackberries, fresh lemon juice, honey, Campari, and fresno chili peppers), the Chairman (Gentleman Jack, Aperol, cacao, salted cola reduction, and cider vinegar), and the Daddy’s Little Angel (Silencio Mezcal, pineapple juice, organic agave nectar, fresh lemon juice, and Angostura bitters halo) were some of the tastiest cocktails I’ve tasted. 

Cocktail I didn’t like as much - Mother’s Milk (Tito’s Vodka, house made chocolate milk, soda water)…tasted too sweet, it felt like a 50-50 mixture of Yoohoo and Vodka. Additionally, if you really want to impress your date or group of friends, you should go big – order your cocktail in a large punch bowl for $350.

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New Menu at Next Door Lounge (Hollywood)

by: guest blogger @iam_robot

The Roaring Twenties are back– thanks to the recent popularity of The Great Gatsby, Downtown Abbey and Boardwalk Empire. The prohibition of alcohol in the 1920’s and 30’s in America was intended to reduce public consumption by banning businesses that manufactured, distributed, and sold them. With bars closed, young folks (commonly known as flappers and dappers) started going to “underground saloons” in basements or attics of other disguised businesses (cafes, theatres, soda shops) to smoke, drink, and dance without having to worry about breaking the law for doing so.  Given its name due to the necessity to whisper or “speak easy”, these underground saloons were outperforming legitimate saloons at an outstanding rate – at one point, every  closed saloon were replaced by half a dozen illegal joints.

Situated strategically on Highland and Lexington Ave, The Next Door Lounge is reliving the forbidden excitement of the speakeasy era by serving up a mix of vintage and modern libations alongside a new menu of small bites created by private chef/ Food Network Star Nikki Martin. Cocktails are definitely the main attraction here. Vintage cocktails like Negroni, Manhattan, and Penicillin are served up with barrel aged spirits (Scotch, Bourbon, Rye, Gin and Rum), fresh juices, and top shelf liquor by barman Zac Henry.

At the front door, I was greeted by a doorman dressed in a three piece suit and fedora, making sure my name was on the guest list and I was revealing the correct password “STOOL PIDGEON”.  Once I passed the reclaimed double doors and vintage curtains, I saw several intimate vignettes donned with leather couches, high back chairs, marble chess boards and antique cocktail tables. 

 The place was dimly lit and a big part of the lighting came from the west wall, where a black & white film was projected there. As my eyes were observing the regular crowd of hipsters and artsy locals, a pleasant cocktail waitress decked out in 1920’s fashion (beading, fringes, and feathers) guided me to one of the two long communal tables.  

I started the night with the Giggle Water – Matusalem Rum, Limoncello, Orange Juice, and Rose Prosecco. I inhaled this and granted I was giggling. Delicious!

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Brick & Mortar (Cambridge, MA)

Finding a good bar within walking distance from work is always a welcome thing. Enter Brick and Mortar, an upstairs "speakeasy" next to Central Kitchen. The small space gets pretty busy even on weeknights.

The beer menu is pretty small since the focus is on cocktails. For a hot summer night, try tall drinks like the Red Duster Swizzle (Beefeater dry gin, Madeira, Campari, falernum, lime, and bitters). There are also classics like the ginger-y Mamie Taylor. Cocktails run about $12 and up. 
For me personally, though, I wish they had a bigger menu for me to try out on multiple visits!

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Theatrical Cocktails at Artesian Bar (London, UK)

I had limited time on my first London trip, and a lot of cocktail bars to try. Artesian Bar in The Langham London was named World's Best Cocktail Bar by Drinks International in 2013, so I knew I had to try it.

I liked the bar as soon as I entered. It's beautiful and comfortable, the menu is intriguing and the service and pacing impeccable.

I was served a glass of sparkling wine upon seating, garnished with a petal in that Langham pink color.

The menu is revamped annually. This year it is a color coded wheel. Yellow indicates rich and aromatic drinks, green is refreshing, etc. You read the menu drink by drink through the butterfly shaped opening.

