You may or may not have heard, but we're throwing our very first Bar Awards next week, celebrating some incredible bars around town (Want to join us? Tickets are available here). There are 28 bars nominated, and while we're all super excited, the Roger Room—nominated in the LA Mainstay category—took it a step further. They created a TOLA-inspired cocktail called the Mainstay, and it's goddamn delicious.
The base spirit used in the drink is Starr African Rum, which has its own special place in the Mainstay story. Mark Zarnow, Starr's creative director, is a Roger Room regular—"One of our own mainstays," says Roger Room general manager Matt Wise. The rest of the cocktail is comprised of Venus Aquavit, Hella Smoked Chili Bitters, Asian pear and lime juices, served straight up. It's a rum cocktail without the heavy sweetness of a traditional rum drink, and something you could easily down on a summer afternoon. We're a bunch of drinkers at Time Out, so it's safe to say that the Mainstay is perfect for us.
And speaking of summer: The Mainstay is part of the Roger Room's new summer menu, officially launching on Tuesday. We worked our way through the whole lineup, and can honestly say that every single drink on their new list is fantastic. Take a look at the entire collection of drinks below—then go quench your thirst here next week.
Alphabet Street at The Roger RoomPhotograph: Jakob N. Layman
Almost True at The Roger RoomPhotograph: Jakob N. Layman
Le Croupier at The Roger RoomPhotograph: Jakob N. Layman
The Mainstay at The Roger RoomPhotograph: Jakob N. Layman