Manhattan Cocktail vs. the Manhattan

The Manhattan Cocktail that is being served today is quite a different recipe from its former glory days in the latter half of the nineteenth century.  The cocktail in it's original first appeared in books such as how to mix drinks as well as Harry Johnson's 1882 Bartenders Manual.  The forgotten recipe has a higher ratio of sweet vermouth than we know today along with orange Curacao, Boker's bitters and served straight up with a lemon twist.  Cherry's in Manhattans came much later as our cultural drinking habits changed.  

I've tried this version and prefer it much more than the contemporary Manhattan.  I've met others that said they've ordered Manhattans and thought they didn't like the drink but had they tried this cocktail they would have added it to their black book of favorite drinks.  I stress to use quality ingredients as opposed to what's less expensive otherwise you'll end up with drink that's not palatable. 

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com 


Manhattan Cocktail 

1 1/2 Rittenhouse 100-proof rye
1 3/4 oz Carpano Antica sweet vermouth 
1/2 oz  Orange Curacao 
Dash of Boker's bitters
Lemon Peel for Garnish

Place ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously and serve in a chilled cocktail glass with a lemon peal for garnish. 

How to have a successful Retro Cocktail Party

During the holidays most of us will undoubtedly be attending a party or two maybe even three. For Labor Day this year I had hosted a Mad Men cocktail party with food, drink, music and dress from 1960. It was a hit for everyone who attended and one of the highlights was a woman who came dressed as pregnant housewife, with a cigarette holder and a cocktail in her hand! Regardless of  what era or style you choose, themed parties always have a better feel, for not only the person hosting it but also the guests.

The first thing to start out with is a menu of light H'ors doeurves and cocktails that will not stress you out to prepare. Some suggestions are deviled eggs, turkey or chicken empanadas, Swedish or Italian meatballs with dipping sauces, bowls of nuts, sliced cheeses and don't forget desserts such as Harvey Wallbanger cake or your favorite cookies.

Next is the cocktail menu, this is not hard and I have an extensive list of drinks from my website to use.  One traditional Christmas drink would be a Tom and Jerry that's made with egg whites, sugar and the yolks a shot of rum and brandy topped off with hot water. This is an easy drink to make and since it's like a punch it can be served with a ladle in small punch cups.  Another drink that will add to the Christmas aroma is the Cinnamon Warmer  which is made with fresh pressed apple cider, calvados, apple brandy or Apple Jack, fresh lemon juice, fresh ginger, honey, cloves and one cinnamon stick, and sits on large pot on the stove under a low flame.  One more favorite that will be a hit is a Brandy Alexander with brandy, brown creme de cacao, heavy cream and fresh grated nutmeg and it's like dessert.

Now for the music, you can use some free resources such as Pandora and create your own artists but it tends to start moving in different directions at times.  Napster is a great and you can make your own play lists unless you already have an mp3 player with you own play lists. Some music suggestions would be the Rat Pack Christmas, Ultra Lounge Christmas, Mistletoe's and Martinis.

Now the final thing, the clothing guide!  Don't make it mandatory but the more guests that participate in dressing up in period style, will create a fun atmosphere. If for instance, the era you are going for is the 1950s there's a lot of clothing and style guides such as Everyday Fashions of the 1950s  that are from old Sears and Roebucks catalogs.  Another place to look for that swanky retro cocktail party look is Banana Republic which launched the Mad Men collection back in August 2011. The last place to check is you're local thrift or vintage stores and depending on the area and condition of the clothes can vary in price.

I hope these suggestions help make you're holiday parties a success and a real treat for everyone. May you have a blessed Christmas and Hanukkah.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

Cold Whiskey Punch a new American tradition

When I was growing up, when someone would mention punch, the first thing that came to mind was the Hawaiian punch concentrate with water and ice that my mother would serve at a party.  This is far cry from the punches of the nineteenth century that were all the rage at any party or bar of choice. Once again it is back in fashion and popular at several drinking establishments.  

One such of these delicious libations is the cold whiskey punch and was called an iced monongahela punch by a journalist of the Brooklyn Eagle informed his readers in the New Orleans in 1852. The ingredients when mixed together sounds so scrumptious, even the most finicky of drinkers may ask for a second drink.

