Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Current Obsession: The Drinks And Vibes At K-Town's Normandie Club
The brandy-based daiquiri at Hotel Normandie (Photo courtesy of Hotel Normandie)
()
Call us nitpickers or details people, but it's the little things in life—and in the food world—that get us excited. Whether it be an off-the-wall menu item, a particularly stylish bathroom or a restaurant's signature scent, we get stoked on the minutiae that makes our dining scene unique. Consider this the sacred space where we feel safe to express our current obsessions and openly explore our favorite things.
This week it's the cocktail at the brand new Normandie Club.
What it is: The historic Hotel Normandie has been rolling out their renovation—which includes the addition of Le Comptior and Cassell's— throughout the past year, and things are nearing completion with the arrival of The Normandie Club.
The hotel bar is a welcome addition to the Koreatown neighborhood, which is already a huge hub for nightlife and eating, but had yet to have many options for serious craft cocktails.
Support for LAist comes from
The Normandie Club, which soft opened last week, is a collaboration from the same people who brought us downtown cocktail club Honeycut, Alex Day, David Kaplan and Devon Tarby of Proprietors LLC as well as Cedd Moses and Eric Needleman of 213 Nightlife. You might recall Honeycut as being the home to the wild WineRave phenomena.
The digs at the Normandie Club are somewhat humble—the space feels like a blend between a neighborhood dive and a nondescript cocktail den—and the focus is definitely on the drinks and creating a convivial atmosphere. The cockails are listed as basic classics such as spritz, daiquiri, collins, bloody mary, martini, old fashioned and Manhattan, but each have their own unique twist.
()
The 12-bottle optics rack for quick pours (Photo courtesy of Hotel Normandie)
There's also a 12-bottle optics rack for dispensing precise shots on the fly, as well as two taps for serving cocktails on draft. What that all equates to is quick service for high volume, something many cocktail bars have a tough time executing when they're busy being precious with their al minute preparations.
There's also an awesome section of the menu called "Spirit Obsession" that features a specific liquor that the bartenders are geeking out on, giving curious drinkers an opportunity to explore some lesser known beverages served neat. The night we went in, the focus was on brandy, and the "weird shit" option offered was a Bolivian distillate called Singani 63 that had the aromas of ripe stone fruit but sipped like pisco. Fun fact: the brandy is part of Steven Soderbergh's privately funded passion project that seeking to bring the Bolivian eau de vie to America.
The South American spirit was wonderful on its own, but even better on their riff on the classic daiquiri, made with a combo of Plantation 3 Star Rum, Singani 63, fresh lime juice, Giffard Creme de Pêche de Vigne and Demerara Gum Syrup shaken and strained into a coupe.
()
Support for LAist comes from
A shot of the bar at The Normandie Club (Photo courtesy of The Normandie Club)
Why it's rad: Reviving historic 1920s buildings and turning them into hotels, bars, and restaurants never gets old. And the Hotel Normandie, developed in 1926 by famed Los Angeles architects Albert R. Walker and Percy A. Eisen, is no exception.
What's more is that the space and the vibes still fits into it's 6th Street digs. Perhaps that's because the Normandie Club's General Manager Daniel Eun grew up in Koreatown, and has worked stints managing PDT in New York as well as The Varnish and Honeycut in Los Angeles. It's the perfect high-low hybrid that I just love about L.A.
Once the team finally finishes the back bar, it's easy to envision this space being ideal not only for casual drinking, but also for private events.
The only shame is that Cassell's isn't open for an after hours bite. Which is just as well, because for the rest of K-Town, the night is just beginning.
How much it'll cost you: Spirit tastings of the brandy go for $5 or $9. The daiquiri cocktail goes for $13. All other cocktails from $12-14.
Where to find it: The Normandie Club is located at 3612 West 6th Street, Los Angeles.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity. -
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?
Best of LAist