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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.

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At the heart of the campaign is the Pallini Spritz—now among the top three spritz-style cocktails served in the U.S. Elegant, light, and refreshingly simple (3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Pallini, 1 part water, served over ice in a large wine glass), the cocktail is quickly becoming a seasonal favorite across bars, rooftops, and at-home occasions. Pallini is supporting this momentum with retail cross-merchandising initiatives, encouraging consumers to bring the spritz ritual home.

Pallini Limoncello is distributed across the U.S. by Lucas Bols, the Dutch spirits company known for nurturing heritage cocktail brands. “Pallini is a rare brand that blends craftsmanship, legacy, and modern appeal,” said Brett Dunne, Managing Director, USA and Canada, The Lucas Bols Company. “We’re excited to help expand its reach across the U.S., bringing the spirit of the Amalfi Coast to American consumers and bartenders.”

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Tastes like a sports beverage , but with a kick: Vodkade the Ultimate Canned Vodka Cocktail

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Vodka in a can?

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Learn more at www.vodkade.com or on socials at @Vodkade_cocktails on Instagram and @Vodkade on Facebook.

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City Of Angels Chefs, Courtesy of City of Angels Food & Wine

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Event Host Chef Neal Fraser: Redbird, Vibiana – Downtown Los Angeles, CA

Chef Vartan Abgaryan: Momed – Los Angeles, CA

Chef Govind Armstrong: Post & Beam, The Lobster, 8 oz. Burger BarLos Angeles, CA

Chef Lindsay Autry: HoneybellePalm Beach, FL

Chef Franklin Becker: Point SevenNew York, NY

Chef Giberto Cetina: Holbox, Chichen ItzaLos Angeles, CA

Chef Josiah Citrin: Mélisse, Citrin, Charcoal Venice, Dear John’s, Openair, Augie’s on MainLos Angeles, CA

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This year’s City of Angels Food & Wine event beneficiary is St. Vincent Meals on Wheels, whose mission is to prepare and deliver nutritious meals to homebound seniors and other vulnerable residents across Los Angeles, regardless of age, illness, disability, race, religion, or ability to pay. St. Vincent Meals on Wheelsdelivers over 100,000 meals each month to seniors at risk of hunger and stands on the front lines for the homebound and vulnerable throughout L.A. County, especially during emergencies like the recent Los Angeles wildfires, providing nutritious meals, shelf-stable food, wellness checks, and even pet food. More than 250,000 seniors in Los Angeles face food insecurity, and many of them are isolated and homebound. For these individuals, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels is a lifeline.

This year’s Partners include Delta Air Lines as the official Airline, Chef Works as the official Hospitality Apparel, IceBulb as the official Ice Supplier, Waterboy as the official Hydration, and Vibiana as the official Event Venue.

Ticket Information: The Inaugural City of Angels Food & Wine will take place on Friday, July 25th, 2025, and Saturday, July 26th, 2025, and this is a 21+ event. A DELTA VIP Early Entry Pass will be held from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm and Regular Admission will be from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Tickets are on sale starting Wednesday, May 14, 2025. For more information on the City of Angels Food & Wine, please visit www.CityofAngelsFW.com.

 Transportation and Parking: Guests are strongly encouraged to utilize professional car services, such as Lyft, as alcoholic beverages will be served at the event. Self-parking is conveniently available in a Joe’s Parking Structure across the street from Vibiana.

Follow City of Angels Food & Wine for the latest updates on:

Facebook:  @cityofangelsfoodandwine

Instagram:  @cityofangels_foodandwine

City of Angels Food & Wine

Vibiana

214 Main St.

Los Angeles, CA 90012

www.CityofAngelsFW.com

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

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