Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/61075
VEGAS Raising The Bar In Las Vegas MICHAEL SHETLER, ARIA'S DIRECTOR OF BEVERAGE REVEALS WHAT'S HOT AND WHAT'S NOT story and photo by Richard Carleton Hacker O verseeing 19 restaurants and cocktail lounges within a cutting-edge Las Vegas environment, Michael Shetler, ARIA's Director of Beverage has a practical perspective of what makes bar service work. Moreover, he is a barometer of what's hot and what's not. We cornered him over cocktails recently to obtain these revelations: What's Hot Skinny Drinks: "But the challenge is, how do you make them taste good? Low calorie spirits—and some of them are very well-made—are low in sugar and alcohol, so they're lacking somewhat in body and flavor. That's why I'm focusing on fresh fruit ingredients for low-calorie offerings on each of our lounge menus, along with housemade mixers and fresh juices to naturally enhance the sugar level lacking in the spirits." Artisanal and High-Quality Mixers: "You can have a beautifully crafted spirit, but using tonic water from a BIB defeats the purpose. Products like Fever-Tree and other high quality mixers really make a difference, especially for the level of ARIA, where it's very important how we present ourselves and our brands to our customers." Retro Cocktails: "The classics are tried and true for a reason—we're just discovering new ways to put a modern twist on them. That's why gin is making a strong comeback, as people discover its versatility and depth of flavor." Apéritifs: Aperol alone has seen a 300 percent growth in the past year in Las Vegas, mainly because it's light, lower in calories and alcohol and works well with base spirits. At Sirio, Executive Chef Vincenzo Scarmiglia also does three house- made limoncellos—truffle, chocolate, and lemon—which will be incorporated into the amaro cart. Absinthe: "It continues to be strong in Las Vegas because we have people from all over the country who may have never had it. That's why we have an absinthe cart at Sage and perform la louche [traditional absinthe dilution]. It gets people excited about trying absinthe, and that's part of our role as culinary and beverage professionals: to get people excited about what they're eating and drinking. And theatrics and presentation are two ways of doing that." What's Not Housemade Bitters: "I think they've come and gone [in Vegas], although you're going to still see a lot of that in cocktail culture cities like San Francisco, Chicago and New York." Ultra-Mixology Bars: "Instead, you're going to have a synergy of bars that take their cocktails and mixology programs seriously, but they won't go to extremes, where you have to wait half an hour to get in the door and then wait another 45 minutes to get a cocktail. That kind of defeats the purpose of what a bar is supposed to be. Being a quality mixologist is not only about creating a beautiful product; it's about speed, efficiency, conversation with the guest and offering a complete experience." 48 / the tasting panel / april 2012 Michael Shetler, Director of Beverage for ARIA Resort & Casino at CityCenter in Las Vegas, at the Sage restaurant's bar with an Il Postino cocktail, created exclusively for ARIA by Francesco Lafranconi, National Director of Mixology & Spirits Educator for Southern Wine & Spirits of America. It features Plymouth Gin, Campari, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur and Averna Amaro and is garnished with Castelvetrano olives and a grapefruit peel.