‘I want to keep it original’

Craft bars are growing in popularity throughout local nightlife destinations in Redwood City and San Mateo, and bartenders such as Omar Quintanilla are seizing the moment.

The bar manager at Martin’s West Gastropub in downtown Redwood City said he’s seen patrons’ tastes grow more complex and informed over the past couple years, which in turn ramped up his responsibilities.

“It’s like you want to be a good host and want your customer to be happy. This is our house and you want them to come in and be comfortable,” he said.

Jacob Carlos, general manager at Martin’s West, agreed that the average visitor keeps a much more refined palate than years before.

“The Peninsula for a long time, it was a blue collar place with a lot of construction workers, police and firemen and most restaurants lived on beer, wine and a shot of whiskey,” he said. “Now, if you don’t have an above average bar program, it hurts you.”

Quintanilla, 28, said the effort to meet lofty expectations requires the deft touch needed to make a quality drink, while also monitoring the amount of attention each patron desires during their visit.

Visitors to Quintanilla’s bar range from wishing to be left alone with their drink, to large groups entertaining themselves to those wanting to discuss his approach to making drinks.

For the latter group, Quintanilla said he appreciates an opportunity to discuss his hearty knowledge of the cocktail, which he has honed over nearly five years of working in both Palo Alto and Redwood City.

A former barback who moved his way up to management, Quintanilla said his ascension is tied largely to a bottomless thirst for research into the history and art of drink making.

“You have to appreciate the craftwork and history. The story of booze is connected to the story of the world. And I love reading about the awesome aspects of how booze itself has changed history,” said Quintanilla, noting the migration patterns of cultures across the globe as alcohol production methods evolve.

Quintanilla said that depth of knowledge is best applied when authoring the bar’s cocktail menu, which he refines every few months to reflect changing seasons, tastes and techniques.

He will spend the weeks developing the menu seeking inspiration, collaborating with colleagues and appealing to patrons. What he won’t do is chase trends, or put a drink on the menu because it is popular on Instagram.

“As a curator of cocktails, I want to keep it original,” he said.

A brief trip through Quintanilla’s menu reflect such an emphasis, as drinks often feature a handful of ingredients, techniques and approaches.

Perhaps the most innovative is the “Top Hat,” which features bourbon washed in duck fat then mixed with maple and thyme. To wash an alcohol involves mixing it with a soft fat, freezing it for a few days and straining the booze to create a flavored spirit ready to be the backbone of the next new drink.

Quintanilla said he plans to use the method in his upcoming menu by blending vodka with coconut fat for a drink which may evoke warm visions of a tropical island once the weather starts to turn locally.

For those sharing a taste for the exotic, Mortar & Pestle in San Mateo is also specializing in drinks not traditionally found locally.

Lucas England, beverage director of the bar tied to Curry Up Now, said his menu too skews toward the flavors of southeast Asia or India, while prioritizing quality and creativity.

“They are all crafted to be fun, exciting and different,” said England, who pointed to the bar’s punchbowl or Bunta bottled drinks as highlights of the downtown cocktail bar’s menu.

The latter offering is a play off the Banta soda popular with children in India served in a glass bottle similar to Coca Cola. At Mortar & Pestle, the drinks are mixed with gin, vodka, whiskey and pisco to cater to adults.

“We are the first bar in America to start producing these and using them for our cocktail program,” said Lucas.

For Carlos, he said the high level of competition across the county has required all those jockeying for position in the craft corner to step up their game.

“I think people are coming to expect that from a lot of bars. Up and down the Peninsula, every new restaurant, they are doing some sort of cocktail program” he said.

Quintanilla meanwhile noted with the refined taste from patrons comes an increased thirst for knowledge, which he is more than happy to help quench.

“We get a lot of people not just interested in drinking, but knowing the story of the drink,” he said.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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