0

Seasonal Winter Flavors: Five New Winter Cocktails by Ignacio Murillo at A.O.C. on 3rd Street & in Brentwood

Seasonal Winter Flavors: Five New Winter Cocktails by Ignacio Murillo at A.O.C. on 3rd Street & in Brentwood

Market-Fresh Seasonal Cocktails Crafted by Head Barman Ignacio Murillo Now Available at Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne’s A.O.C. Restaurants

A.O.C. debuts a new cocktail menu crafted by Ignacio Murillo

Suzanne Goin, Caroline Styne and head barman Ignacio Murillo, A.O.C. Third Street and Brentwood, California locations.

A.O.C. debuts a new cocktail menu crafted by Ignacio Murillo to welcome the changing winter produce and chillier temperatures.

In addition to the full bar of premium and classic cocktails, the specialty drinks at both 3rd Street and Brentwood locations include:

Satsuma with bourbon, tangerine juice, lemon, orange-saffron syrup & dried orange;

Death to the Espresso Martini with dark rum, silver rum, espresso, spiced coffee syrup & star anise;

Azteca with tequila, lime, apple juice, tamarind syrup & dried apple;

The Nagami with gin, lemon, kumquat liqueur, oro blanco grapefruit, fresh kumquat & rosemary;

The signature Fire & Smoke with mezcal, lime, blood orange, simple syrup, árbol chile, chili salt & fresh lime.

From his early days as a busser at the OG A.O.C. at 3rd & Crescent Heights, Ignacio Murillo always went the extra mile and immersed himself in the A.O.C. ways.

Ignacio Murillo - Five New Winter Cocktails A.O.C.

AOC’s Ignacio Murillo photo credit Suzanne Lanza

He came to every wine and cheese tasting, dedicated to being the best he could be, and made himself a key member of the A.O.C. family. Eventually, he moved to the bartender position, where he honed his cocktail-making skills, developing an incredible palate and a talent for layering flavors and textures in a magical way.

Murillo is now taking center stage, running A.O.C.’s bar program featuring seasonally motivated cocktails created to pair with Chef Suzanne Goin’s market menu offerings.

Cocktails are priced at $18-19 and are available now and continue through the winter season.

A.O.C. WINTER COCKTAILS 2023

 

 

Satsuma - Five New Winter Cocktails A.O.C.

Satsuma; photo credit Suzanne Lanza

Satsuma

bourbon, tangerine juice, lemon, orange-saffron syrup, orange

The Satsuma tangerine is a Japanese varietal popular amongst California growers. There are multiple varieties of tangerines at the Farmers’ Market, and I wanted to combine them with bourbon for a winter cocktail. To make this drink, I created an orange and saffron syrup to mix with the Satsuma tangerine juice to make an original and surprising cocktail that remains both juicy and spirit-forward.

Death to the Espresso Martini

Death to the Espresso Martini ; photo credit Suzanne Lanza

Death to the espresso martini

dark rum, silver rum, espresso, spiced coffee syrup, star anise

 

Espresso martinis are all the rage in Los Angeles and pretty much everywhere.

To take it to the next level, or at the very least, put my spin on it, I blended Caribbean dark and white rums and added a spiced coffee syrup made from condensed espresso along with a few secret ingredients.

The result is a cocktail that is rich, smooth, and eye-opening.

Azteca

Azteca; photo credit Suzanne Lanza

Azteca

tequila, lime, apple juice, tamarind syrup, candied apple

 

The famous Aztec tribe is indigenous to Jalisco, the birthplace of tequila.Since apples are at their best in winter, I love incorporating them into a seasonal tequila cocktail. This year I combined the crispness of apples with tequila and added tamarind for its bright and sour notes. It lives up to the strength of its namesake.

 

The Nagami

The Nagami; photo credit Suzanne Lanza

The nagami

gin, lemon, kumquat liqueur, oro blanco grapefruit, fresh kumquat, rosemary

 

My neighbor has a small tree that is packed with kumquats. He shares them with his neighbors and makes delicious agua frescas with the fruit. He explained that these are Nagami kumquats, the most popular variety in the United States. So I used them to make a kumquat liqueur, added fresh-squeezed Oro Blanco grapefruit juice, and mixed them with gin to play off of the botanical notes in the gin.

This drink makes a citrusy and tart winter cocktail.

 

The signature Fire & Smoke

The signature Fire & Smoke; photo credit Suzanne Lanza

fire & smoke

mezcal, lime, blood orange, simple syrup, árbol chile, chili salt, fresh lime

 

Fire & Smoke has long been A.O.C.’s most popular seasonal cocktail. Blood orange, with its vibrant hue, is mixed with mezcal and tequila. The addition of our fiery house-made arbol Chile bitters makes this cocktail a long-time crowd-pleaser.

