Radio Room at the Edison Conquers LA, NYC to Follow in 2011

On March 29th, I attended the Radio Room Preview at the Edison, Downtown Los Angeles. Andrew Meieran's prohibition era themed bar with Director of Spirits, Joseph Brooke, is the center of cocktailing and the luster of the new LA Nightlife.

The exploding LA cocktail, restaurant, and bar scene has transformed Downtown Los Angeles in recent years from a ghost town to the center of our universe, and the Radio Room is a celebration of this new LA culture.



The stylish and ultra-hip Edison is the setting for a monthly gathering of the top bartenders in our vice du jour, cocktails. On Monday night the visiting bartenders were Zane Harris(Seattle), Simon Ford(London/NYC), Giuseppe Gonzalez(NYC), and Don Lee(NYC).


Why so many New York City guys you ask? Well, it's not just the green fairy talking, although she can be quite influential, but the Edison in coming to New York City.


It's truly a great time to be a connoisseur of cocktails and the bartending game is at its zenith. And, I think most of the cocktail partisans make the Radio Room a monthly ritual.

The Edison also features a well stocked bar that covers the spectrum of spirits quite well.


The bar scene is all about enticing the five senses. An elemental experience is to watch a professional bartender/mixologist make your drink. The shaking, stirring, mixing, muddling, swizzling, flaming, twisting, and splashing of alcohol in a polished shaker should not be taken for granted. So, belly up.

Visiting bartender Zane Harris made a couple of cocktails for me at the Radio Room that were outstanding.


First the Globo Rojo #2, with strawberries, fruit , and tawny port made for a nectarous refresher, balanced by mezcal. The mezcal Zane used is his own strawberry and fruit infusion of a Del Maguey Chichicapa mezcal. From the village of Chichicapa, this mezcal has a natural sweetness that shows well in this adulteration.


The Vieux Cerde was more my speed though. Whiskey, Cognac, and bitters for us who enjoy the more pure taste of spirits. This was a favorite of the night.


Don Lee made me my first drink of the night, for that I'm always greatful.


His take on the classic Gibson, named the Rite of Spring unbashedly embraced the essence of pickled onion. The onion sparked a bit of controversy, nothing like the debut of Stravinky's own Sacre du Primps(Rite of Spring), but is was amusing. Some thought it wasn't a good date cocktail, I thought it fine if both partake. Well, onion breath never stopped me, hazards of the lifestyle.


Giuseppe Gonzalez feverishly shook up another much talked about cocktail at this lively mixer, the Infante.


The Infante(L) is a tequila, lime, orgeat, and orange blossom water with a bit of nutmeg. An aromatic boost to the often tired margarita.

Be sure to visit the Radio Room to be a part of the inspiring nightlife of the new Los Angeles. It's a night to drink, converse, meet new people, and indulge your cosmoplitan turn. This is the epicenter of contemporary cocktail culture in Los Angeles. Coming soon to New York City, The Edison NYC.

Special thanks to Dan Cox PR for your hospitality and for making my first Radio Room Preview a night to remember.


The Edison
108 W. 2nd St.#101
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-613-0000 Tel
213-613-0044 Fax