When it comes to Mexico and spirits, most people think of tequila, which has now surged past whiskey and even vodka to become the most widely consumed alcohol in the United States. But Max Reis goes well beyond that, and not just into mezcal (now ubiquitous enough that you can get it at Applebee’s) or even lesser-known indigenous Mexican spirits such as sotol, raicilla and bacanora.
At his Los Angeles bars Miraté — Spanish for “look at you” — and the new Daisy Margarita Bar, the native of California’s Napa Valley delves into Mexican gins, eaux de vie, rum and more.
He enjoys entertaining his guests by drilling down into details about the different producers and their approaches to creating their products, but only when customers are interested. Otherwise, he simply enjoys getting creative, using the latest technology and mixology techniques to create drinks that have gained him widespread recognition and praises. In fact, World’s 50 Best Restaurants recently named Miraté the best bar in the Western United States, and Daisy was just named a semifinalist in the James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards in the category of Best New Bar.
In this podcast, Reis discusses his approach to mixology and to operating successful bars, and discusses his upcoming bar Gilbert Perez, which will focus on rum.
Menu Talk is a collaboration between Restaurant Business Senior Menu Editor Pat Cobe and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News. You can subscribe to it wherever you listen to podcasts.
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