Serving now and continuing through the winter season; available for lunch, brunch & dinner per operating hours

 

A.O.C. 3rd Street

Dinner

Sunday – Thursday 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Friday & Saturday 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Brunch

Saturday & Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Pick up & delivery

5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. nightly

Saturday – Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

 

A.O.C. in Brentwood Lunch

Wednesday – Friday 11:30 – 2:30 p.m.

 

Dinner

Sunday – Thursday 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Friday & Saturday 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

 

Brunch

Saturday & Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Pick up & delivery

5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. nightly

 

WHERE:

 

A.O.C. 3rd Street

8700 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048 – 310.859.9859

 

A.O.C. in Brentwood

11648 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90049 – 310.806.6464

 

ABOUT THE LUCQUES GROUP:

With the opening of Lucques, their flagship restaurant, in 1998, James Beard Foundation award-winning Chef/Author Suzanne Goin and award-winning Restaurateur Caroline Styne planted the seeds for The Lucques Group, a Los Angeles hospitality company that comprises two fine dining restaurants – A.O.C. in both Los Angeles and Brentwood.

Along with these culinary enterprises, the company also owns the Larder Baking Company and oversees Hollywood Bowl Food + Wine, which curates all the food and beverage outlets at L.A.’s iconic music venue. The duo also operates two new restaurants – Caldo Verde and Cara Cara – at the Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel.

The Lucques Group is dedicated to seasonally influenced cooking and focuses on sourcing local, organic produce from which Goin creates soulful dishes that are bold in flavor, vibrant, layered and complex.

Advertisement

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Thanksgiving in Los Angeles: the perfect stuffing bread DOES exist – and it’s… [Recipe Inside]

This Thanksgiving, the perfect stuffing bread DOES exist – and it’s brioche.  As in St Pierre Brioche Thanksgiving Stuffing

No Thanksgiving spread is complete without a hearty stuffing. While add-ins are a matter of preference, choosing the right bread is crucial. One underrated choice is eggy, rich brioche – and with St Pierre Bakery, you don’t need to go to France to get it.

Thanks to its butter and egg content, St Pierre’s Brioche Loaf provides the perfect balance of crisp toastiness while remaining soft and creamy inside, while its lightly sweet flavor adds a decadent quality that can still lean savory. Attached below is an approachable recipe for stuffing allowing for all the craveable crunch for the whole family with minimal effort required.

St Pierre Brioche Thanksgiving Stuffing

By @BrandiMilloy

Ingredients

1 loaf St. Pierre Brioche Bread
1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 medium onion, diced

3/4 cup celery, diced

3/4 cup carrots, diced

1 cup mushrooms, diced

2 large eggs

1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

3 sprigs fresh thyme, just the leaves

1 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped

1 small apple (granny smith works well), peeled and diced

Salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut brioche bread into 1” cubes and bake for about 10-15 minutes until toasted.

  2. Meanwhile, into a pot over medium high heat add butter until melted. Add onion, celery and carrots and cook until everything starts to soften, about 7 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes longer.  Remove from heat and set aside.

  3. Into a bowl whisk together the eggs, herbs, apples, mushrooms, and salt and pepper. Add your cooked vegetables and mix to combine.

  4. Pour mixture on top of toasted bread and stir to combine. Bake stuffing for about 45 minutes. If your stuffing starts to get too brown, cover until finished baking. Enjoy!

As America’s favorite brioche brand, St Pierre’s products are widely available via grocery stores nationwide as well as Walmart.

Holidays in Los Angeles: Dining in Beverly Hills: Mastro’s, FYC Bar + Kitchen AND Holiday Tamales from Tito’s

The Holidays in Los Angeles have never been more festive (or delicious) with holiday Dining at Mastro’s Beverly Hills, FYC Bar + Kitchen AND Holiday Tamales from Tito’s

The Holidays in Los Angeles at Hotel Amarano in Burbank

On Christmas Day from 3-10 p.m., FYC Bar + Kitchen at the luxury boutique Hotel Amarano in Burbank will be serving a special 3-course menu for just $70 per person (not including wine or cocktails).

