Cocktail Theater: Ghost Stories by Rob Floyd – A Review

By Mike Vallens

Halloween is often considered a children’s holiday, but if you take a gander at your Instagram or Facebook feed, you would ultimately come to a different conclusion. You will see adults of all ages embracing the spirit of Halloween on the quest to maintain a youthful state of mind. If you do your research carefully enough, you might find an event that can really bring out your inner child. Thankfully, there are a few sinister fellows known as Cocktail Theater, and they are up to their old antics.

With Cocktail Theater: Ghost Stories, Master Mixologist Rob Floyd and company performed before a sold out crowd at 41 Ocean, a private members only club directly across from the Santa Monica Pier and the picturesque Pacific Ocean. I arrived around sunset to the staff admiring the setting of the sun and the marvelous array of pink and orange clouds. It seemed to inspire the staff to get into character and that was clearly evident while interacting with them throughout the evening.

For starters, Rob had arranged a Gin and Juice cocktail that pleased and cleansed the palate. The Gin was of the highest quality and went down smoothly. I would imagine that a drink like that would be perfect on a Sunday morning.

Keeping things interesting is something comes naturally to Rob. With that said, the second starter was a Candy Corn theme Orange and pineapple whipped cream vodka Jell-O shot. The coconut flavor stood out while the silky texture of the jello was more thought provoking than your standard Gelatin. Nothing like a Jell-O shot to get you in the mood to celebrate.

The third and final starter was a Rumchata eyeball placed in a spoon with pumpkin spice sphere.  The liquid center takes me straight to my childhood. It is reminiscent of my mother’s Arroz con Leche. Its originality really makes this “drink” unforgettable.

To compliment the starters, there was a appetizing display of charcuterie. Multiple cheeses, prosciutto and crackers provided the necessary substance to keep one content until the show began.

As we took our seats, the entire introduction to Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion played over the loud speakers and was effective in filling the crowd with anticipation and wonder.

As Mixologist Rob Floyd introduced himself, he clearly states that the evening’s agenda is to taste spirits while showcasing the unique techniques that result in original craft cocktails. Most important is the tale behind the beverage. Rob begins Cocktail Theater: Ghost Stories with the tale of Black Beard the pirate. A 16th century Ver ju template is the choice beverage to compliment the truly terrifying story. Before the used of citrus fruits were commonplace, grapes and wine were used to add sweetness to the drink of choice. For this particular cocktail, Pinot noir is selected because its light consistency makes it gently balance at the surface of the underlying cocktail. We were left to contemplate the tale of Black Beard while intensely studying the Ver ju while the crew set up for their second act.

Our second beverage was a Moscow Mule paired with a sample of a Buzz Button Flower, a common remedy for depression. We were instructed to eat the flower, which resulted in an intense numb and tingling feeling. The Moscow Mule utilized Conac from New Orleans and ginger as the dominant flavor. The warmth of the ginger when combined with the Buzz Button Flower resulted in an experience that everyone should try at least once in their lives.

The tale that accompanied the Moscow Mule was a campfire story about a group of Girl Scouts who were camping in the woods. One of the Girl Scouts, Cassie, awakens to a rustling in the distance and curiosity gets the better of her. She then gets lost seeking the mystery behind the rustling but is never heard from for 10 years. Legend has it that if you say her name three times, her ghost will appear and haunt your soul.

The final cocktail was made with Kettle One Vodka and No Water. That’s right, no water! Instead, Rob utilizes liquid nitrogen and has his crew pour the liquid nitrogen, at a whopping –329 below freezing in a bowl containing all necessary ingredients, an impressive display! The story that accompanied this beverage involved family members of Rob’s. His sister Ann and her husband Tom were at home with their children. They had just put the baby to sleep and a little while later they heard noises through the baby’s monitor. When they went to check to see what could have possibly made the noise, their oldest daughter Jenna brought out a creepy doll that was at least 100 years old. Was it the doll that was making the noise? How creepy!

By the end of the evening’s festivities, I was ready to go home and hide under a blanket and pray that no ghosts would haunt my dreams. Rob and his menacing crew put on an impressively bold display with Cocktail Theater: Ghost Stories. They have since traveled the world, bringing Cocktail Theater to China and Turkey. They were a featured event for the World Poker Tour while in China and performed for thousands in attendance. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, Rob Floyd has the “it” factor and Cocktail Theater should be on everyone’s agenda when they come back to town.

 

Click Here for a Review of Chronic Taco’s Gringo Bandito Taco Eating Challenge