Cold Whiskey Punch

One teaspoon of powdered white sugar
Juice of half a lemon or lime
3 oz of Rye Whiskey such as Rittenhouse
Two dashes of Jamaican Rum
One glass of shaved ice


Shake all ingredients together and pour into a stem punch glass with ice, garnish with two slices of lemon or other seasonal fruit and serve with a straw.


God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

Using Eggs in Cocktails

Being involved in the craft cocktail movement and knowing a few things about mixology there's been some question about the use of eggs or egg whites in cocktails from the last few centuries as well as present day drinks.

Eggs have been an integral ingredient in cocktails for at least the last two hundred years.  They add a silky frothiness, and body that a cocktail wouldn’t have otherwise.  The reason the egg was removed from many cocktails in the last few decades was from some bad publicity.  At some point in time it was stated that “eating raw eggs could lead to serious illness from salmonella.”

The FDA states that only 1 in 20,000 eggs has the salmonella bacteria. Nowhere does the National Safety Council's data state that raw eggs are a common risk; however, death from choking on food is rated at 1 in 5000 odds.  The odds of getting salmonella from an egg are extremely remote and you have a better chance of dying from accidental drowning (1 in 1,000), a storm related accident (1 in 3,000) or slipping (1 in 6,500).

Some drinks that include egg or egg whites are the following:  The Los Angeles cocktail, Tom and Jerry, whiskey sour, pisco sour and my own Angels Flight.  Try a few of these and you'll be a hit at your upcoming parties for the holidays.

Cheers & God bless,

John Apodaca

john@daddyosmartinis.com 

Fall Cocktails and Savory Appetizers

Daddy-O's Martinis in conjunction with Culinary Enterprises is hosting an upcoming vintage cocktails and savory appetizers workshop in Signal Hill, CA Friday November 11th.  The class runs from 7:00 - 9:00 PM and the cost is $40.00 per person. 


You will be able to sample everything that's made as well as participate in the process.  You will receive menus with all the cocktail and appetizer recipes for you to use at your upcoming Thanksgiving celebrations. 


Please sign up ahead of time in order for us to prepare the quantities of food and drinks.  You can register at www.foodiscool.com or call Monica Morgan at 562-243-3099.  Culinary Enterprises is located at 937 E. 27th street in Signal Hill, CA 90755. I look forward to seeing you there. 


God bless and cheers,


John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com  

Lion's Tail

Some of my favorite things about October is the relaxing scents that accompany the season such at cinnamon, pine cone, allspice, etc. One of the cocktails that includes some of these aromas is the Lion's Tail. It's from the Cafe Royal Cookbook from published in London in 1937 and since the term twisting the Lion's tail was American slang it must have been an American refugee that went to the UK during prohibition and stayed.

I've made this cocktail for several friends and they love it because of the flavors it carries. Give it a try at you're fall celebrations.

God bless and Cheers,

John Apodaca
john@daddyosmartinis.com

Lion's Tail 

2 oz of bourbon whiskey
3/4 oz Allspice Dram
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz tablespoon simple syrup
2 dashes angostura bitters

Put all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously, strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Nothing more standard than a Gimlet

If ever there was a drink that is so standard that even the most novice bartender could not mess up would be the Gimlet. Author Raymond Chandler mentions it in his book, the Last Goodbye as charterer Detective Philip Marlowe has one in the bar but wants it with bitters.

This concoction is made up of gin and and Roses lime juice. Yes you heard me say Roses rather than fresh squeezed lime juice. It's makes for a sweeter drink than tartness that could bring this brand of martini and could be palatable for non real martini drinkers. My personal tastes are to add a few dashes of real lime juice so it's not too sweet or another bent on the drink is adding Saint Germain but then it becomes a French Gimlet.

The drink was has several accounts of it's origin, one is that a British surgeon named Sir Thomas D. Gimlette came up with the ideas after joining the royal navy in 1879. He suggested that the men on board should take this drink for medicinal purposes, thus the name Gimlet.  Another origin of the drink is that it's named after a corkscrew- like tool that that was sent with lime juice containers to British colonies during the late eighteenth century. Like the Martini, we may not know where, when, and who really invented it but it's great conversation over a drink. Ask you're bartender to make one for you or try it at home.