Holiday Dining in Beverly Hills

The menu will include Butternut Squash Soup OR Radicchio Cup Mushroom Salad with avocado, chives & balsamic vinaigrette;

Apple Wood Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon with jumbo prawns, mashed potatoes, baby carrots & Brussels sprouts OR Pistachio-Crusted Roasted Sea Bass with citrus sauce, mashed potatoes, baby carrots & Brussels sprouts – and desserts such as Chocolate Lava Cake, New York Cheesecake, Apple Tarte Tatin or Crème Brûlée – along with coffee or tea.

Holiday Dining in Beverly Hills

The Holidays in Los Angeles at Mastro’s Beverly Hills

For classic Beverly Hills luxury, Mastro’s Beverly Hills will be open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, serving their fresh oysters, caviar, decadent seafood towers, steaks and sides galore, along with luscious desserts and handcrafted cocktails – even a  succulent Rabbi’s Daughter Kosher Bone-In Ribeye 16oz Steak for anyone celebrating Hanukkah (or who just likes great steaks).

For the month of December, Mastro’s is offering a special holiday cocktail – Under The Mistletoe.

For those who want their holiday meal from the comfort of their own home, Mastro’s Beverly Hills will have their famously decadent side dishes to go this year!

The following sides will serve up to 4 people, and cost $62 each:

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans with Sliced Almonds

Creamed Corn

Creamed Spinach

For a sweet limited time finish, Mastro’s will have a gorgeous Pecan Pie as well as a special Cinnamon + Pecan Butter Cake – a twist on their famed Butter Cake – both available now through December 30.

To order Mastro’s Sides, guests just need to call the restaurant to order from December 1-22  they can pick them up on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Mastro’s will be open Christmas Eve from 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Christmas Day from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM, New Year’s Eve from 5:00 PM to Midnight and New Year’s Day from 5:00 to 9:00 PM. 

You can find their full menu here & as you likely know, the ambiance at Mastro’s every evening is like a party, with live music and white glove service.

They also have 2 private dining rooms for large parties of 40-50.

 

The Holidays in Los Angeles at Tito’s Tacos

Lastly – we love the tradition of Christmas Eve tamales, but they take hours to make.

The beloved, family-owned since 1959 Tito’s Tacos offers both a succulent Chicken Tamale – cilantro grilled chicken and Anaheim green chiles wrapped in homemade corn masa & steamed in a corn husk OR a Veggie Tamale, fresh veggies and pinto beans, wrapped in homemade corn masa and steamed in a corn husk.

You can buy them individually or by the dozen and the best part is that you can get them delivered straight to your door.

For more info, go to www.TitosTacos.com

Orders can be placed online for delivery or pickup on or before December 23.

About Mastro’s Steakhouse Beverly Hills

Mastro’s Steakhouse in Beverly Hills is a premier dining destination combining world class service with an elegant yet energetic ambiance, making it a popular choice for celebrities, locals and visitors.

Located at 246 North Canon Drive, Mastro’s features live music nightly, with signature menu highlights such as bone-in filet mignon, USDA Prime, Japanese A5 Wagyu, and True A5 Kobe steaks; lavish seafood towers featuring fresh oysters, shrimp, crab and lobster served in a swirl of dry ice mist, decadent lobster mashed potatoes, and Mastro’s famed Butter Cake, to name a few.

Open for dinner from 5:00 p.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

For more info, visit www.mastrosrestaurants.com

Palm Springs: Executive Chef Michael Hung Unveils flagship restaurant, Navigator, New Elevated Dining Voyage in Heart of the Desert

Palm Springs: Executive Chef Michael Hung Unveils flagship restaurant, Navigator, New Elevated Dining Voyage in Heart of the Desert Play Ground

Executive Chef Michael Hung Unveils flagship restaurant, Navigator, New Elevated Dining Voyage in Heart of Palm Springs

The Palm Springs Surf Club announces the opening of their flagship restaurant, Navigator, on Friday, November 15th, 2024!

Photo Credit: Oscar Flink

This innovative new dining destination bridges the worlds of desert living, hospitality, and surfing.

Guests will experience dramatic views of the San Jacinto Mountains, explore the expansive 13-acre property complete with resort amenities, and marvel at the sights and sounds of surfing in the state-of-the-art wave pool.

Photo Credit: Oscar Flink

Leading the Navigator team is acclaimed Executive Chef Michael Hung. As the Executive Chef of Navigator and Director of Food & Beverage for the Palm Springs Surf Club, Chef Hung brings his culinary artistry to this highly anticipated opening.

Executive Chef Michael Hung

Executive Chef Michael Hung

Chef Hung’s impressive career spans from renowned New York kitchens Daniel and Aquavit, through San Francisco’s celebrated establishments, including the James Beard Award-winning team at Jardiniere, led by the renowned Chef Traci Des Jardins and Michelin-starred La Folie with Chef Roland Passot.