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New Cocktails Hit Santa Monica at The Charleston

Realizing there wasn't really a spot for craft cocktails on that strip of Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica, The Charleston's new GM, Chris Cheng, decided to launch a brand new cocktail list. There's no famous bartender involved, but his experience working with Beau du Bois at The Corner Door helped him create a solid starting list.

One of my favorites was the Cootie Catcher, made with gin, honeydew, luxardo triplem, lemon, and orgeat. Name aside, it's rare to find a honeydew cocktail and the honeydew flavor is nicely enhanced here. The orgeat they use is St. Vincent, which is infused with orange blossom and rose water - it's a local product made by one of the bartenders at Bestia!

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New Cocktails and Western Whiskey Menu at Bigfoot Lodge in Los Feliz

Bigfoot Lodge in Los Feliz didn't really have a craft cocktail menu - until now. Only for this bar, the 1933 Group has tapped Aidan Demarest and Marcos Tello's consulting company, Liquid Assets, to redesign the cocktail and whisky selection. Keeping in the theme, they've decided to go all Western for the whisky list - everything comes from west of the Mississippi.

Photo credit: Bigfoot Lodge

All cocktails are $11 and here are a sampling of them:
On Top of Old Smokey made Bainbridge organic whiskey out of Washington, honey, citrus juices, and "forest fire" which is a sprig or rosemary which they burnt upon serving, giving out a lovely aroma

Amazing how aroma could accentuate a seemingly simple sour!

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Freddy Smalls Bar and Kitchen (West Los Angeles, CA)

One of the early cocktail bars with a full food menu that opened in West LA was Freddy Smalls. Situated in a part of Pico Blvd I rarely visit, the bar was crowded despite being a weeknight.

I was pleasantly surprised by the food here! We started with some deviled eggs as appetizers. These are Buffalo Deviled Eggs with crisp chicken skin. point reyes blue cheese, hot sauce, and celery ($4)

I've heard good things about their brussel sprouts and wasn't disappointed. The Fried Brussels Sprouts were served with smoked goat cheese and apple cider glaze ($8)

Unlike some I've tried at other places, the brussels sprouts weren't too salty or overwhelmed with sauce. It was flavorful with the sweet glaze that's tempered by the creamy goat cheese. This is probably one of my favorite brussels sprouts dishes out there.

The cocktail menu here is small and though fairly conservative, you can still find some interesting drinks. I started with the Star-Crossed Lover, made with Smith & Cross Jamaican rum, kaffir lime. simple syrup ($10)

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Tom's Urban Opens at L.A. Live

by: guest blogger @iam_robot

The newest lineup on the bright lights of LA Live is quite distinct from any of its neighbors. Far from the glitz of Fleming’s or Wolfgang Puck’s Bar & Grill, Tom’s Urban seeks to whip up multi-ethnic and contemporary cuisines utilizing the freshest ingredients. With its expansive space and state of the art décor, Tom’s Urban is definitely a cozy hangout spot offering a fully stocked bar of liquor, beer and wine, gourmet bar food and comfort food.

Opening its door from 6:30 am – 2:00 am (no, that's not a type, they open at 6:30 in the morning), founder Tom Ryan is pushing the concept of small plates where guests can eat and drink before or after a game at the Staples Center. Now if you’re not familiar with Tom Ryan, his resume is quite impressive. He’s the brain behind the Smashburger, Mcdonald’s Value Menu, Mcgriddle and many other innovative fast food favorites. Though many of the dishes at Tom’s Urban can’t be categorized as fast food, Tom makes a promise that all the food ordered will be served within 6 to 8 minutes span.

Overall, the menu is customized to cater many different personalities. For those who prefer to eat light, they have small plates along with fancy omelets and benedicts. And those who prefer heartier meals could opt for Macaroni and cheese, pizza, soft tacos, salads, burgers and many other diner favorites. Craft beers and fun cocktails are served all day.

