Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/6221
january–february 2010 / the tasting panel / 61 h igh on a hill in Hollywood, overlooking Sid Grauman's fabled Chinese Theater, is a splen- did Japanese mansion. Yamashiro ("Mountain Pal- ace") was completed in 1914 to house the priceless Asian art collection of department store magnates the Bernheimer brothers. A 600-year-old pagoda, disassembled and shipped from Japan, graces the garden. Today, the sprawling complex is home to one of Hollywood's most popular restaurants, with spectacular views from nearly every one of its 500 seats. With its historic Los Angeles associations, the Moscow Mule has become the most popular vodka drink on the cocktail menu at Yamashiro, according to Beverage Manager Steve Wastell. Not only does Wastell craft his Mules with top- shelf Russian Standard Platinum for a decidedly upscale take on the classic, but he also serves them in special copper mugs recommended by Russian Standard. "When one guy saw the Moscow Mule on our menu," Wastell recalls, "he said, 'I haven't had one of those in 40 years. It used to be served in a cop- per mug.'" Westall immediately presented him the drink in its period-correct metal vessel, branded with the Russian Standard logo in Roman char- acters on one side and Cyrillic on the other. "The customer was blown away," Westall smiles. Westall deftness behind the bar may come from the fact that he's also a professional magician who performs at the nearby Magic Castle. For the ginger component, Westall says he prefers to use Elixir G ginger mix and lemon-lime soda, with the advantage of being able to adjust the ginger flavor to suit the customer's preference. "We're reinventing the Moscow Mule in a more authentic way, with real Russian vodka," notes Eric Davison, Brand Ambassador for Rus- sian Standard. The original Russian Standard is the vodka of choice for most establishments that are reviving the Moscow Mule, but as Davison notes, "Some of our accounts like to bump it up to Russian Standard Platinum for a premium experience." Chris Stenger, Russian Standard's Marketing Manager for Los Angeles, agrees: "There's been a real push toward Platinum among mixologists." With an icy Moscow Mule and all of L.A. spread out before them, Wastell's patrons at Yamashiro are carrying on a fabled Hollywood tradition. WhaT We'Re drInkIng Yamashiro Beverage Manager Steve Wastell, Rus- sian Standard Brand Ambassador Eric Davison and Los Angeles Market Manager Chris Stenger enjoy an icy Moscow Mule on the terrace of the Japanese-in- spired restaurant. The Moscow Mule works equally well with Russian Standard or its super-premium sibling, Russian Stan- dard Platinum. Yamashiro, hollywood