Aztec-inspired cocktails - Bondiewithlove

Top line:

At Mírate, beverage director Max Reis is on a mission to change the perception of Mexican spirits. The best example might be the Tu Compa, their version of the famous Paloma.

Why now? Reis and his Mírate teammates have developed some of the most cutting-edge Mexican-inspired bar programs we’ve ever encountered in Los Angeles. They have just revealed their new cocktail menu to try.

Why is this important: The drinks menu centers around the work of small-batch producers in Mexico – no big-brand tequila here – and ensures that these spirits are ethically and sustainably sourced.

Why Tu Compa? Traditionally, a Paloma is made with tequila and a splash of grapefruit soda, like Squirt or Jarritos. But there are no such shortcuts at Mírate. Their version involves clarifying grapefruit juice in a centrifuge, adding pulque – made from the fermented sap of maguey, a species of agave whose origins date back to the Aztecs –, carbonated it and put it in kept internally. It’s light, refreshing and delicious.

If you ever get thirsty in the Los Feliz area, head to a bar/restaurant called Mirate in Vermont and go up a long flight of stairs with a red neon sign saying MEZCAL.

There you’ll find a partially enclosed outdoor patio on the second floor with lots of natural light and an indoor/outdoor dining area with a large tree extending toward the ceiling.

While the food at Mírate is downright delicious, with botanas (Mexican bar snacks) and heartier dishes, the cocktails lured me to the upstairs dining room, which feels like a sitting above the clouds.

The interior of a restaurant's dining room features four rows of small tables containing white marble tops, each with two place settings. In front of the table are four chairs lined up, all of which contain fabric seat cushions. A large padded bench on the other side of the table could easily seat four people. Behind the bench is a large tree decorated with green plants. Behind the tree is a white stone wall containing a framed mirror next to a pink wall with a black door. To the left of the tree is a staircase leading to an upstairs balcony. The dining room contains beige stone tiles and various large potted plants are placed throughout the room.

There, Max Reis, the beverage director, and his team developed one of the most cutting-edge Mexican-inspired bar programs I’ve ever encountered in Los Angeles.

They gave me a sneak peek of their newly revealed cocktail menu – they plan to introduce more drinks gradually throughout next year.

Their goal is to use sustainable and ethically sourced spirits using technologically advanced formulas, maintaining strong relationships with small batch producers in Mexico.

A man with light skin, black hair and a black beard stands with his arms at his sides. He smiles and his mouth is open, revealing his teeth. Both of his arms are covered in a sleeve of tattoos. He wears a blue short-sleeved shirt with different patterns. In the background is the back shelf of a bar containing rows and rows of various bottles.

You Compas

My favorite drink there – so far – is the Tu Compa, their version of the Paloma, which is traditionally made with tequila and a splash of grapefruit soda, like the Squirt or Jarritos.

However, this is Mírate and there are no shortcuts.

The process begins with clarifying grapefruit juice in a juicer and carbonating it. This is added to high-proof tequila, as well as pulque, a milky liquid made from the fermented sap of the maguey agave plant, which dates back to Aztec times. SO Mexican sake from Sinaloa is added and a little bittersweet pomegranate amaro liqueur.

It is then canned on site, to preserve carbonation, and poured at the table into a tall glass with salty white pulque paint.

When I tried it, I was surprised: it was light, refreshing and delicious, unlike anything I had drunk before.

Commercial Agave Farms

Regular branded tequila is typically produced from industrial and commercial agave farms, which are often environmentally harmful and rely on cheap labor.

Reis travels to Mexico once a month to maintain relationships with small farmers and ensure they are paid fairly. This also means honoring the product as it is made and not asking them to change anything.

“They don’t take care of us,” he said.

This desire to change the status quo does not stop there, however. On the can’s bright yellow label is a QR code that takes you to an online video game called Agave Defender. This is a naughty Space Invader style game, in which customers can explode flying bottles of Casamigos tequila – the poster child of the celebrity-owned spirit game.

I won’t reveal who the final boss is, as you should check out the game yourself. It’s a lot of fun and a memorable way to get their message across.

Reis offers a refreshing perspective when explaining his beverage philosophy: “We take everything incredibly seriously, but we also don’t take ourselves too seriously. »

The restaurant’s new menu (which looks like a photocopied zine, with crosswords on the back) symbolizes the start of Mírate’s next chapter.

Whatever the next chapter is, I can’t wait to see what they come up with.

Do you have a question about food in Los Angeles or something you want to talk to us about?

Gab Chabrán reports and edits stories about food and its place in Los Angeles’ diverse cultures and communities. Are you curious about a specific regional cuisine or do you have a recommendation for a hole in the wall you love? Are you looking for the best place to take your child to lunch? We would like to hear from you. Write U.S.