As mentioned in my previous post, I’m a huge fan of one drink in particular here: the Bikini Bottom, pictured below. It’s a vibrantly sweet-and-spicy blend of pineapple, agave, cilantro, fresno chile, and not only tequila, but mescal, too. I love it so much, I’ve hard a time wanting to try anything else. But, hearing Goodrich’s explanation of the new program is definitely tempting me to branch out and try something different, sooner rather than later.
Read on to hear more from Goodrich as he discusses the inspiration behind the new drinks, how he got into the bar business and his take on the L.A. cocktail scene in general!
Miss Wilson: What are the highlights of the new drink program?
Goodrich: The entire spring cocktail menu was inspired by the city of New Orleans — the drinks are all spins on classic Crescent City cocktails. This menu is our first huge overhaul of the cocktail program since Alta Adams opened last fall. We wanted the menu to be fun, a little flashy, herbaceous, spring-like, energetic and bold. I think what we came up with fits the bill!
Miss Wilson: What are the highlights of the new drink program?
Goodrich: The entire spring cocktail menu was inspired by the city of New Orleans — the drinks are all spins on classic Crescent City cocktails. This menu is our first huge overhaul of the cocktail program since Alta Adams opened last fall. We wanted the menu to be fun, a little flashy, herbaceous, spring-like, energetic and bold. I think what we came up with fits the bill!
We thought designing a drink menu around the Big Easy was a natural fit and perfect complement to our California-soul food. New Orleans’ culture and demographical blend are completely unique; there’s just nowhere like it anywhere else in the country. On a personal level, New Orleans also marks the halfway point of a cross-country trip I embarked on in 2011 while I was making a documentary about the way people talk about same-sex marriage and queer identity in America (this was before same-sex marriage was legalized). I’ve always been struck and am still drawn to the enormous cultural footprint of New Orleans: from music and jazz, to nightlife, festivals, parades and funerals, Louisiana voodoo and so on. New Orleans has a rich and influential history in the world of cocktails, from Peychaud Bitters to the Sazerac, the French 75 to a Vieux Carre and more.
Otherwise, if you have a group of friends and are in the mood to get a little boozy, you should try our Gator Bowl punch (pictured below), which is meant to be shared. I like to think of it as stupidly delicious swamp juice.
Miss Wilson: What advice would you have for anyone interested in getting into the bar business?
Goodrich: Three years ago, I had zero experience in the bar business at all. I hadn’t worked in the service industry since I was a teenager; I had really only been working in film production since graduating from film school. It’s been a crazy few years since I’ve started (with zero experience) as a barback to now leading the bar program at Alta Adams as head bartender — and it has been a combination of luck, landing at the right place at the right time, having terrific mentors and working my ass off. I’ve also read everything I can (and still have a lot more reading to do), and have tried to dive deep into cocktail history and culture.
At the end of the day, foster good relationships: surround yourself with good people who have a heart, have your back, and take care of them in return. Soak up everything you can from everyone around you, learn everything you can on your own, and you’ll do fine!
Miss Wilson: What’s your take on the current local LA bar scene? How has it evolved in the past few years and where do you see it headed next?
Goodrich: Prior to a couple of years ago, I pretty much only set foot in gay bars — so much of my experience is based on the gay bars of East L.A., Silverlake and Downtown. If I’m going to go out somewhere beyond work (which I don’t do too often anymore!), that’s probably still where I’d be. However, since diving into the craft cocktail world, my view has expanded quite a bit, as has the craft cocktail world — it’s basically exploded over the last five years. While you used to only be able to get a decent drink at a handful of staple bars, now every restaurant and bar seems to be developing a craft bar program or has a resident mixologist (though I dislike that term — I’m just a bartender). It also shows no signs of stopping.
This is both a good thing and a bad thing: it’s great that there’s more of a focus on cocktail culture, that people are interested and thinking about it more, and that more places offer great drinks, but I worry that sheer quantity may impact quality. Not everyone has the same level of training. In the end, like most things, I believe that what’s good will stay, and what’s not, won’t. My advice: stick to the good ones and the classics.
Miss Wilson: What’s one cocktail everyone should try at least once and why?
Everyone should try the Black Magic Woman at least once (last photo at the bottom of this post). There aren’t too many bars where you can get a classic Absinthe drip as it’s traditionally done — and it’s a show-stopper. The cocktail is garnished with a dissolving sugar skull and burning sage. If you have any negative juju floating around, this will clear it out.
Everyone should try the Black Magic Woman at least once (last photo at the bottom of this post). There aren’t too many bars where you can get a classic Absinthe drip as it’s traditionally done — and it’s a show-stopper. The cocktail is garnished with a dissolving sugar skull and burning sage. If you have any negative juju floating around, this will clear it out.
Otherwise, if you have a group of friends and are in the mood to get a little boozy, you should try our Gator Bowl punch (pictured below), which is meant to be shared. I like to think of it as stupidly delicious swamp juice.
Miss Wilson: What advice would you have for anyone interested in getting into the bar business?
Goodrich: Three years ago, I had zero experience in the bar business at all. I hadn’t worked in the service industry since I was a teenager; I had really only been working in film production since graduating from film school. It’s been a crazy few years since I’ve started (with zero experience) as a barback to now leading the bar program at Alta Adams as head bartender — and it has been a combination of luck, landing at the right place at the right time, having terrific mentors and working my ass off. I’ve also read everything I can (and still have a lot more reading to do), and have tried to dive deep into cocktail history and culture.
At the end of the day, foster good relationships: surround yourself with good people who have a heart, have your back, and take care of them in return. Soak up everything you can from everyone around you, learn everything you can on your own, and you’ll do fine!
Miss Wilson: What’s your take on the current local LA bar scene? How has it evolved in the past few years and where do you see it headed next?
Goodrich: Prior to a couple of years ago, I pretty much only set foot in gay bars — so much of my experience is based on the gay bars of East L.A., Silverlake and Downtown. If I’m going to go out somewhere beyond work (which I don’t do too often anymore!), that’s probably still where I’d be. However, since diving into the craft cocktail world, my view has expanded quite a bit, as has the craft cocktail world — it’s basically exploded over the last five years. While you used to only be able to get a decent drink at a handful of staple bars, now every restaurant and bar seems to be developing a craft bar program or has a resident mixologist (though I dislike that term — I’m just a bartender). It also shows no signs of stopping.
This is both a good thing and a bad thing: it’s great that there’s more of a focus on cocktail culture, that people are interested and thinking about it more, and that more places offer great drinks, but I worry that sheer quantity may impact quality. Not everyone has the same level of training. In the end, like most things, I believe that what’s good will stay, and what’s not, won’t. My advice: stick to the good ones and the classics.
For more information:
This interview has been condensed and edited for readability. Second and fourth photo, courtesy of Becca PR; third photo from Instagram.
No comments:
Post a Comment