Welcome to On the Menu, where we explore what makes a bar\u2019s menu unique, intriguing, and all-around delicious.<\/em><\/p>\n For this year\u2019s Imbibe 75<\/a>, we spotlight Mirate in Los Angeles<\/a> as a place to watch for its thoughtful agave spirits selection and playful but technique-driven cocktails. Beverage director Max Reis describes it as \u201can invitation to learn.\u201d And so, to learn more about the menu, we chatted with Reis about what inspires him, his approach to creating cocktails, and which drink on the menu he wished got more attention.<\/p>\n Note: LA was hit with devastating\u00a0wildfires last week, and the city has come together to support evacuees and first responders. Starting next Tuesday and for the next three months, the restaurant will be partnering with\u00a0Gallo<\/a>\u00a0to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity, which is\u00a0helping wildfire survivors<\/a>\u00a0rebuild homes or relocate to new housing. Although this fundraising initiative for Habitat goes through March, at the restaurant\u2019s Tuesday kickoff event, funds raised will directly benefit a Mirate bartender whose house burned down in the Eaton fire.\u00a0<\/p>\n Max Reis: I\u2019m inspired by everything that surrounds me\u2014my trips to Mexico and the many micro cultures that exist there, the city I live in, my friends, my team, and probably, most importantly, my experiences seeing what others are doing and feeling inspired to push the boundaries to create something I can\u2019t find anywhere else. Sometimes I\u2019m inspired by cutting technique, sometimes by Mexican ancestral beverages, sometimes just by the idea of creating something so off-the-wall it shocks our guests\u2014but we know we can make it memorable instead of confrontational.<\/p>\n We focus heavily on our spirit sourcing at Mirate. So it\u2019s really important to us that we showcase the name of the spirit the guest is enjoying. We also use a lot of unfamiliar ingredients. Because all that can be a little daunting to navigate for some, we provide a classic cocktail it can be likened to, or the drink it is rooted in, for context. We also showcase the predominant spirit next to the name of each drink, so the guest can understand the spirits they\u2019re about to enjoy on more of surface level, if they want to take a deep dive or are unfamiliar with the category.\u00a0<\/p>\n Currently, the Guero, an aguachile-inspired cocktail that has been top of the list since Day One. It\u2019s evolved and continued to evolve. But at its core it also invokes the same feeling of its culinary intentions. I like to think of it as our \u201cCelery,\u201d the most popular cocktail at [Los Angeles restaurant] Republique<\/a> under Shawn Lickliter, where I cut my teeth. Green, top selling, ever evolving, and always on the menu.\u00a0<\/p>\n I think all our offerings are unique. It was actually a challenge from ownership when we opened, even in our simplest offerings. For example, our Tommy\u2019s Margarita<\/a> uses a formulated, more sustainable agave nectar substitute we call \u201cnogave.\u201d And the spirit we showcase in it is sourced just for the restaurant. The goal is to not shove it in anyone\u2019s face. But if you want to dig deeper into any of our menu offerings, we can always go down the rabbit hole of cocktail technique. And of course, the great length we go to in order to source and showcase unique and often Mirate-exclusive spirits.\u00a0<\/p>\nImbibe: What helps you conceive of Mirate\u2019s cocktails and menu?<\/h5>\n
You include a classic cocktail name under the names of the house cocktails. Can you explain why you take this approach?<\/h5>\n
What\u2019s the most popular cocktail on Mirate\u2019s menu?<\/h5>\n
What makes Mirate\u2019s menu unique?<\/h5>\n