Food GPS - Food. Drinks. People.
Josh Goldman and Julian Cox, cocktail-driven partners in Soigné Group, created a historic menu at Acabar, a modern update of Dar Maghreb featuring shiny arch-framed doors, a firepit near the entrance ringed with marble and rose petals, fashionable tile work, and a zinc bar that’s one of the moodiest places to drink in Hollywood. Goldman and Cox divided drinkdom into historical eras like Archaic (1783-1830), Baroque (1830-1885), Classic (1885-1920), Post-Prohibition & Tiki (1933-1972) and Modern (1998-Present). Maybe I’m either an old soul, or have a liver that’s wise beyond its years, since an Archaic drink appealed to me, particularly the Acabar Sazerac ($10). Until recently this drink, created by Antoine Amadie Peychaud in 1830 New Orleans, was available on tap at Acabar. Now, the twist on an American classic is made to order with cognac, rye, Peychaud’s bitters and an aromatic, licorice-tinged Absinthe rinse. During my visit, the bartender said, “You’re in luck,” referring to the Knob Creek that he incorporated from the well. The drink may not quite have been textbook, but there was no ice or garnish in sight, and the Acabar Sazerac was still a damn good aperitif.