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5 Best Cocktail Bars in Las Vegas

1. Vesper Bar
Cosmopolitan, 3708 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 698-7000

Vesper is probably my favorite bar in Las Vegas. The swanky bar inside Cosmopolitan Hotel draws cocktail enthusiasts all over with expertly concocted cocktails that change seasonally.

The menu offers two sides of a coin: classic cocktails on one and their own interpretations of those same cocktails on the other, where unusual ingredients like chai and kaffir lime make their way. Even though their menus rotate, many customers still request their favorites from the previous menus.

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New Head Bartender Ben Scott, American Single Malts at Messhall Kitchen

Ben Scott used to bartend part time before going corporate, but he soon hated the corporate life and returned behind the bar. He's been working at Messhall Kitchen since they opened. Now that Erik Lund has moved on to Republique, Ben heads the bar program at Messhall Kitchen.

Ben has a thing for American single malts and he's built quite the collection at Messhall. Japanese whiskies are huge right now but they're hard to get, so he thinks American single malts will be the next big thing. Having tasted a lot of them, Ben says that California single malts tend be chocolatey, and I found this was certainly the case with Ouroboros from Lost Spirits.

Compared to the Montana or Texas whiskies, St. George's (also from California) was the mildest. He's also got his hands of some Exclusive Malts bottle. A 30 year old scotch? Don't mind if I do.

Other than the single malts, don't miss the cocktails as Ben has made some interesting additions! The Paris, Texas is a riff on a Champs Elysees made with Balcones Rumble, chartreuse, lemon ($12)

What is Balcones Rumble?
It's a liquor made with honey, turbinado sugar, and dates. Balcones wanted to make a peaty whisky but peat was too expensive to make an affordable bottle. Well, what is there plenty of in Texas? Texas shrub!

Not only did that give it the smokiness they wanted, now they have something that is exclusively Texan.

For a surprise, try Vinny the Chin. The recipe of 2 oz Cynar, 1 oz rye, and a half spoon Amaro Nonino sounds like it would be a bitter drink, but Ben had learnt a trick. He stirs a lemon peel in the drink and the oil from the lemon brings it out from a tight drink to one that is sweet, while still tasting of celery, without using any sweetener.

I got a little taste of the Rich Man's Old Fashioned (125th anniversary Four Roses bourbon, sugar, bitters - $30).

If you need a little something to soak up the alcohol, you can't go wrong with the Pig & Pickles (crispy pork belly and house pickles, remoulade, $8) which is certainly one of the best fried pickles I've tried (granted I haven't tried that many).

Don't miss their barrel aged cocktails, as well. I recommend Death Benefits ($15), made with Kilchoman scotch, gin, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, bitters, and lemon (aged over "many moons")

I ended on a creamy note with the Tiger Milk (aged cachaca, ginger, coconut cream, whole egg, kaffir lime, $12)

Tastes like a vacation

You can come to Messhall Kitchen for many reasons, like $15 burger and bourbon (or beer) on Mondays or $1 oysters on Tuesdays or all night happy hour on Throwback Thursdays, but next time, also stay to try the great cocktails and the impressive collection of single malts!

MESSHALL KITCHEN

4500 Los Feliz Blvd
 Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 660-6377
messhallla.com

Revisiting Picca with Gojuchang Lamb Chops and Avocado Cocktail

I never got around to writing about Picca when they first opened, so with the newly decorated upper level mezzanine (I love the warm lights) and new menu items come my opportunity to write about it.

They did not change the entire menu but there are plenty of new items, my favorite of which is the Anticucho de Cordero (lamb chops, gojuchang marinade, aji amarillo miso, $28)

It's a bit pricey for two lamb chops but I just can't get enough of that gojuchang marinade! The lamb was tender but even after the meat was gone I wanted to keep sucking on the bone ...

There are a couple of new cocktails as well, but one of my favorites remained from the old menu, which is the green one pictured below: The Avocado Project (5 Island white rum, fresh avocado, vitamin C (orange juice perhaps?), fresh lime juice, agave nectar, salt, $12)

When I first ordered this drink I was expecting a creamier drink, instead the citrus cuts it nicely, making it a beautifully balanced drink with a hint of avocado flavor.

