One day, while walking around historic old Monterey, Vitacca came across a sophisticated restaurant that instantly drew him in. After speaking with the former GM, he started working at Montrio Bistro as a bartender. Fast-forward 14 years, and Vitacca has become known locally as one of the master mixologists (or “SpiritSmith”, as his business card reads) in the area. To celebrate the restaurant’s 15th Anniversary, he was given the creative freedom to completely re-envision the drink menu, coming up with a variety of uniquely flavorful drinks. Vitacca calls the drinks on his menu “eclectic, esoteric, original, and good-tasting.” He says that the “signature cocktail at Montrio Bistro is Saving Private Ryan, which includes brown butter-infused bourbon, walnut liqueur, chicory pecan bitters, and house smoked ice.” While this cocktail is “complex and intimidating to make,” its unique flavors make it ideal for “pairing with a heavy dish, such as short ribs or steak, or enjoyed by itself. “ Since he often finds inspiration in the kitchen, he worked with the restaurant’s executive chef, Tony Baker, to create smoked ice (which includes a laborious process of using a block of distilled water in a tray, put into a smoker, and drained by way of a hose, so that the smoke gets absorbed into the ice), imparting an earthy, smoky aroma into the drink. He also infuses the bourbon with browned butter (a process called “fat-washing”) to add a nutty richness. In addition to Saving Private Ryan, he’s also conjured up a variety of drinks that would satiate any patron. “Since a ‘cocktailian’ appreciates a unique, diverse list of cocktails, I had to create an array of traditional inspired cocktails with unique drinks, to satisfy a diverse audience.” For these reasons, they offer drinks named “Cool Runnings, the Mexican Manhattan, and the “Blushing Lady”, to name a few. With the passion to raise the bar and make Montrio Bistro the place to come for cocktails in Monterey, Vitacca takes the word ‘mixologist’ to a whole new level. His craftsman-like approach to creating a cocktail and the way he wields his arsenal of bartending tools, explains why he’s called the SpiritSmith.
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