The Love Song Bar

“Let us go then, you and I…” begins the T.S. Eliot poem, “The Long Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” The newly re-opened Regent Theater  which features live music has also opened the Prufrock Pizzeria for food and the cozy Love Song for drinks. The two flank the theater on either side. We ducked into Long Song to check them out. The bar is very beautiful with vintage and vintage-looking touches throughout. We did see people order food to be delivered into the bar from the restaurant but it seemed a bit clumsy to eat at the bar. Get a table instead or just eat at the restaurant then pop in for a drink.

Elliott Smith / Sazarac

The Love Song has a list of classic and original cocktails that they have named after bands, musicians or writers. I ordered the Elliott Smith which is their Sazarac. Using Old Overholt rye, sugar, Regan’s orange bitters, Peychaud’s bitters and Mata Hari absinthe, the ingredients looked more or less right– generally it’s Peychaud’s and Angostura bitters but I was willing to give Regan’s a shot even if famed Jeffrey Morgenthaler is against orange bitters in Sazaracs. But then I was worried when I received the cocktail on the rocks. What was the point of the absinthe rinse then? It was completely lost with all that ice. A Sazarac should be served strained into a chilled glass. Some people like to drop in the lemon twist after it’s been expressed but I prefer it thrown away (as does Jeffrey). It most certainly does not get garnished with a cherry.

In any case, a friend tried their Arcade Fire which is a mezcal old fashioned. It was fine. Although we loved the space and do plan to check out Prufrock for food, I’m not entirely in love with Love Song…. just yet.

The Love Song Bar

Filed under: alcohol education, booze, cocktalian, events, food, minty life Tagged: classic cocktails fail, cocktails, drinkwire, la cocktails, pizza, prufrock pizza, regent theater, sazarac, the love song bar, the minty