Cocktail Culture
Cocktail Culture
Backwoods Fiddler
As served at RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay, $14
November 25th, 2010
Fresh and easy does it! RM Seafood lead bartender J.R. Starkus was looking for fresh, great-tasting and approachable cocktails with which to populate his fall list. But they also had to be easy to make when the restaurant’s bar is hoppin’—as is often the case—and hopefully easy for guests to replicate at their own events. So he created one! Read more »
Cocktail Culture
Delmonico turns the page with its Book of Whiskey
November 25th, 2010
At the Venetian’s Delmonico Steakhouse, whiskey is put on par with wine as the perfect steak mate. Delmonico/Table 10 beverage manager and mixologist Max Solano has amassed a collection that has climbed into the multiple hundreds. It was high time they were cataloged—into a Book of Whiskey. Read more »
Cocktail Culture
Spiked Rose
As served at Vanguard Lounge, $10
November 18th, 2010
A rose by any other name wouldn’t taste nearly as sweet as a Spiked Rose on the Vanguard Lounge patio (516 E. Fremont St.) or served to your Thanksgiving dinner guests, made with your own McIntosh-apple-infused brandy. Read more »
Scene Stirs
Seven reasons to lift up a glass!
November 18th, 2010
1. Noir Bar at Luxor closed on Oct. 30 but is slated to reopen for New Year’s Eve after-hours sporting a new name, concept, look and hours, not to mention access by invitation only. Stay tuned! 2. Herbs & Rye has yielded to its mixology-focused following and—in an action unheard of in Las Vegas—owner Nectaly Mendoza ripped out all 14 of the bar’s video poker machines on Halloween to make the long, wide bar more bar-ish. Read more »
Cocktail Culture
Hot Stuff!
Pick a pepper, any pepper
November 11th, 2010
Across the board, bartenders are picking peppers to put a little pep in your sip. A jalapeño here, a Serrano there. But heat is a matter of taste! Capsaicin (measured in Scoville Heat Units, or SHU) varies greatly from harmless bells to the infamous Ghost Chili. Best you should read up on the hotness: Read more »
Cocktail Culture
The Socialite
As served at Social House inside Crystals at CityCenter, $14
November 11th, 2010
A former world champion flair bartender turned world-class mixologist, Social House bartender Christian Oldan knows precisely what to do to get—and more importantly, to keep—his patrons’ attention. Whether by deftly tossing his mixing tins around as he constructs Social House’s signature cocktails, or by combining the subtle sweetness of Sailor Jerry rum with the sneaky heat of Serrano peppers, all eyes are on Oldan. Read more »
Cocktail Culture
Get into the Spirits of Mexico
November 4th, 2010
Celebrating its seventh year, the Spirits of Mexico festival in Old Town San Diego recently attracted the tequila scene’s best and brightest for a weekend of tastings, cultural education and tequila-fueled fun. At the awards dinner, tequila makers such as Kim Brandi of Kah Tequila tipped their hats while the event’s founder, Dori Bryant of PolishedPalate.com, announced the winners in each category. Read more »
Cocktail Culture
Heavy Medals
November 4th, 2010
Gold medal winners all, these top tequilas also took top honors in their respective style categories at the 2010 Spirits of Mexico festival. Read more »
Cocktail Culture
El Pepino
As served at Munchbar, Caesars Palace, $10
November 4th, 2010
Despite the idea being to taste the tequila straight, Vegas-based Milagro brand ambassador Gaston Martinez wasn’t having it. For him, last month’s Spirits of Mexico festival in San Diego was a chance to not only show off the Milagro tequila portfolio (blanco, reposado and añejo) but also to show off Milagro’s incredible mixability in cocktails such as the Freshest Margarita and El Pepino. Read more »
Cocktail Culture
Sangre de Vampiro
As served at Tacos & Tequila at Luxor, $8
October 28th, 2010
Tacos & Tequila (T&T) has two reasons to raise up a toast this week, what with Halloween and El Dia de Los Muertos (Nov. 1 and 2) coming in such close succession. Read more »
