Drinking ON OUR RADAR


Taberna Las Rosas ttttt The so-called “rebellious dive bar with a


tequila problem” is a lively watering hole in the up-and-coming neighborhood Allapattah. It’s not the place to start your bar crawl, but it is where $7 frozen margaritas (which are $4 on Saturdays from 6pm to midnight), a pool table and free arcade games will keep you parked and amused for hours. à 2898 NW Seventh Ave (tabernalasrosas.com)


f Traymore Gin Bar ttttt No matter what spirit you’re into, the Traymore will make a gin aficionado out


of you. The Miami Beach bar carries numerous types of the herbal elixir, which bartenders use to make an assortment of signature cocktails. The Collins Park— made with Bulldog gin, St-Germain, lemon juice, watermelon juice and fresh basil—is clean and refreshing. Looking for something more Miami-esque? Ask the bartender to whip up an off-the-menu tiki cocktail with gin. You won’t even miss the rum. à 2445 Collins Ave, Miami Beach (comohotels.com/metropolitanmiamibeach)


s El Grito ttttt Tequila? That’s over. In Mexico


f Commonwealth ttttt With more than 120 different whiskeys and


bourbons on the menu, Commonwealth has the market cornered on dark spirits. It’s where you’ll find the popular Japanese Suntory Whisky Toki alongside Irish and American varieties. Old-fashioneds get extra attention on the menu with a list of classics and spin-offs that includes a bourbon-based version and one sweetened with a strawberry balsamic reduction. à 1216 Washington Ave, Miami Beach (786-773-1813, commonwealthmiami.com)


BARTENDER’S CHOICE Leo Holtzman


SoCal Cantina à The Rock Hostel, 1351 Collins Ave, Miami Beach


How’d you get into bartending? I was in college, working as a magician part- time, and I wanted extra money. Bartenders are kings when you’re in college, and I wanted to be part of that. I memorized all the [bar’s] cocktails and said I had bartended before, but I lied. I learned as I went and was managing the bar by the third week.


Did you consider pursuing magic full-time? I never enjoyed the stage. I enjoyed that one-on- one interaction. SoCal Cantina is the perfect place; it only holds 30 people, so whenever I do magic, it’s like I’m performing for the whole bar. It feels like Cheers.


Time Out Miami February 9–May 17, 2017 40


and now in Miami, the spirit of choice is mescal, and it’s what’s on tap at El Grito—the city’s first true mescaleria. You’ll find the agave-based spirit by the shot and by the glass in cocktails such as the Kung-Fu Grip, a balanced blend of mescal, port cask rum, lemon, chocolate and banana. You’ll reconsider your standard margarita order after one of these. à 1766 Bay Rd, Miami Beach (elgritomiami.com)


Do you have a favorite local bar? I hop around; there are so many great places. I will say that I recently went to Glass & Vine (2820 McFarlane Rd; 305-200-5268, glassandvine.com) and had the most refreshing drinks I’d had in a while. All of their cocktails were light and citrusy, which is the style of cocktail I like.


What’s your hangover cure? It’s foolproof but difficult to do: Before bed, drink one glass of water, eat a banana, drink eight ounces of milk and then two more glasses of water. It’s hard to stomach, but the water hydrates you, the banana gives you potassium and the milk is a lactose protein. All humans are lactose intolerant to an extent, so it takes your body longer to process [the milk]. Every time I’ve done that, I’ve never had a hangover.


PHOTOGRAPHS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT): COURTESY THE TRAYMORE GIN BAR; SERGIO NASER; DAN VIDAL; COURTESY EL GRITO


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