When the Ètra team introduces new cocktails at their Melrose Hill restaurant next week, owners Andrew Lawson and chef Evan Algorri will breathe a sigh of relief. It’s been a long road since the pair applied for California’s highly competitive Alcoholic
Beverage Control Priority Registration Drawing. The state’s annual lottery drawing for a new liquor license allows Los Angeles restaurants to catapult from wine and beer into the realm of serving gin, rum, vodka, and other spirits. A license like this can be meaningful for a restaurant such as Ètra, which has introduced its inaugural drinks menu to pair with the Cal-Italian fare that has made it so popular.
“It took a long time, but we got it,” says Lawson. “We’re excited. The story behind these drinks feels like a family affair.”
Lawson and Algorri tapped Republique’s Thomas Eslinger (who is married to one of Ètra’s team members) to develop the drinks. The restaurant now has five cocktails for diners to try, with more to follow in the coming months. I recently got to try the elderflower spritz, which arrived light, herbaceous, and bubbly. The gin negroni paired shockingly well with a bluefin tuna crudo bathed in salsa macha Calabrese. As an alcohol lightweight, I typically avoid martinis, but Ètra’s comes in a mini cicchetti size, both standard and dirty. After three sips, my martini prepared with vermouth, Meyer lemon, and green olive oil disappeared, and it felt splendidly refreshing.
Diners can already sip Ètra’s new cocktails, but the official drinks menu launches the week of September 28 while the bartenders and staff get their bearings. If you’re lucky enough to find Lawson behind the bar, ask him questions about the spirits and process. His longtime knowledge of wine and alcohol pairings, partnered with decades of hospitality service, shines through. As do Algorri’s dishes (especially the spicy campanelle alla vodka with tiger prawns) on any given night.
Lielle’s is ready for its LA Times close-up
Los Angeles Times reviewer Bill Addison has strong praise for chef Marcus Jernmark’s Lielle, calling the Pico-Robertson restaurant the “new crown jewel of L.A. dining.”
Lawry’s new burger, fries, and milkshake, oh my!
Lawry’s the Prime Rib will serve a collaborative meal with artist Gary Baseman and one of the region’s most beloved brands, See’s Candies. The Baseman Meal is a Prime Rib Burger ground on site, plus a hot fudge–topped vanilla shake with sprinkles of See’s Candies. After feasting on the burger and dipping fries into that shake, diners will leave with a print by Baseman. This special menu runs from September 30 until November 6 for $79. Make a reservation on Lawry’s site.
Support Los Angeles queer nightlife
The Los Angeles Times published a piece asking a pointed question: why are queer L.A. nightclubs disappearing from Facebook and Instagram? Multiple Southern California clubs and event groups, including Downtown’s Precinct and Club Cobra, rely on social media to promote their communities, and reported that their profiles were taken down. The accounts were later restored after the Times’ story went live on September 22. If there’s any takeaway, it’s that now be the time for a return visit to these essential spaces.
More for the table:
- My colleague Rebecca Roland uncovered some fascinating background about Rumi’s Kitchen. If you haven’t read the story about the Persian restaurant yet, catch it on Eater Los Angeles.
- Los Angeles’s resurrected restaurants trend continues with the revival of mid-aughts daytime destination the Hart and the Hunter.
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that September 25 is officially Dolly Parton Day, writes KTLA. The iconic figure, songwriter, producer, and actor died in August, starred in the legendary movie 9 to 5, and wrote the movie’s title song “9 to 5.” Parton maintained strong California roots and was a regular at Silver Lake’s long-departed restaurant El Chavo.
