EDP 2018

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At Maestro, a modern Mexican restaurant
in Old Pasadena, over 70 iterations
of mezcal are lined up behind the
bar. With 20-foot-high ceilings, the
small space feels voluminous. A few
stand-alone tables dot the center and
a long couch lines one wall. The bar is
located in the back with only a handful
of stools.
Nowhere else in Arroyoland will
you find this number and diversity of
mezcals, including many that are hard
to find and in limited production. “We
don’t care about brands, we care about
flavor,” says manager Marco Ramos, who, along with his staff, can
explain the origins of each mezcal. Maestro also offers flights of mezcal
and tequila, even rare ones like sotol and tahona, ranging from $15 to
$65.
Mezcal offers a unique smokiness to The Campfire cocktail, and the
slight char the rosemary undergoes after lighting it on fire works well
with the lime’s acidity, offering a more rounded mouthfeel in the midpalate
that ultimately comes off as less sweet and more savory. Ramos
suggests pairing The Campfire with Maestro’s duck carnitas or lamb
barbacoa and pickled cabbage.
INGREDIENTS
THE CAMPFIRE
Sprig of rosemary
¾ ounce green Chartreuse
liqueur
¾ ounce Mezcal Los Javis (or
other brand)
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
¾ ounce Luxardo Maraschino
liqueur
METHOD
1. Rim glass with rosemary and then place it in glass. Pour Chartreuse over
rosemary and let soak. In shaker, combine Luxardo, lime and mezcal.
2. Light rosemary-Chartreuse mixture in glass for 10 seconds. Using tongs, remove
rosemary and add Chartreuse to shaker, leaving extinguished rosemary
in glass. Fill glass with cubed ice. Shake ingredients and pour over ice.
CAMPING AT THE RIDGE
Built over 100 years ago, Magnolia
House on South Lake Avenue was
originally a private residence, then
became a post-Prohibition liquor store,
an antique coin shop and a number of
other businesses. Today this restaurant
and bar keeps things lively with an
quickly rotating cocktail menu. “We
have to keep up with Los Angeles,”
says lead bartender Jorge Figueroa,
referencing the trendy cocktail scene
in downtown L.A. To keep Arroyolanders
happy closer to home, Figueroa
and his team are constantly crafting
stimulating new cocktails. With indoor and outdoor seating areas, the
bar itself sits behind the restaurant, a long red-brick wall guiding you
straight to it.
Figueroa created this cocktail as an homage to the fall season here.
He calls it a riff on the Ramos Fizz. “Fall in Pasadena is still warm,
but these traditional fall flavors are mitigated by summer notes of
apple.” This is a refreshing and light cocktail, heavier on the palate, but
nonetheless a balance between spice and heat, viscosity and comfortable,
familiar flavors. Try it with their fried chicken sandwich or the
mushroom and roasted garlic flatbread.
INGREDIENTS
1½ ounces Thai chili and ginger–
infused Scotch
½ ounce lemon juice
¾ ounce pure maple syrup
½ ounce cinnamon Green
Chartreuse cream
Dash of chocolate chili bitters
Dash of aquafaba (liquid in can
of beans)
METHOD
Mix ingredients in shaker, add ice, shake again, strain and pour into glass.
Top with sparkling apple cider floater, grated nutmeg and cinnamon graham
crackers.
After World War II, drinking and dining
establishments began popping up around
Arroyoland, creating new diversions for a
war-weary public. A pocket-size bar opened
its doors here in 1947, and a succession
of imitators followed. So when The San
Fernando opened its doors in Glendale in
July, the new bar paid homage to times past.
There is definitely a retro theme there, although the 1940s wallpaper,
lighting fixtures and booths are relatively subtle touches, not cartoony.
The venue offers live music and DJs, comedy nights and movie nights.
“We’re getting people from Los Feliz and Silver Lake, and locals tell
us they used to have to go to Hollywood for this kind of experience,”
says owner Uwe Korak. He offers a limited but carefully curated menu
of cocktails and food, leaning toward more traditional tastes without
the hyperbole. “We simply want structurally sound cocktails that taste
PENGUIN ON HOLIDAY
good,” Korak says.
The San Fernando’s signature drink Penguin on Holiday references
a 1940s cocktail shaker in the form of a penguin, which is also the bar’s
logo. The rum is balanced by citrus, and an earthy quality is aided by
cardamom and a pleasant viscosity from egg whites. Cut the sweetness
with something savory, like the pork belly Cuban sandwich or chicken
wings with Parmesan-garlic sauce.
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce Bacardi 8-Year-Old Rum
1 ounce Casa Magdalena Rum
¾ ounce chai syrup (spiced
powdered tea, 1:1 ratio with
simple syrup)
¾ ounce raw egg whites
¾ ounce lemon juice
2 dashes The Bitter Truth’s Nut
Drops & Dashes bitters
Cardamom bitters to taste
METHOD
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake. Add ice and shake again. Strain
into a glass goblet, garnish with cardamom bitters and serve.
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EAT • DRINK • PLAY PASADENA WEEKLY 15