at the bar
Limón’s to-go cocktails
way to go when developing a
“Our plastic jars are working
cocktails-to-go program.
great for us because they seal
“We are choosing to-go
nicely and are less likely to
cocktails instead of kits be-
be broken or damaged during
cause it ensures consistency
transport,” Castillo reports.
in the quality of our cocktails and makes the customer
THE ALIBI, Palm Springs, California.
experience easier—they just
Fussy drinks and made-to-
have to shake and pour over
order cocktails are out, while
ice,” explains Michael Gaines,
“sentimental classics” are
the company’s food and
in, according to co-owner
beverage director, who says
Melanie Tusquellas. “Cus-
Xperience kept the selection
tomers want to have stabil-
art canning system helps
of to-go cocktails to its top-
streamlined the bar menu for
ity and familiarity in drink
extend that freshness, so the
selling Margaritas and bottled
a cocktails-to-go program.
choices during these chal-
customer’s experience once
them. “Just like we observed
“As long as we have Mar-
lenging times. Our pre-made
they crack open their cocktail
with our dine-in situation,
garitas flowing, our custom-
cocktails were selected with
is as if they’ve had one of
guests are mostly demanding
ers are happy,” says Vega,
historical knowledge of what
our expert bartenders right
classic Margaritas like our
who reports the biggest seller
were simple best-sellers pre-
there, making the fresh drinks
House Margarita and Cadillac
has been the ½-gallon size of
pandemic and what would be
with them all night.”
Margarita, and at some of our
Casa Vega’s Classic Mar-
suitable for an ease of service
brands, true breakout hits like
garitas for $30, which makes
at home without a profes-
XPERIENCE RESTAURANT
the Watermelon Margarita,”
eight individual cocktails.
sional bartender,” Tusquel-
GROUP, Los Angeles. With Sol
he adds.
Cocina, Pink Taco, El Torito,
No changes were made to
“There are no changes to
las explains. “We want the
our recipes. We are still using
take-home cocktail to be as
Chevy’s and Las Brisas in its
its existing cocktail recipes
fresh-squeezed juices and the
reliable and delicious as the
family of restaurants, Xperi-
and glass containers—which
highest quality ingredients,”
same drink you order from
ence Restaurant Group de-
he says are “sturdy, re-sealable
she says. “The only modifica-
your favorite bartender at
cided being straight forward
and recyclable”—are the
tion we made was packaging
The Alibi. Customers seem
and uncomplicated was the
vessels of choice. “To ensure
the to-go cocktail in a 16-oz.
to prefer ease and simplicity,
freshness and efficiency, we
mason jar. For single serv-
so ready-to-serve cocktails
have our bartenders make a
ing margaritas, I prefer glass
are preferable and from a
fresh batch of Margaritas-to-go
mason jars as, in my opinion,
manager perspective they
daily,” he says. “We also added
alcohol does not taste right in
can be more consistent with
a ‘perishable’ label on the
plastic.”
less waste.”
bottle that reminds customers the cocktail needs to be
LIMÓN, San Francisco. Cocktail-
refrigerated and consumed
to-go customers at this
immediately.”
Northern California Peruvian restaurant lean toward pisco
38
CASA VEGA, Los Angeles. Christy
sours, sangria, maracuya
Vega, owner of this 64-year-
sours and Margaritas, ac-
old LA landmark, found that
cording to owner Antonio
the classics needed to stay
Castillo. Unlike Vega, Castillo
front and center when she
is a fan of plastic containers.
el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020
The Alibi’s Watermelon Daiquiri