The Gimlet


1 1/2 oz top shelf gin
1/2 oz Roses lime juice

Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The Ill's of sweet and sour mix

The reason a lot of people do not appreciate a classic cocktail in most establishments is more than likely it was made poorly with a sweet and sour mix rather than fresh squeezed fruit. This mix is nothing but high fructose syrup with artificial lemon lime flavoring, and preservatives which is not healthy. So if this is so bad, why to most "bartenders" insist on using sweet and sour mix?

Using sour mix can be mandated by management or the inexperienced  bartender might give you the "deer in the headlights stare" and have no answer because they don't know any better. Sweet and sour mix is cheap, keeps well and is a short cut rather than using fresh ingredients and it doesn't make good bartending . It also alters the taste of the cocktail so that most patrons will think they don't like a certain drink rather than the bartender taking an extra few minutes to squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice.

If you look in older bartender books from the nineteenth and first half of the twentieth centuries such as Old Mr. Bostons guide 1935, The Savoy Cocktail book or Patrick Gavin Duffy, it always states, use an ounce of either fresh lemon or lime juices. A well crafted drink need not be complicated but fresh ingredients are always required. Next time you're at restaurant or bar insist that the bartender use fresh ingredients as opposed to sweet and sour.

Cheers,

John Apodaca

Ward Eight Cocktail

If ever there was cocktail with interesting history it has to be Ward Eight. The drink was named after Martin Lomasney a teetotaler who ran for the Massachusetts Senate in 1898 and a group of  his friends would gather at the Locke-Ober Cafe near the State Senate house asked the bartender to create a new drink in his honor. Bartender Tom Hussion is said to have put together whiskey lemon juice, orange juice and grenadine, naming it a Ward Eight after the old West End Boston neighborhood where Lomansney was the representative.

It turns out there is some controversy if Lomansney ran for a seat in 1898 or 1896 and when the drink first appeared. Not only didn't Lomasney drink but he didn't frequent the Locke-Ober Cafe and it turns out he was part of the temperance movement that led to prohibition. I've had this drink at the Copa D' Oro in Santa Monica and at 320 Main in Seal Beach and am very pleased with it's refreshing and smooth taste. If you're in either of those places be sure to try it or make it at home and let me know what you think.

Cheers,

John Apodaca

Ward Eight


2 oz of Rye Whiskey
1/2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 oz grenadine

Shake all ingredients very hard for 20 - 30 seconds then strain into a chilled 4 oz cocktail glass.

Grandson of a bootlegger

This is John Apodaca from Daddy-O's Martinis. Not too many people know this about me but I'm the grandson of a bootlegger. Yes you heard it right, when I was a kid I would hear my mother, some of her sisters and brothers tell stories at family get together's about their father who was a bootlegger. His name was Frank Jaramillo, he and my grandmother Lorensa  (Laura) had 10 children that survived and he worked for Santa Fe Railroad in Albuquerque New Mexico. Back in the 1930s and 40s they were poor like a lot of people in those days and lived in a small three room adobe style home without running water. The railroad didn't pay that well so Frank had to do something to provide for the family and made his own whiskey and beer and stored it in a cellar,  ready sell it to those in need for a bit of libation to forget their depression and war time blues. I don't know too much history about his side business but he did manufacture it at home with a still.

In honor of my bottler heritage, here's a cocktail worth trying called what else but the Prohibition.

Prohibition Cocktail

1/2 Gin (top shelf)
1/2 Lilllet Blanc
2 Dashes fresh squeezed orange juice
1 Dash Apricot Brandy

Shake well with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Sqeeze Lemon Peel over top.

The Classic Stork Club New York

This is John Apodaca from Daddy-O's Martinis. One of the most famous clubs of all time that the former Walter Winchell said to be "New Yorks, New Yorkiest place on W. 58th street" was the old Stork Club.  It was a symbol of café society where movie stars, celebrities, the wealthy, showgirls and aristocrats all mixed here. 


It was opened in 1929 by Sherman Billingsley an ex-bootlegger from Oklahoma on 132 West 58th street but was closed down by Prohibition agents in 1931. He moved the club to E. 51st for three years then moved it to 3 E. 53rd street and it remained there until it closed in October 1965. Some of the famous who frequented the club over the years were Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, the Kennedy's, Frank Sinatra, Betty Davis, Elizabeth Taylor and many others. Not only was the stork club a great place to be but there was the exclusive Cub Room where it was carefully guarded by the nicknamed door man St. Peter who watched over the "gates of heaven". There was many movies and references to the Stork Club over the years and even a signature cocktail, invented by legendary barman Nathanial Cook that I've had a number of times and can confirm it's a winner.


