Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/44136
Brewster's at Four Points by Sheraton LAX: Happy Flight Bars at airport hotels rarely get palates excited, but with sbe's involvement at Brewster's at Four Points by Sheraton, mere moments from LAX, a couture cocktail is a dream come true for weary travelers. Explains Senior Director of Operations Boe Trumbull, "The unique surprise is that Four Points delivers the full spectrum of our unique beverage program." This is put to action by bartender Victor Hernandez, who recounts his time spent training under Caleb King, and who says that the outlet's unique take on a Mojito has people clamor- ing for more, wherever they're from. "They like it because it's made with tequila, but it's not a Margarita. They always ask for another one!" FOUR POINTS MOJITO ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Victor Hernandez. 1½ oz. Corzo Silver Tequila ½ oz. Cointreau 3 oz. lemonade ½ oz. lime juice ½ oz. club soda ½ oz. simple syrup Bar Centro: Mixology Madness Rob Floyd is somewhat of a mad scien- tist behind the stick at Bar Centro, inside The Bazaar by José Andés, which is the hotpot eatery inside The SLS at Beverly Hills, sbe's fi rst hotel outlet. There, he follows Chef José Andés's molecular motivation, with ingredients such as liquid nitrogen taking center stage at the bar—and on the drink carts. Katsuya Hollywood: Sushi Chic Among Los Angeles sushi afi cionados, the name Katsu-ya has long been synonymous with fresh, innovative Japanese fare, and signature dishes like the baked crab roll, crispy rice with spicy tuna and spicy albacore sashimi with crispy onion have been winning over sushi snobs (this writer included) since the late 1990s. Back then, the restaurant was a tiny hole in the wall in a Studio City strip mall, and before long, it was one of the hottest tickets in town, with Hollywood types eagerly waiting for their spot at the sushi bar. sbe, with its keen eye for adapting to success, partnered with the eponymous sushi maestro and design guru Philippe Starck, and now the fi ve Katsuya by Starck locations across Southern California are a feast for the senses. Of course, with an sbe makeover, a cocktail facelift was in the works, and now, visitors are greeted with exotic fl avors that entice the palate, such as the yuzu in The Dragon cocktail. "These are all really strong fl avors, and people are wowed," says GM Ryan McCallum. THE DRAGON ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 1½ oz. Grey Goose Vodka ¾ oz. yuzu juice ¾ oz. simple syrup ½ oz. Perfect Purée Ginger Half superfi ne sugar rim Ryan McCallum. 70 / the tasting panel / october 201 1 Rob Floyd. "We're smashing the idea of what a cocktail is," explains the Lead Bartender, who was a chemistry major at Florida Southern University. "Most of the time, people walk in here, and hear 'liquid nitrogen' and 'atomized Johnnie Walker Black,' and they never thought they'd see these things in a cocktail. It's a phenomenal experience." JOSÉ GIMLET ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 2 oz. Beluga Gold Noble Russian Vodka ¾ oz. fresh lime juice ½ oz. simple syrup Key lime peel Kaffi r lime leaf