Post 88: By Invitation - The Edison Celebrates Herbie (LA: Downtown)

I recently received another invitation from The Edison to help celebrate the creation of the Happy Herbie, a cocktail made with Templeton rye whiskey in honor of Disney icon Herb Ryman.  The Edison pulled out all the stops for this celebration... there was a Model A parked outside the front door and a complimentary shoe shining station.  There were dancers on stage, dancers on the floor, and one in the air that twirled about using ropes and ribbons (and extreme core muscle strength) in a very Cirque du Soleil style.  It was quite the celebration.

The main attraction, however, was not any of the acrobats in the air or the props and services around the space.  It was the Happy Herbie.  A combination of Templeton rye, jasmine liquor, baked apple bitters, and lemon juice, the cocktail had a serene balance of whiskey taste and sweetness from the jasmine liquor and baked apple bitters.  John Maraffi, the Bar Manager at The Edison and creator of the Happy Herbie, paid us a visit, and we paid his some compliments.  We liked that there was still a hint of whiskey flavor in the drink without it being too strong.  We also liked that the lemon juice helped cut the sweetness just enough, but it was still just a tad sweet enough for some of the ladies to want a second round.  John let us in on some of his thoughts as he was creating this drink.  Not only was the cocktail named after him, it was also made using the liquor that is almost spelled out in his last name... how fitting.  It was a cocktail well done for a well known Disney icon.

We also tried some of the new food items on the menu, including the ginger chili Shanghai Wings and the yellowtail sashimi.  The wings weren't too bad, but we still love the items from the spring menu a little bit more.  Luckily for us such dishes as the Downtowner, Cabernet braised short ribs, and 50-50 fries all returned for the summer menu.  A new favorite was the Electric Squid, an urn of fresh calamari served with a trifecta of dipping sauces... cilantro honey lime, cocktail sauce, and a delicious aioli.  The calamari was crisp on the outside and tender on the inside without the least bit of chewiness.  Our absolute favorites are still The Elvis, The Merry Widow, and house made chocolate chip cookie.  Really, they are the best.  Hopefully everyone gets a chance to test out some of the sweets and the cocktail treats from The Edison soon.  Big thank yous go out to Arpi, Barbara and John for the gracious hospitality.  Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20120829/20120711