Cocktail Review: Ivan Kane's Cafe Wa s New Cocktail Menu
When I first checked out Ivan Kane's Café Wa s in Hollywood last year, I couldn't help but think that the only thing missing from this beautiful Bohemian restaurant was a specialty cocktail list. Amazingly it didn't have one. Sure it has a full bar, an upstairs absinthe bar and a couple of absinthe cocktails but no list of special drinks to speak of.
And then just like that…well, months later my wish came true. The café has just debuted a list of cocktails inspired by vintage recipes as well as a twist on the standards. Perfect to enjoy in this absinthe-dreamlike setting.
Even though Ivan is a single-barrel Jack-on-the-rocks kind of guy, he swears that he still enjoys these cocktails which serve as an ode to his restaurant and complement its spirit of fun. The champagne-St. Germaine cocktail, Champagne Suzy ($13), is named after Ivan Kane's wife. Lucid Stairway to Nowhere ($15) -- a mix of champagne and Lucid absinthe -- is of course inspired by that staircase near the bar that leads up to, not a door, but a mirror. There are also the standards like Manhattans (yay!), margaritas, and dirty martinis.
The new list is in effect tonight.