The Stork Club Cocktail


1 1/2 oz of top shelf gin
1/2 oz of triple sec
1/4 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
1 oz of fresh squeezed orange juice
1 dash of Angostura bitters
Orange peel for garnish


Shake all ingredients for one minute and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Pisco Sour ( Peruvian Style )

This is John Apodaca with Daddy-O's Martinis. A refreshing drink you and your guests will enjoy for a tropical drink weekend is a Pisco Sour. Pisco is made from a grape and the drink is popular in Peru and Chile but two different bents on the cocktail.  Since the king of Spain had band wine in Peru in the 17th century forcing locals to concoct spirit from the grape they came up with an alcohol that locals could enjoy. 

An account is that the Pisco Sour cocktail is a variation of the Whiskey sour, invented in the early 1920s by American expatriate Victor V. "Gringo" Morris at the Morris' Bar in Lima. The cocktail quickly became a favorite of locals. Soon many of the grand Lima hotels at that time such as the Maury and the Hotel Bolivar began serving pisco sours to their international guests, helping the drink become an international hit. An old advertisement of Pisco Sour was published in 1924 by the Morris' Bar of Lima.

In Peru Pisco Sour day is celebrated on the first Saturday of February. Years ending with zero (0) are of special significance. The theme is red and white (Peruvian flag colours). When the Peruvian National Anthem is played all Pisco Sour's must be finished as a mark of respect.

Pisco Sour


2 oz Pisco
1 oz Fresh  juice lime juice
3/4 oz simple syrup (to taste)
1 fresh egg white (or 2 tbsp pasteurized egg whites)
1 dash Angostura bitters


Shake with ice and strain into a short glass, garnish top with a dash of Angostura bitters.

The Cocoanut Grove Los Angeles

This is John Apodaca from Daddy-O's Martinis. Classic style and elegance was Hollywood's golden era along with going to a certain nights spots to be seen. One of those places was the Cocoanut Grove at the former Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles where movie stars and performers frequented for decades. It opened January  1, 1921 and became a playground for some of the famous including: Charlie Chaplin, Clara Bow, Errol Flynn, Louis B. Mayer, Howard Hughes, Jimmy Stewart, Lana Turner, Frank Sinatra, Desi Arnez along withe several U.S. Presidents stayed there.  The Cocoanut Grove was decorated with beautiful Palm trees with coconuts and banana trees, a dance floor and many orchestras and performers played there as well.

The hotel hosted six academy award ceremonies and the first annual Golden Globe awards. In the 1950s the hotel decided to modernize the look of the nightclub lost it's charm and newer night spots where now the places to go. In the late 1960s and early 70s Sammy Davis Jr. tried to bring the Cocoanut grove back to it's former glory by featuring acts such as Diana Ross, Jackson Five and other but it didn't work and the hotel finally closed it's doors in 1989 and was used for filming until it's demolish in 2008. The Cocoanut Grove was to remain and be used as a school auditorium.

The Cocoanut Grove had a great menu that included excellent cocktails from a forgotten era such as the Cocoanut Grove Special and the Ambassador cocktail. I happen to have a menu from the restaurant dated 1960 but like demolish of the hotel alas the recipes for these drinks are also gone unless I can find a retired bartender from there. If anyone know's one please let me know to publish these classic cocktails.

Cheers,

John Apodaca

Cole's Pacific Electric Buffet

This is John Apodaca from Daddy-O's Martinis. If you haven't had the opportunity to make the trek to Downtown Los Angeles and eat at one of the oldest and thriving restaurant / bars, I encourage you to do so. Cole's P.E. (Pacific Electric) Buffet was opened in 1908 at the bottom level of the Pacific Electric train building where the red cars were stored. I recently watched two documentaries on the demise of the street cars by corporate giant GM and it's so sad that they killed the best public transportation system Los Angeles ever had. In one of the shows it mentions P.E. Cole's that was famous for it's French Roast dipped sandwiches and bar that has been there all this time and survived all the changes in L.A. even it's own renovation two years ago. 

