EL DORADO BAR 1030 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101 619-237-0550 | www.eldoradobar.com This four-year-old establishment is obviously ahead of the game, because it remains ontrend four years after its opening. El Dorado Bar doesn’t have a fancy foyer or a particularly inviting exterior, but it doesn’t need either. They’ve created an intimate atmosphere where patrons can enjoy a hand-crafted drink and be entertained any night of the week. El Dorado’s carefully prepared cocktail menu, paired with nightly live music, makes this bar a destination for locals looking to discover quirky culture and underground entertainment. With swanky ornamentation, featuring Otis the buffalo (who has his own Facebook fan page), Indian warrior tapestries and vintage beer signs, El Dorado Bar feels more like a moody lodge in the country. It’s dark and warming like cozying up to a fireplace, and the bartenders will make you feel comfortable enough to do just that. El Dorado’s General Manager Steven Tuttle, who trained under bartender greats like Sam Ross of Milk & Honey and Philip Ward of Death + Co., explains that the personality behind the cocktail is just as important as its key ingredients. It’s that kind of welcoming spirit and community vibe that keeps the crowds coming through their doors. Not to mention, El Dorado’s rotating cocktail menu, their amazing happy hour, which lasts until 9 pm, and the bartenders’ willingness to share their cocktail recipes with customers. Go ahead – ask them how to make your favorite drink, and they’ll copy it down on a cocktail napkin for you. Our favorite winter concoction from El Dorado was their Winter Diamondback, a warming and unique whiskey cocktail spiced up with nutmeg and absinthe. And, graciously, Tuttle shared this distinctive recipe with us!
NATIVE
KNOWLEDGE
Instead of bestowing our usual fun fact or insider tip for this Native Knowledge, we thought you might enjoy a special holiday treat: El Dorado Bar’s recipe for
THE WINTER DIAMONDBACK! 2 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey 3/4 oz Lemon Juice 3/8 oz Cinnamon Bark Syrup 3/8 oz House-made Orgeat 2-3 Dashes Black Walnut Bitters Egg Whites Absinthe Rinse Zest of Nutmeg to garnish Add all ingredients (minus the absinthe) into a shaker and shake without ice to emulsify egg; then, add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a sour glass, rinsed with absinthe, grate in the nutmeg zest, and enjoy! 64 |
| Holiday 2012 Issue
Steven Tuttle of El Dorado Bar