Lido Bottle Works shakes things up with new spirits program
Recently, the Lido Marina Village eatery, which earned a place in the California Michelin Guide in 2022, secured a full liquor license that allowed the restaurant to add cocktails to the drink menu that already boasted 15 beer taps and a collection of wine.
'We have been in the process of getting a liquor license for over a year, but we just launched a liquor program about three months ago,' said Zack Lovejoy, bar manager at Lido Bottle Works.
The resulting cocktail menu is one that continues their commitment to seasonality.
'I wanted to make sure the bar program matched the food program. Chef is all about using fresh ingredients and we wanted to do that same thing,' Lovejoy said, as he was heading out to the farmer's market on Thursday morning.
Executive chef Joel Gutierrez is using stone fruit on the menu now, Lovejoy notes, so he makes an effort to incorporate that into the cocktail menu too.
'Right now, I am about to go to the farmer's market to pick up peaches,' said Lovejoy.
The fresh fruit could end up in a cocktail that pairs well with the burrata and stone fruit salad, served with arugula, cornbread coutons and peach vinaigrette. Lovejoy also makes an effort to stock the bar with local and independently produced spirits.
'We are all about the little guy, the locals, so we are trying to pull as much local liquor as we can, including stuff like Redwood Bourbon out of San Fransisco,' said Lovejoy.
Gutierrez said he has enjoyed adding another layer of hospitality to the restaurant.
'Zack and I work really well together and we have been on this plan of trying to utilize the entire ingredient, so that nothing goes to waste,' said Gutierrez. 'Even if it is just garnishes, we are trying to use the byproduct of that ingredient, which is really what the restaurant has been doing since day one.'
To celebrate the new cocktail program, Lido Bottle Works is hosting a five-course tequila and mezcal cocktail pairing dinner on July 31 at 6 p.m., in partnership with El Cristiano Tequila.
Gutierrez will serve a menu that leans into the Mexican heritage of the tequila brand and Lovejoy will pair each course with a creative cocktail that considers the restaurant's signature seasonality. Guests can expect dishes like a summer squash tamal and braised short rib birria, served alongside libations like a cara cara plum margarita.
'Doing the beer and wine pairings dinners, I am pretty comfortable with those, but this was one of the first times we got to pair with liquor, ' said Gutierrez. 'We really wanted to keep it playful and have fun with it.'
For his part, Lovejoy has worked extensively with the staff to make sure they are not only trained in the signature cocktails on the menu, but also classic cocktails guest might ask for as the bar catches on.
'We are excited and just trying to bring in a cocktail program that is at the same level the food has always been at Lido Bottle Works and to the standard that is expected in Newport,' said Lovejoy.
Lido Bottle Works' tequila cocktail pairing dinner takes place on Thursday, July 31 at 6 p.m. at 3408 Via Oporto #103, Newport Beach. Tickets are priced at $150 per person and include tax and gratuity. To make a reservation, visit opentable.com
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