Alejandro Melendez

The Clean Slate at Ember Kitchen is an ode to iconic ingredients found across Mexico. It’s also a softer approach to a mezcal-based drink, geared toward enticing guests who typically avoid the distinctive, assertive spirit. With an intent to tame mezcal’s smoky profile, Alejandro Melendez, Mixologist at this modern Latin American restaurant, employed some of the bright, fresh flavors of the Mexican pantry, including aloe, avocado, lemon and corn. And it worked. The cocktail became the No. 1 drink on the bar menu.

“The Clean Slate is smoky yet citrusy on the forefront with a smooth and refreshing finish,” says Melendez. “The freshness and approachability of this cocktail makes it very easy to like, and the simplicity makes it easy to enjoy more than one.” Fans of the drink not only made it top on the bar menu—it actually ranks as the second best seller across all of Ember Kitchen’s menu categories.