Drago Centro's Golden Goose cocktail
Downtown’s Drago Centro launches its new fall cocktail menu (created by Beverage Director Michael Shearin and Head Bartender Jaymee Mandeville) tonight. So all night tonight, you get a chance to get first taste for only $8. The cocktails here usually run about $12 each.
Here’s the menu with some of my tasting notes as I was able to preview the cocktails last week.
- Autumn Night?s Dream – Martin Miller?s Westbourne Gin, Crème Yvette, St. Germain, Grapes, Lemon. Lovely gin cocktail, light refreshing, reminds me of purple. Love the garnish of small grapes. Girl drink, but a sophisticated girl drink.
- Cherry Poppin? Daddy – Karlsson?s Vodka, Velenosi Vischole, Basil, Honey, Lime foam, ?Lime Cherry.” Smells like soap, not crazy about it. Too limey for my taste.
- Dazed & Confused – Casa Noble Crystal Tequila, Creole Shrub, Cherry Heering, Rosemary, Angostura. Tasty, one of my faves. Tequila is softened.
- Eponymous – Appleton VX Rum, Cruzan Blackstrap Rum, Orgeat, Lime. Tastes like maple or brown sugar. Taste it through your nostrils. Complex. Reminds me of autumn treat.
- 5th & Fig – Bertagnolli Grappa, Housemade Fig Syrup, Fresh Orange Juice, Lemon. Good representation of fig. Compliments it nicely. Very drinkable.
- Golden Goose – Bulleit Bourbon, Fernet Branca, Fresh Cape Gooseberries, Maple Syrup. My fave. SO drinkable, too easy to down. Fernet is very faint. Out of all the cocktails we tried this is the one we almost finished.
- Greco Roman – Lustau Amontillado Sherry, Luxardo Morlacco, Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters. Not my cuppa. Kinda thick.
- Rimedio del Pazzo – Zaya Rum, Cynar, Sage, White Peppercorns, Fresh Orange Juice, Lime. Even though Cynar is softened here, still wouldn’t drink it. Cool garnish, though, an artichoke heart that was stolen from the kitchen.
- Sera Toscana – Belle di Brillet Poire Cognac, Benedictine, Brancaia Sangiovese, Ginger. Tastes like a peary sangria. Reminds me of fall leaves for some reason.
- Smitten With Britain – Tanqueray Gin, Chives, Lime, Fever Tree Tonic. Basically a gin and tonic but made green because of the chives which I don’t really taste.
- Smokehouse – Laphroaig 10 Yr Scotch, Clear Creek Cranberry, Apfel Korn, Apple, Fee Bros. Whiskey Barrel Bitters, Candied Bacon. The candied bacon reminds me of a scabbed knee, add to that the smoky Band-Aidness of the Laphroaig and you have a bloody, good drink. Perfect for Halloween. Heh.
So the big hits for me were the Autumn Night’s Dream, Dazed & Confused, Golden Goose and Smokehouse. Yummy stuff!
EVENT: TODAY from 6 to 8pm
Drago Centro
525 S Flower Street
Los Angeles, California 90071 (map)
(213) 228-8998
Facebook: Drago Centro
Twitter: @DragoCentro