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Tiki Cocktails by the Beach at Larry's in Venice

Larry's was already a popular destination in Venice Beach for food and beer, but they have recently gotten a full liquor license as well and launched a tiki-focused cocktail menu.

Pina colada gets an upgrade with a red wine float in #Delicious (rum, coconut cream, lemon, pineapple, red wine - $12). Yes, the hashtag is meant to be there.

It's on the sweeter side but I'm still a fan of pina coladas after all, and a lot of people would love this drink. The red wine adds more complexity. For something a little less sweet, I really enjoyed the Sun Poison (gin, falernum, passionfruit, lime, orgeat, orange bitters - $12)

Falernum any day

The bar food menu is worth a look, as well. If you don't mind offals, get the Bacon wrapped chicken liver skewers, yakitori sauce ($6)

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Revamped Menu and Patio at Sadie Kitchen and Lounge

Sadie Kitchen and Lounge has gone through many chef changes since its opening, and most recently they also revamped their patio dining area to be more lounge-like, although dining tables for larger parties still remain. The lights adorning the walls and trees make this a romantic dining spot at night.

The current chef is Jonathan Moulton, who most recently was at Early Bird in Orange County. He brings many Southern comfort food to Sadie, like these decadent buttermilk biscuits with "red eye butter" ($3)

What is red eye butter, you ask? It has what you love most in the mornings: coffee and bacon!

While many chefs have come and go, mixologist Giovanni Martinez has always remained. Much of the drinks menu remains the same, but there are also many new and seasonal drinks - and they're all excellent. I loved the Negroni Sour (gin, vermouth, campari, nettle cordial, lemon)

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1886 Bar Goes Tiki and Divey This Summer

Every season, 1886 does something different with their cocktail menu, and this summer they're turning into a tiki and dive bar complete with fun tiki decorations (complete with the bartender Peter Lloyd-Jones wearing a Hawaiian shirt!)

Per usual, their menu is divided into four sections. The first features fun interpretations of classic tiki cocktails.
The Strawberry Pina Colada on Fire is an ode to the recently closed Bahooka. There's also the classic Zombie, and the one thing I still haven't tried is the Scorpion Bowl for 4, since they were still waiting for the bowl to come in.

The next section is the dive bar drinks they labeled "Dirty Pretty Things", including a "molecular" approach to shots. There's a Mojito Jello Shot made with Flor de Cana rum. Ever had a pickleback? That's a shot of whisky with a chaser of pickle juice. Here, the pickleback is pickle brine from Langer's Deli enclosed in a sphere inside a shot of Powers Irish whisky.

On a similar line, there's also a sangrita sphere served in a shot of tequila.

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1886 Bar Reopens With New Spring Menu (Pasadena)

Some of you may already know that 1886 is my favorite bar in Pasadena, so I was in a withdrawal when they temporarily closed while the kitchen is being renovated. It's not that I go every week, but it's nice to know I can if I want to! Anyway, they finally reopened and a few days after launched their new spring menu. I didn't try everything this time around but got pretty close.

The menu is divided into four different sections. Let's start with the last one, since that has the drink I started out with: ANATOMY OF A MEAL.
They say this section is a "work in progress", with cocktails that would go well with different food.
My cocktail tasting started with the Sprezzatura (by Pete Lloyd-Jones): Campari, Cynar, Grapefruit Soda. The menu advises you to try this before the meal to cleanse your palate, and it's certainly a great one for that with a balance between the sweetness and bitterness. It's lighter in alcohol as well, making it even more perfect to start the night.

Mama Loves Mango (Rosie Ruiz): Mezcal, Tequila, Mango, Citrus, Cayenne. Meant to pair with dishes where fish or shellfish take center stage.

"Mama" Rosie created this because she loves mango. So do I! This drink is calling my name as the weather in Pasadena is getting unbearably hot ...

Dinner at the Gamble House (Nikita Minin): Cedar infused Bourbon, East India Sherry, Sweet Vermouth Try pairing with red meat or game.

Photo courtesy of 1886 Bar

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