Johnny Michaels, the lyrical and heady bartender at La Belle Vie, treats the cocktail as an intellectual challenge—but one that requires equal parts creativity and good humor. (Beware: He cringes at highfalutin’ terms like “mixologist”).
Lately, Michaels has been experimenting with discreteness: Why not separate spirits from complementary flavors to make each taste more pronounced? “All these things would taste great together,” he says. “But you can pull them apart and have a more extreme sensation.”
Take the “Brut Nature,” something he whipped up for LBV’s fall menu. In a snifter, Michaels serves cognac, dry cherry brandy, and bitters. Alongside it, he offers a flute of crisp champagne. “The cognac is like a warm, luxurious blanket,” he says. “And the champagne is a bracing cold shower. It’s a little trippy, but it works.”
