DTLA cocktail of the WEEK: hill street bar

DTLA COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK By Drunk Bunny DTLA COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK tale of the TAZA DORADA

(THE GOLDEN UP)

DTLA COCKTAILS ARE BACK! No wait, cocktails never left. It’s the people who love DTLA Cocktails who are coming back! Welcome, Home! Soon, DTLA Weekly will host our infamous community cocktail mixer, DTLA Cocktail of the Week, and of course, all of our subscribers are invited. But, you shouldn’t expect the usual. Sure, there will be a chance to gather with community members and business professionals as we mix business with pleasure during our town’s Happiest Hours. Still, you know DT Weekly is going to give the traditional cocktail mixer a special twist! And a shot! To WIN. Subscribe to of Get2DTLA Weekly newsletter for a special invite to local participating bars and restaurants, with dates and times for a chance to Mix. Mingle. and Win at DTLA Cocktail of the Week. For now, our team has to seek out the best cocktails in DTLA, because.... we’ll just because.

Introducing the Taza Dorada at Hill Street Bar and Restaurant on 2nd and Hill.

Taza Dorada (the Golden Cup) is a tasty mix of lime juice, grape fruit, Tajin, agave and a well known tequila brand from Oaxaca called, Los Javis Reposado Mezcal.

Mixologist #kylethegreat seeks out a pair of cantaritos from behind the bar. Cantaritos are slightly heavy, palm-sized red clay cups that resemble mini flower pots, glazed with hand-painted designs. They have been used in Central and South America for drinking tequila since the ages of discovery. To prep, the Golden Cup, Kyle places a white plate on the bar and layers the bottom in sweet agave. Then he places another white plate beside it with a layer of Tajin seasoning.

Kyle presses the rim of the cantarito to the bottom of the plate. The ceramic cup is now dressed with a sticky sweetness that covers the edge with two smooth twists. Soon he will swirl tiny clay pot again, this time collecting the powdered lime, sea salt and chili peppers from the Tajin plate.

For now, the cantaritos will sit there empty and hallow, with their sugary tang powdered rims, but not for long, just until Kyle chops enough grapefruit and lime to garnish their twin containers.

Two chops of grapefruit, one for the squeeze and one for the garnish. Two chops of lime. One for the squeeze, one for the garnish. Empaled together, holding fast to the rims of the spiced cantaritos, the two fruits rest while Kyle prepares the fruits juice, ice, and mezcal for the cocktail shaker.

Los Javis Reposado is double distilled at around 40% ABV, making it a great mezcal for cocktails. After distillation, this mezcal is aged for six months in used American Oak bourbon barrels.

After a furious double-fisted shake, the dual mixes poured into each dark orifice of the authentic ceramic mugs.

This is where the Taza Dorada turns into a hidden treasure hunt. The cup is dark and opaque, so in real-time, you’re standing with a drink you can barely see. Only the crushed ice and the tall fruit statue stand between what lies between you and the hidden treasure at the bottom of the Golden cup.

You get the feeling as though this secret must be kept, and you may even feel the urge to sneak away from the bar with the drink to ensure you’re the first person to discover its treasures.

This is not a see-through glass that gives away how much you’ve ingested. Each sip is an act of faith that there will be at least one more tasty drop remaining. And when the drink is finished, the secret is revealed, you're tipsy. The drink is delicious and you’ll be happy to explore another golden cup of Taza Dorada on Hill Street Bar. @hillstreetla