Welcome to On the Menu, the place we discover what makes a bar’s menu distinctive, intriguing, and all-around scrumptious.

For this yr’s Imbibe 75, we highlight Mirate in Los Angeles as a spot to observe for its considerate agave spirits choice and playful however technique-driven cocktails. Beverage director Max Reis describes it as “an invite to study.” And so, to study extra concerning the menu, we chatted with Reis about what conjures up him, his method to creating cocktails, and which drink on the menu he wished received extra consideration.

Observe: LA was hit with devastating wildfires final week, and town has come collectively to help evacuees and first responders. Beginning subsequent Tuesday and for the following three months, the restaurant shall be partnering with Gallo to lift funds for Habitat for Humanity, which is serving to wildfire survivors rebuild houses or relocate to new housing. Though this fundraising initiative for Habitat goes via March, on the restaurant’s Tuesday kickoff occasion, funds raised will instantly profit a Mirate bartender whose home burned down within the Eaton fireplace. 

Imbibe: What helps you conceive of Mirate’s cocktails and menu?

Max Reis: I’m impressed by all the pieces that surrounds me—my journeys to Mexico and the numerous micro cultures that exist there, town I stay in, my associates, my staff, and doubtless, most significantly, my experiences seeing what others are doing and feeling impressed to push the boundaries to create one thing I can’t discover wherever else. Typically I’m impressed by reducing method, typically by Mexican ancestral drinks, typically simply by the concept of making one thing so off-the-wall it shocks our company—however we all know we are able to make it memorable as a substitute of confrontational.

You embrace a basic cocktail identify below the names of the home cocktails. Are you able to clarify why you’re taking this method?

We focus closely on our spirit sourcing at Mirate. So it’s actually essential to us that we showcase the identify of the spirit the visitor is having fun with. We additionally use lots of unfamiliar substances. As a result of all that may be just a little formidable to navigate for some, we offer a basic cocktail it may be likened to, or the drink it’s rooted in, for context. We additionally showcase the predominant spirit subsequent to the identify of every drink, so the visitor can perceive the spirits they’re about to get pleasure from on extra of floor degree, in the event that they need to take a deep dive or are unfamiliar with the class. 

What’s the preferred cocktail on Mirate’s menu?

At present, the Guero, an aguachile-inspired cocktail that has been prime of the listing since Day One. It’s advanced and continued to evolve. However at its core it additionally invokes the identical feeling of its culinary intentions. I like to consider it as our “Celery,” the preferred cocktail at [Los Angeles restaurant] Republique below Shawn Lickliter, the place I reduce my tooth. Inexperienced, prime promoting, ever evolving, and all the time on the menu. 

What makes Mirate’s menu distinctive?

I believe all our choices are distinctive. It was truly a problem from possession once we opened, even in our easiest choices. For instance, our Tommy’s Margarita makes use of a formulated, extra sustainable agave nectar substitute we name “nogave.” And the spirit we showcase in it’s sourced only for the restaurant. The objective is to not shove it in anybody’s face. However if you wish to dig deeper into any of our menu choices, we are able to all the time go down the rabbit gap of cocktail method. And naturally, the good size we go to as a way to supply and showcase distinctive and sometimes Mirate-exclusive spirits. 

You provide an expansive number of Mexican spirits, not simply agave, but additionally rum and vodka. Why is that essential to you?

I noticed years in the past when working a purely agave bar that if I achieved my objective when it comes to gross sales and quantity, we had been drastically depleting a spirit that, at its core, is unsustainable to supply and devour at our present international quantity. When opening Mirate, I made a decision to showcase a higher deal of what I really feel are extra sustainable choices of Mexican sprints, particularly in cocktails, in addition to elevate the dialog of Mexican spirits generally, showcasing the superb range the spirits tradition of Mexico has to supply. 

What’s a drink or a component of the menu that you just’d like get extra consideration and why?

One of many parts of our menu I want extra individuals delved into is our ancestral beverage providing part, resembling pulque and tepache. I take immense satisfaction in providing them of their genuine format so when somebody enjoys them in a cocktail, they’ll satiate their newfound curiosity of the ingredient in its pure type. It helps shine a lightweight on elements of Mexican tradition quite common all through its residence nation, that don’t typically permeate the remainder of the world. 

What do you hope individuals take away from their expertise at Mirate?

I hope individuals depart Mirate with their minds completely blown by the quantity of thought we put into our work—from the producers we proudly help, to the method and execution of our drinks; to have curiosity of issues they by no means knew existed that make them wanting to return and additional discover; and, in fact, to have a complete blast as a result of we weren’t pretentious (which, whenever you examine our program on paper, we may completely be). We don’t need to alienate individuals with the unknown or make them really feel silly. We wish them to really feel taken on a journey, and, in fact, have an unimaginable and memorable time after they’re on it.

On the flip aspect, I additionally need them to query why we’re serving such prime quality and distinctive spirits, after they can go down the street for a similar value and get some mass-produced spirit targeted extra on branding than the precise spirit. I would like them to know they’ll affordably get high quality merchandise supporting actual folks that deserve help, as a substitute of paying junk that funds mass promoting campaigns and celebration busses for bartenders. In fact, we’re well mannered and use hospitality to navigate that, increase the manufacturers we supply, as a substitute of tearing manufacturers down (effectively … besides typically … sorry not sorry, movie star tequila I shall not identify). Most significantly, although, I would like individuals to have a enjoyable and superb time and really feel group, which is the guts of any good bar.