Koreatown: All the Drinks at the Normandie Club

 

The Normandie Club opened a couple of weeks ago in Koreatown, bringing great cocktails to Hotel Normandie. The hotel also features Cassell’s Hamburgers and Chef Gary Menes’ Le Comptoir.

The opening menu features spins on classic cocktails. My current favorites are the daiquiri with Singani 63, a Bolivian brandy, and Bloody Mary with aquavit.

Daiquiri – Plantation rum, Singani 63, Giffard Creme de Peche liqueur, lime, demerara

 

For a very good Manhattan variation, Normandie Club’s Manhattan features both rye and cognac as well as sherry and amaro. Being a brown, bitter, stirred drinker, I really enjoyed this one.

Manhattan – apricot rye whiskey, cognac, sherry, Amaro Nonino, orange bitters

 

I see the Spritz doing really well as we head into spring and summer. This would be perfect on a warm night. Don’t let the douglas fir eau di vie throw you, it gives you that refreshing sipper that’s a great alternative to a gin and tonic.

Spritz – Douglas Fir eau di vie, blanc vermouth, cucumber water, clarified lime, mint, fizz

 

As mentioned my other favorite drink is the Bloody Mary at the Normandie Club. When I asked bartender Daniel Zacharczuk what’s his favorite, he mentioned this one to me. It’s very savory and I almost wish I could sneak in a Cassell’s burger to go with it.

Bloody Mary – aquavit, tomato, celery, red bell pepper, savory spices, lemon salt and pepper

When you first read the ingredients of the Normandie Club’s martini, you might wonder about the honey AND salt but it totally works and doesn’t overwhelm the delicate balance of vodka and sherry.

Martini – vodka, fino sherry, raw honey, sel gris

 

Where else can you get a collins with an umbrella? The Normandie Club of course! Leave it to the folks behind Honeycut, Death + Co and so many other cocktail programs to turn a typically simple drink into a freakin’ delicious one. I love Campari and can drink this all day.

Collins – blanco tequila, Campari, pear brandy, pineapple, lemon, cinnamon, seltzer

 

The Normandie Club ups the OF game with their old fashioned coconut-infused bourbon cocktail. It’s subtle so don’t think it’s a pina colada or anything. Even a coconut-hater like me can get down with this — but give me the Bloody first.

Old Fashioned – coconut-infused bourbon, apple brandy, spiced almond demerara, Angostura bitters

 

Koreatown is now the new place to barhop. You could start or end at Normandie Club but definitely don’t leave it off. Hit up a classic dive like HMS Bounty then Pot Bar, Commissary, EMC Seafood, Escala and add in a Korean bar like Cafe Bleu as well and you got yourself a fine night.

The Normandie Club

3612 W 6th St., Los Angeles, CA 90020  — (213) 817-5321

 

© The Minty 2015