Aidan Demarest Wins LA Mag's Mai Tai Mix-off

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Last night, The Hawaii Mai Tai Mix-off, sponsored by LA Magazine and The Hawaiian Island Resort, was held at supperclub in Hollywood. After three weeks of people's choice voting, participating bartenders were narrowed down to La Descarga's Adrian Biggs, The Spare Room's Aidan Demarest, and Library Bar's Matt Biancaniello. On this eve Steve Livigni of La Descarga, blogger Caroline on Crack, and Melkon Khosrovian, co-founder and spiritsmaker for Greenbar Collective, helped decided the overall winner.

Throughout the evening guests sipped on specialty supperclub cocktails and munched on Island-inspired bites. The evening's biggest downfall? Not have the opportunity to try any of the nominated mai tais. Sadface. Anyway, Zane Lamprey from HDNet Drinking Made Easy ran the show, and the first thing he and the three bartenders did before they started the mix-off were to take a shot. Appropriate. Each bartender mixed, muddled, and shook his creation to perfection, and when Demarest got done early, he started taking additional shots. Sweet. But when the dust settled, it was Demarest‘s The Evening Glass-Off that that was crowned king. [EaterWire] — Yolanda Evans