Cocktails made by Inga Tantisalidchai , including , ( clockwise from top left ) Chili Water ; Fair Play , inspired by the OC Fair ; Social Butterfly ; and Duck .. Duck .. Goose |
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In addition to her role at Olea , Tantisalidchai is a rum runner for Papa ’ s Pilar , a brand associated with the Hemingway family , as well as mixology director and consultant for MarkeTeam , a hospitality-focused marketing agency . Yet , somehow , she still finds the time to regularly develop unique beverages with expertly crafted , over-the-top presentations that delight her regulars at the restaurant .
A special treat they ’ re able to enjoy is her Cocktail Journal series : Adding a new drink each month , this collection of secret menu sips come with a special card detailing the inspiration for the drink and its ingredients . Some of her customers have been collecting these since she first launched the program five years ago . For 2024 , each drink is themed after a movie or television show , like January ’ s fruit-forward I Dream of Peachy ( inspired by “ I Dream of Jeannie ”) and February ’ s
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rose petal-topped Pretty in Pink ; the March iteration is stirred up in honor of “ Soul Train .”
But her creativity doesn ’ t stop there . She has experimented with unique cocktail toppings like cotton candy that doesn ’ t dissolve in the drink or icons such as butterflies or rubber ducks , clarified drinks that are devoid of color and magic-inspired beverages injected into hollow ice spheres that have to be broken open to allow the cocktail to escape .
But another thing Tantisalidchai prides herself on are liquid renditions of her favorite dishes , like the On Top of Old Smokey , a play on caprese that won her Most Creative Cocktail at OC Travel Magazine ’ s Mixology Masters competition in 2022 . Fresh cherry tomatoes and basil are muddled in a strawberry syrup , balsamic vinegar and gin , then garnished with crispy prosciutto and a ball of mozzarella . Another she enjoyed crafting was inspired
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by aguachile , a Mexican seafood dish .
But , when her creativity seems to have reached its limit , Tantisalidchai pushes herself further with a set of Dealer ’ s Dice . Generally used by guests who have tried her numerous other concoctions , a roll of these offers an extra challenge . “ One die is specifically spirits — so it ’ ll be tequila , vodka , agave , whiskey — and then another will be bitter , floral , sweet , tart , and another will be smoky , citrusy , etc .,” Tantisalidchai explains . “ So what I do is hand the dice to the guests and I have them roll them and whatever combination they get is what I have to make for them . … It helps keep me on my toes .”
Of her work in general , she says , “ I try to think outside of the box a little bit and create something that people will remember — and , not only that , but demand more of . I ’ m excited to be able to do that for Orange County .”
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INGA TANTISALIDCHAI |
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46 NEWPORTBEACHMAGAZINE . COM |