LA's Best Mixologist

Had the weather on Saturday not been bone-chilling cold, I might not have discovered some of the best tasting cocktails in Los Angeles. Some friends and I moseyed from the open courtyard of Hollywood & Highland and ventured into the Roosevelt Hotel.

I suppose all we were hoping for was to clink a pint or two of whatever was on tap, and as soon as the Library Bar opened, we stepped up eagerly to the long mahogany bar to find a panoply of colorful fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.

I overheard Matt telling the other patrons that he had just brought these in from the farmer’s market that morning, and I filed that information away, but when I discovered that the only gin he pours is Hendricks, I knew we had found a special place.

As luck would have it, we were meeting other friends at another venue but we were eager to return later that night and so we did. I described my drink order: “I want something with lots of layers of flavor and with sage,” and Matt proceeded to measure, pour, tear, and shake in a way that harks back to the days of alchemy, the result of which was “Sage Heaven.”

The Sage Heaven is made with Hendricks gin with agave, sage, ginger, and cayenne pepper topped with blackberries. The one he served me varied a little from what is pictured, but until I update my camera phone, we'll settle with the photos taken from Matt Biancaniello's album on Facebook.

Ben ordered an "Old Fashioned," which was thoroughly updated with a twist. The whiskey was really smooth and light with an orange twist, which accented the taste nicely. Gabe had the refreshing "Melonette" pictured below.

Ken generally doesn’t drink but he does like his Bloody Mary’s, so Matt concocted his 17-Step “Mother Mary” which was the best tasting Bloody Mary I had ever tasted, as if you can taste an entire garden in one draught.

Probably one of the most innovative drinks Saturday night was "Lost in Laos" which Matt mixed up for Jason because he loves cilantro. It was particularly distinctive because it tasted what I would imagine it to be like in Southeast Asia. Matt describes it as a fusion of a Mai Tai and a Pina Colada and for me it was like taking an adventure through your taste buds. It's made with Hendrick's gin, curry leaves, keffir lime, cayenne, coconut milk, ginger syrup, green chartreuse, pistachio simple syrup and cilantro. The cocktail's subtle heat perfectly cuts the rich creaminess of the coconut milk and sweetness of the pistacio syrup.

The next night, Ken and I went back to sample the "Breeder's Cup," as a natural savory complement to the "Mother Mary." The cucumber highlighted the cool cucumber notes in the gin and the horseradish provided a nice bite to the finish.

Caroline On Crack's Bartender Mentor: Matthew Biancaniello from Efren Pardilla on Vimeo.

...while I had the "Last Tango in Modena" which was named among the Top 10 Cocktails in the US by Gayot, made with Hendricks gin, strawberries, balsamic vinegar and St. Germain foam.

Matt takes care not just to deliver a cocktail tantalizing to the palate but also to the eye with these visually stunning creations. Bravo Matt! for your achievements to date being named by Table 20 LA's Best Bartender and your continued passion in creating adventurous drinks for Angelinos to enjoy.



Punchlines
They really need to do something about this weather.
Perhaps we should scrap the whole idea of having weather in the first place.