Photo by Daniel Kocsis
In the almost ten years that Miami Beach’s Macchialina has been open, the homey Italian restaurant has become the go-to spot for residents craving good pasta in an unpretentious vibe.
Macchialina has now extended its expertise by bringing on Eric Vincent as Head Bartender. Vincent fine-tuned his craft in Broward County, first at Fort Lauderdale’s speakeasy Apothecary 330, then the sexy rooftop bar Sparrow. We caught up with him at his new home on Alton Road for some insight on cocktails, music and more.
Q&A
What gives a cocktail program the Eric Vincent stamp of approval?
I want to make sure the cocktail program can be navigated relatively easily and is accessible to the majority of guests that walk through the door. As my bartenders go through training, I tell them that the drinks don’t matter if the guest doesn’t have a good time. Don’t get caught up in recipes and history and forget how to connect with people.
Rule you wish more people would break and why?
I would like to see guests skirt the edges of their comfort zone. We’ve all had a bad experience with “x” spirit, but that is most likely from overindulgence. Seek out places with dedicated beverage programs and ask questions about products. Also, that vermouth is actually wine and instead of waving it around the martini glass, (a proper martini calls for vermouth), it is fantastic on the rocks with a splash of club soda or tonic and a lemon twist.
Macchialina is an Italian restaurant – besides the Negroni, what’s the best cocktail/s to go with Italian cuisine?
I would say bright, juicy, sour drinks or effervescent, herbaceous ones like Americano (not the coffee drink) and Sbagliato. These are both simple drinks served on the rocks with nowhere to hide for imperfections, so definitely seek out a quality vermouth and a top-notch sparkling wine.
Drink everyone needs to know and why?
The Penicillin is my desert island cocktail. While I make mine with mezcal, it usually has peaty scotch, spicy ginger, floral honey and tart lemon juice. I will never turn this drink down. It’s a Neo classic that has inspired quite a few riffs and makes appearances on cocktail menus around the world.
Best bar music?
80s rock, rap and R&B but ultimately that depends on the concept of the bar itself.
Best bar snack?
Castelvetrano olives, salty chips and Marcona almonds. Olives and almonds are dusted with Tajin.
Most underrated cocktail?
Fortified and/or aromatized wine with soda or tonic, on the rocks, with a lemon twist and an olive.
What makes South Florida’s bar scene special?
It feels to me like South Florida is finding its identity in the cocktail world. With so much growth happening over the past 3 years, with people from cities like New York, Chicago and L.A. now moving to South Florida, I’m beyond excited to see what unfolds.
Who, living or not, would you want to make a drink for? Why?
New York City bar legend Sother Teague. His understanding of hospitality runs deeper than most. The service industry can be a simple, task-oriented profession but it’s never easy. You work long hours, study recipes, study wines, tell jokes, listen to guests cry, listen to guests yell at you, yell at yourself. I want to have Sother sit at my bar because I believe he has never let his guests lose sight of the belief that he is there for them.
Photo by Adam DelGiudice
Green Gold
This cocktail has quickly become one of our top sellers and I feel this is in part because the ingredients are easily understood — vodka, lemon juice, syrup made from pistachios and sparkling water.
3⁄4 oz Grey Goose
3⁄4oz Italicus Rosolio Di Bergamotto
(rosolio infused with bergamot)
1oz Pistachio Orgeat
3⁄4oz lemon juice
Sparkling water
2-3 Sage leaves (bigger the better) and grated pistachio, as garnish
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients except for the sparkling water in a shaker, add ice and shake for 3 seconds. Strain the cocktail into the Collins glass. Top with sparkling water until the glass is just over half full. Fill with ice. Add sage and grate a pistachio on top.