Pot Bar Now Opens Wednesday, Here's What to Drink

The Line Hotel, a revamp of what was formerly known as The Wilshire Hotel on Wilshire Boulevard at Normandie in Koreatown, has a cool new minimalist look and a top shelf set of food and drink operators poised to make waves. While the hotel has been up and running for guests since early January, the property's food and drink components are still in the works, but come Wednesday (yes, slight delay) The Line's lobby bar, Pot Bar, part of Roy Choi's Pot restaurant, will soft roll. Choi, who earned a name for his prized mashup of Korean and Mexican flavors at Kogi, has teamed up with eat-your-drink chef Matthew Biancaniello, a barman applauded for his own crazy mashup cocktails that sometimes involve uni and white truffles. Here's some of what Biancaniello has in store:

1) Mushroom soju with durian bitters ("out of this world" says Biancaniello of the durian bitters), which are custom made for Pot by Drunken Crane Bitters.

2) Fuzzy Navel with Meiwa kumquats, passion fruit, apricot and peach liqueurs, with dehydrated peaches on top.

3) Long Island Ice Tea on tap with mezcal, Batavia Arrack, Smith and Cross rum, aquavit, gin with fresh blood orange, and blood orange soda.

4) White Russian with candy cap mushroom infused vodka, Kahlua, cream, and Kahlua foam.

Biancaniello's inaugural drink list offers around 12 cocktails, and he will add about 10 more in the coming weeks. Beverages will run about $12 a pop.
· Matthew Biancaniello Doing Drinks for Pot Bar, Soft Opening Monday Inside Koreatown's New Line Hotel [~ELA~]