Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/7240
90 / the tasting panel / march 2010 The Venue Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley has been practically beg- ging for an Italian restaurant as good as Firenze Osteria for some time now, so it should be no surprise that the cozy Toluca Lake neighborhood favorite comes to us thanks to two trans- plants from Florence, co-owners Jacopo Falleni and Fabio Vivi- ani. Behind the strength of Falleni's innovative cocktail menu and Viviani's classic Italian fare, fabulous might be a better word than funny when describing this gem. —Rachel Burkons The Joke (as translated from Italian by Jacopo Falleni) After a few too many, a man stumbles into a bar and says, "Drinks for all on me, including you, bartender!" So the bar- tender follows the man's orders and says, "That will be $36.50, please." The man says he has no money, so the bartender slaps him around and throws him out. The next night the same man comes in, again ordering a round for the bar, and again, the bartender throws him out, slapping him around a bit when he has no money. On the third night the same man comes in, and this time, the drunk orders drinks for all except the bartender. "What, no drink for me?" asks the bartender. The man responds, "Oh, no. You get violent when you drink." Law of Karma 1¼ oz. Karma tequila ¾ oz. triple sec ½ oz. pineapple purée ½ oz. homemade sweet and sour 1 squeeze of lemon handfull of diced cucumbers 6 sage leaves Place the diced cucumbers in the mixing glass. Add sweet and sour and muddle well. Pour the rest of the ingredients into mixing glass, Shake and serve in a chilled, green sugar–rimmed glass. punch line Born in the highlands of Jalisco, Karma tequila keeps good things com- ing with its blend of double- and triple-distilled spirit and the use of 100% natural well water, as well as only the finest agave with 24 percent or higher sugar content. For a dose of good karma, visit www.karmatequila.com. The Punch: Italian Margarita Jacopo Falleni of Osteria Firenze chooses Karma tequila for a smoothness that complements the Italian flair he brings to mixology. PHOTOS: MARIA SCHRIBER C M Y CM MY CY CMY K