Cocktails Take Main Stage at this Year's 'The Taste'

In a weekend marked by warm temps in LA, foodies and cocktail lovers explored Los Angeles Times’ eighth annual food festival, The Taste, fueled by a diverse selection of drinks from some of the top spirits brands from all around the world. LA Times Food staff – Amy Scattergood, Jonathan Gold, Jenn Harris and Noelle Carter hosted the event held traditionally, in the heart of LA at the Paramount Pictures Studios backlot.

The holiday may be over but the memories from the long weekends are still fresh in our minds. - Huge thanks to @thetastela and the @latimes for another successful event. - Thanks to all vendors who helped make our video, a cocktail footprint of this amazing festival. Cheers!

A post shared by The Best Drink Ever (@thebestdrinkever) on Sep 5, 2017 at 5:30pm PDT

Saturday Night’s Dinner with a Twist was a cocktail party of its own, in true LA style on a Hollywood backlot, with the city’s dining and cocktail culture taking center stage. The Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold hosted a group mixology demonstration with Times Deputy Food Editor Jenn Harris, Meredith Hayman (Michael’s Santa Monica), Gabriella Mlynarcyzk (Bar Accomplice) and Brynn Smith (Sotto/Rossoblu) and Marco A. Ramos from Scopa Italian Roots. 

The Jim Bean pop up right up front was the perfect first stop. It is always fun to see an American whiskey in a Summer cocktail. It definitely got the team ready to eat. Along the way, we were pleased with the Ketel One Vodka bar, offering a fresh herb and garnish station. The heat continued through the night but the guys from Bulleit Frontier Whiskey did not seem to mind as they set up a mixology clinic inside a converted trailer. Knob Creek enthusiasts missed out this year, unless of course you were like us and had access to the exclusive Green Room. 

What an amazing Labor Day weekend at the Paramount Studios lot for another edition of @thetastela Here's a little footage of the action from Saturday night during our visit to the green room #thebestdrinkever #lafoodie #ladining

A post shared by The Best Drink Ever (@thebestdrinkever) on Sep 4, 2017 at 10:10am PDT

Finally, a night in LA couldn't be complete without tequila and lots of it. Don Julio continued to impress with its versatility, including a fresh-to-order margarita and paloma bar while continuing to dish off instant craft cocktails at the Streamers trailer. 

We are excited to see cocktails taking center place in the minds of food enthusiasts all around LA. We are even more thrilled to be part of this movement. With another year in the books, we cannot wait to see what 2018 will bring.

For a look at all of the food fun at The Taste, visit the LA Times photo gallery online or connect with The Taste on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram @ TheTasteLA (#TasteLA) and don't forget to follow The Best Drink Ever or Instagram and everywhere else!