Not only do they have a great selection of sandwiches and pies with fresh ingredients but also the famous Red Car Bar which serves up vintage style drinks such as the Old Fashioned, Pisco Sour, Whiskey sour and their own creations what else but the Red car and Ginger Rodgers. I've never been disappointed with the food, drinks, or service and highly recommend it for all to experience. Something else I need to mention is that Cole's is also home to one of my favorite vintage style bars the Varnish which unless you know it's there you could almost miss it and you don't want to do that. By sure to check them out, I hope to see you there. 

Cheers, 

John Apodaca

P.S. If you're interested in watching the documentary on the demise of street cars in Los Angeles click on the link. http://www.documentary-film.net/search/watch.php?&ref=158

Jack-in-the Box Cocktail

This is John Apodaca with Daddy-O's Martinis. When I was growing up, as a treat, once a week my dad and mom would treat my brothers and sister to various fast food restaurants, one of those places was Jack-in-the box. Don't be alarmed, they didn't serve cocktails only burgers, fries and shakes but I did get a kick out of the clown face where one orders food. 


Decades earlier, there was a cocktail called by the same name that I found in Old Mr. Bostons Official Bartenders Guide from 1935. It consists of Applejack, pineapple juice, and orange bitters and tastes as good as it sounds. Be sure to use fresh squeezed pineapple juice as opposed to canned. This is a great Spring and Summer cocktail, try it and let me know what you think.


Jack-in-the Box Cocktail


1 1/2 oz Applejack
1 1/2 oz Fresh squeezed pineapple juice
Dash of orange bitters


Shake very hard with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

The Sazerac

This John Apodaca from Daddy-O's Martinis. If you haven't had the opportunity to try the Sazerac do so. This is one of Americas oldest cocktails with origins dating back to pre-Civil War New Orleans Louisiana. The original recipe is a combination of Cognac and bitters invented by Antoine Amédée Peycaude in the 1830s and was considered medicinal at the time. Since it's creation there are variations of the drink using ingredients such as cognac, rye whiskey, absinthe, or Herbsaint and Peychaud's bitters. 

I had the opportunity to make one last night at the bartenders cabinet meeting at restaurant / bar 320 Main in Seal Beach using excellent ingredients provided. It was quite simple, I used a medium sized temper glass, placed one sugar cube in, added two dashes of Angostura bitters, four dashes of Peychaud's bitters, muddled those ingredients. Added ice cubes along with two ounces of Sazerac Rye and stirred for almost a minute until very cold. I sprayed the inside of and an Old fashion glass with four to Herbsaint or Absinthe (about 4 - 5 sprays) then strained the mixture into a rocks (Old fashion glass) without ice.  Afterwards zested a lemon peel ( you can also use orange) pinched it and flamed it in order to extract oil from the peel. I then rubbed the outside of the peel around the rim of the glass and placed it in the drink. The taste was so good, I had two.

The Sazerac


1 Sugar Cube
2 oz of Rye Whiskey (Sazerac)
2 - 4 dashes of Peychaud's Bitters
1 - 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
1 - teaspoon of Absinthe or Herbsaint
1 - lemon or orange peel.

The Truth about glass size for cocktails

This is John Apodaca from Daddy-O's Martinis. A few weeks ago I shared with you about glass size really matters for quality cocktails.  I mentioned that since we live in this super sized nation where everything has gotten larger for the sake of assuming that more is better is a fallacy!

As I research many recipes from the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries, I noticed many of them say to shake with cracked ice and pour into a three ounce glass. Three ounces to most doesn't sound too big or that they wouldn't be getting they're  moneys worth. However, one of my fellow bartender friends, Jason at 320 Main in Seal Beach says, " the last sip should taste as good as the first". Standard size in most bars and restaurants is about seven to twelve inches but as I mentioned  in an earlier blog, after a few minutes, the drink loses it's initial chill along with flavor. A patron has to either choose to chug the drink like beer or order another one rather than sipping.

Some of the newer bars in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego that I visited that carefully craft cocktails are using about four to five ounce glasses, to me that's a right size and the flavor will last. Another advantage of smaller size is a person will be able to enjoy two to three cocktails without getting too intoxicated. I recently spoke with one restaurant manager and he said his patrons would never go for that but I find the opposite is true since now many establishments are serving as part of their menus smaller food portions such as sliders or small hot wings plates.

