If you want to try the new restaurant and bar from the team behind award-winning Mírate in Los Feliz, you’ll need to head to a buzzy stretch of Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks. Restaurateur Matt Egan and director of operations Randy Evans are reuniting with beverage director Max Reis and executive chef Alan Sanz for this exciting sister concept in the heart of the Valley.
Wallpaper* dines at Daisy Margarita Bar, Los Angeles
The mood: a rustic yet elevated Mexican tavern
The ground-floor space evokes a rustic, south-of-the-border saloon, complete with a long bar running the length of the room, backed by large jars of mezcal – an homage to Mexico’s traditional Norteño cantinas. Egan worked with California-based interior designer Alexa Nafisi-Movaghar of Adean Studios (who also designed Mírate) to transform Daisy (which translates in Spanish to Margarita) into a vaquero (cowboy)-style tavern, complete with fringe accents on the leather bar stools and corduroy booths.
The wooden-plank walls are crammed with Mexican artwork, taxidermy, neon, and barn finds, while the main room features a colourful custom-built jukebox. Guests are given tokens with their first drink of the night, so be ready with your favourite classic Mexican tune. The music continues upstairs at the new speakeasy, Gilbert Perez Bar, dedicated to Mexican rum. Expect a rotating tropical motif and ‘mad scientist’ devices such as an ultrasonic homogeniser, sous-vide kit and centrifuges for drinks that take several days to perfect.
The food: not your average taco bar
Perhaps skip the chips and salsa this time and begin by eating your drink: try a Salsa Verde Margarita with charred tomatillo, green chile and coriander, or a frozen Guacamole Margarita – surprisingly convincing as a cocktail.
For more substantial dishes, small plates range from yellowfin tostada with smashed avocado to scallop aguachile verde. Shareable mains include branzino asado or lamb shank with frijoles puercos (beans, chorizo and cheese), as well as the ever-popular flour tortilla tacos – filled with pork and green apple slaw, or grilled octopus with pineapple pico. Desserts continue the inventive streak: flan with courgette flower, caramel popcorn and popcorn foam, or pan de elote heirloom corn cake topped with banana ice cream.
Daisy Margarita Bar is located at 14633 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, United States.
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