Elements Kitchen opened in Pasadena in the new year with a bar and lounge in place, but only now has its approved full liquor license. Owner Onil Chibás is directing his attention towards a beverage program that, similar to the food menu, breaks recipes down into “elements,” with the assistance of Névé Luxury Ice Company’s Michel Dozois. So what will you be drinking here?
Chibas’ organization results in hand-crafted cocktails under sections like “Lemon” and “Lime,” all using fresh juices and house-made syrups on top of Neve’s purified, hand-cut ice. Expect gin rickeys and mint juleps among the classics, while bartenders will also make a “Dealer’s Choice,” with flavors and booze of your choosing. Elements is also introducing palate-cleansing half-cocktails called “First Sips,” which will change daily and serve as five-dollar aperitifs, lest you need motivation to drink.
A bar menu, served only in the lounge, features duck confit egg-rolls, an oxtail and fogig gras-topped burger, and flank-steak Korean tacos, while the lounge plays host to “Liquid Sketches” every Thursday, where three new cocktails will be created around a different ingredient (pineapple, hibiscus, cucumber) and sold for five bucks, with the element announced on Twitter every week. Chris Meeske, owner of South Pas’ Mission Wines, is on wine duty. Overall, a seamless, intelligent improvement of an already exciting new dining destination.
Earlier: What to Eat at Elements Kitchen, Open in Pasadena [Grub Street]