You can find a variety of smaller glass sizes either on line or restaurant and bar supply stores for reasonable prices. Your comments are welcome.

Cheers,

John Apodaca

Twelve Mile Limit Cocktail

This is John Apodaca from Daddy-O's Martinis and I want to introduce a cocktail with some interesting history behind it called the Twelve Mile Limit. During Prohibition there were gambling ships parked three miles off the coasts of several cities, such as the Rex in Santa Monica bay. Clients could take water taxis three miles out to sea to be able to drink and gamble freely where they couldn't do this legally on dry ground. In honor of the distance, there was a drink called the three mile limit, but after the U.S. government, along with the I.R.S., found out about these ships and extended the boundary to 12 miles thus the twelve mile limit was invented.  The 12 Mile limit was stronger than it's cousin the three mile but nonetheless very tasty for the rebells that enjoyed good libations and gambling in spite of the long arm of the feds. Give it a try at your next party.

The Twelve Mile Limit


1 oz White Rum (Recommended Appleton White Jamaican)
1/2 oz Rye Whiskey
1/2 oz Brandy such as (Hennessey)
1/2 oz Grenadine
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Radio Room at the Edison

Hi this John from Daddy-O's Martinis. I attended the Edison Bar in Downtown Los Angeles last Tuesday for their Radio Room ( a night where they have featured bartenders with specialty drinks and a band).  The tickets for the event were $10.00 per person so a friend and I attended to see what kind of drinks the guest bartenders would craft along with the type of music performed.

The featured bartenders were located at various bar stations throughout the club along side the regular staff, however the club neglected to mention who were these guest bartenders and what  particular drinks they were creating. The featured drinks where $14.00 each as opposed to the normal prices at the Edison and we were given a choice to buy tickets for the specialty cocktails at the entrance or buy them individually at the bar in order to simplify it for the club, I found this more confusing.

 It would have been nice to have these bartenders do some demonstrations and explain what their signature drinks were. I was told by one of the featured bartender from New York, " I'm only making these two drinks", from the list I was given and they were good, but nothing I'd ask for again at those prices per drink. I wanted to keep a tab open and try another bar, this particular bartender told me my credit card is in the system and it's all connected, not true. I tried ordering at a bar, across the room and was told he the guest bartender didn't understand how things work. At that point I closed out my card at the first bar, went and ordered from the regular Edison menu. My friend and I found a place to sit and drink then the band started which was no more than a small marching band in overdone costumes playing music that belongs on a football field at half time with overweight women attempting belly dancing to the music.

My overall experience is that, I probably won't be back at the Edison for Radio room night, the place is fun but for a very general audience. There's better places for those who's focus is well crafted cocktails with less confusion and not marching bands.

Cheers,

John Apodaca

First and Hope Supper Club

This is John Apodaca from Daddy-O's Martinis and I had the opportunity to attend the grand opening of a brand new restaurant / bar called First and Hope Supper Club.  Located in Downtown Los Angeles, at 710 West 1st Street at Hope across from Disney Concert Hall and the Music Center.  The main bar and dinning area are splendidly decorated in a mid century Mad Men look while the smaller lounge/ bar in the back called the Fedora Lounge has a more Art Deco feel to it.

Bartenders and wait staff are dressed in a throwback to the past with white waist jackets, white dress shirts, ties and black trousers, a very classy look not seen in more than 50 years in finer establishments. The uniforms were created by the costume designer of the T.V.show Mad Men and couldn't have done a better job.

The Cocktails that were crafted by expert bartenders, some of the best, since the bar manager Aiden Demarest (formerly from the Edison bar) overseas the spirits and bar menu.  Some friends and I had a chance to sample some tasty libations such as La Revelation, The Statesmen, and The Baby Daisy and none us were disappointed. We also had samples of Hors D'oeuvres that were a celebration in the palate such as the bacon fudge, mini finger sandwiches with roast beef, and cotton candy balls to name a few.

First and Hope is a must for dining and drinking and should be a a priority when visiting Downtown Los Angeles. Please let your friends and family know about it on your social networks.

Cheers,

John Apodaca