His culinary path has included Faith & Flower in Los Angeles which earned accolades from EsquireLos Angeles Magazine, and Travel + Leisure.

Hung’s talent continued to shine with Viviane at the Avalon Hotel, praised by Los Angeles Times esteemed food critic Jonathan Gold and renowned San Francisco Chronicle food critic, Michael Bauer.

Chef Hung brought his expertise to the luxury hotel and hospitality scene in Palm Springs as the Executive Chef for Steve Hermann Hotels, where he revamped menus at The Colony Club at The Colony Palms and SO.PA at L’Horizon Resort and Hermann Bungalows, earning a Michelin Guide listing for The Colony Club.

Photo Credit: Oscar Flink

Now, at the Palm Springs Surf Club, he applies his expertise to both Navigator and the larger resort’s food and beverage offerings, promising an elevated dining experience rooted in a global culinary perspective.

Photo Credit: Oscar Flink

Navigator’s Menu will highlight modern American cuisine infused with influences from renowned surf locales, including flavors inspired by Portugal, Morocco, Mexico, Indonesia, and Hawaii. Each dish is crafted with the finest local ingredients, blending global flavors with a California sensibility.

Signature offerings include Olive & Herb Dinner Rolls with Tomato Jam, Crispy Wagyu Beef Cigars, Hawaiian-style Garlic Shrimp, and large-format dishes such as a Pan Roasted Whole Rainbow Trout or the 20-oz Ribeye with Bone Marrow Gremolata. Chef Hung’s thoughtfully curated Vegan options,Sides, and inventive Desserts like the Crème Catalan Parfait and Valrhona Dark Chocolate Mousse promise an array of flavors for every palate.

Photo Credit: Oscar Flink

The Wine List, curated by Beverage Director Anthony Dougherty emphasizes California’s finest labels, while Dougherty’s Bar Menufeatures a refreshing selection of Handcrafted Cocktails and a robust Tap Beer program highlighting local producers.

Photo Credit: Oscar Flink

Service will be led by renowned restaurateur, Cameron Hirigoyen, who for 30 years owned and operated San Francisco’s classic Basque restaurant, Piperade. Cameron brings her graceful poise and deep knowledge to Navigator’s dining room.

Navigator’s design pays homage to the oceanic heritage of South Pacific navigators—surfers who traversed seas by the stars, currents, and wildlife. The restaurant’s décor reflects this maritime inspiration, with custom teakwood furniture, woven textile ceiling treatments, and a hand-carved outrigger canoe serving as a focal point for the dining room. The ambiance combines nautical aesthetics with a luxurious, natural warmth, creating an upscale, intimate setting for guests to relax and dine in style.

“We are thrilled to welcome Michael Hung to the Palm Springs Surf Club family,”

Colin O’Byrne

managing partner

“His creativity and expertise are an ideal match for Navigator and our overall vision at the Palm Springs Surf Club, which is to offer guests an elevated dining experience and amenities alongside the world’s premier surf pool.”

Navigator at the Palm Springs Surf Club officially opens for Dinner on Friday, November 15th, 2024, and will be open every Monday through Sunday from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Lunch is served Monday to Friday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Navigator serves Weekend Brunchevery Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

The Happy Hour menu is available from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm Monday to Friday and from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday. For more information or reservations at Navigator, please visit www.NavigatorPS.com or call Navigator directly at 760.205.3634.

 

Navigator

Palm Springs Surf Club

1500 S. Gene Autry Trail

Palm Springs, CA 92264

T: 760.205.3634

www.NavigatorPS.com

About Palm Springs Surf Club: The Palm Springs Surf Club is an unparalleled destination, blending state-of-the-art wave technology with luxurious resort-style amenities. Guests can enjoy various attractions, from a winding lazy river to private cabanas by the wave pool, creating a perfect oasis in the heart of Palm Springs. With three bars, two restaurants, and dynamic event spaces, the Palm Springs Surf Club offers distinctive culinary and beverage programs, designed to cater to every taste and every occasion.

About the Author
Joe Wehinger (nicknamed Joe Winger) has written for over 20 years about the business of lifestyle and entertainment. Joe is an entertainment producer, media entrepreneur, public speaker, and C-level consultant who owns businesses in entertainment, lifestyle, tourism and publishing. He is an award-winning filmmaker, published author, member of the Directors Guild of America, International Food Travel Wine Authors Association, WSET Level 2 Wine student, WSET Level 2 Cocktail student, member of the LA Wine Writers. Email to: Joe@FlavRReport.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to top