In LA, people like to be in the know. This might begin to explain the numerous e-mail lists to which I’m subscribed all covering the same rehashed content and the craze factor associated with being “First to Review” on sites like Yelp or Chowhound.

Now normally(read:never) I haven’t the rubber-band banks in my pocket to accomodate the demands of highly-publicized affluent establishments, nor the proper dining companion for that matter either. But bars, saloons, pool-side lounges, these are within my reach. As of late, I’ve been noticing more and more intriguing cocktails being poured in LA with a precise attention to detail that frankly, well, turns me on. With a goal to pursue quality liquor-based creations, I’ve begun my quest for the best cocktails in LA.

First stop: The Varnish. If you want to really feel like you know something, take your homebody friends to meet up in front of Cole’s French Dip for drinks some evening. As you casually stroll to the rear of the establishment and crack open the jet black door with a simple image of a cocktail glass on it,  you will become the white rabbit and your friends, dumbfounded as Alice, will peer inside pupils dilating to maximum aperature. Or this method could be equally useful for a blind date you want to ditch. Just tell them to meet up at The Varnish and see if they can find you.

After all the hoopla read online about The Varnish I surely expected it to be about the full width of a Santa Monica bachelor’s apartment. Surprisingly, it’s quite a bit more with solid wood booths designed to hold 4 skinny people each and a few round stray tables just big enough to rest a few drinks and elbows. There’s even an upright piano that I dreamily hope is played every now and again.

At The Varnish there are 2 options: order from your table via swankified servers or lean-to on the dimly lit bar. If you have even the slightest interest in how your beverage is prepared(or in observing buff bartender cocktail shaking), the latter is an excellent option. Even on a quiet weeknight, drinks take a few good minutes to prepare and observation of hardcore technique is usually more interesting than chewing on cracked cuticles. Standing barside has additional perks such as learning about chipped ice, in-house made mixers, and of course, off-menu suggestions for your next drink.

Ideally, I’d work downtown and visit The Varnish after workhours every other weeknight until I tried all the menu drinks and then some. Or you could bring along about 10 friends and all share rounds of cocktails on an empty stomach. That seemed to work well for me.

What I can tell you is that the cocktails here are solid. Expertly made(and tasted) before they reach your table, each one was delicious and intoxicating. The Gin & It was a simple way to start off the night: a shivery frosted martini glass brimming with gin and vermouth, a lemon peel cautiously peeking over the edge. I finished off the evening with a Little Italy, a wonderfully bittersweet drink. A single dried cherry rested in the bottom soaking up all the tawny colored bourbon, Campari, sweet vermouth, and bitters.

Honestly, two drinks pre-dinner will have you enjoying the rest of the evening perhaps a little too much.  It’s just a shame that you can’t hop aboard a Red Car after such classic cocktails. So pace yourself, go on a weeknight, and bring plenty of friends. Just remember to give me a ring if you go.