A GLOBETROTTING MIXOLOGIST SETTLES INTO A NEW ROLE AT ONE OF THE JERSEY SHORE’S MOST EXCITING AND ICONIC RESTAURANTS

BY ERIK SCHONING PHOTOS BY ALEX BARRETO

A great bar is an adventure. From the cocktails to the conversation, the right watering hole can take revelers on a journey. For Luis Pérez Rivera, mixologist at Drifthouse Restaurant, Lounge and Bar in Sea Bright, taking patrons on a ride comes naturally: he’s been traveling his entire life.

Born in Santiago, Chile, Pérez Rivera began trotting the globe over three decades ago. In 1992, he moved to Miami Beach, then to Spain in ‘94, and soon after Germany, where he worked at his cousin’s restaurant. In 2006, he moved to New Jersey, bringing with him an international perspective on mixology that has proven invaluable.

After lengthy stents at Jersey Shore hotspots, Pérez Rivera joined the dynamic team at the legendary Drifthouse in March of this year, with ample experience as a bar manager and mixologist in tow. Owned and operated by the Stavola family since 1957, Drifthouse is an iconic restaurant on the Jersey Shore, and in many ways, it’s the perfect landing spot for a seasoned mixologist. Its menu of seafood, raw bar, steaks, in-housemade pasta, and sushi pairs perfectly with creative, boundary-pushing cocktails. “I make unique cocktails, so when people come back to the restaurant, they’re excited to drink a specific cocktail,” Pérez Rivera said. “This, to me, is the experience.”

He also brings with him a philosophy of purism, stirring up cocktails that are fresh and bright, eye catching yet deceptively simple. Pérez Rivera’s cocktail menu is like a stamped passport, showcasing the many places he’s been, the drinks he’s tried, and the techniques he’s learned. He avoids using too much sugar or simple syrup, so that the natural flavors of his drinks can shine through. His Rye So Sour, a riff on the whiskey sour, is an elevated take on an American classic. He builds this light refresher on a base of Angel’s Envy rye whiskey that’s mixed with Meyer lemon and egg whites to create a meringue-esque light foam. The cocktail is served over a housemade Malbec ice cube. (Yes, a Malbec ice cube: Pérez Rivera blends wine with bitters and freezes it into blood-red cubes that melt beautifully into the cocktail, enhancing both color and flavor.)

The Rye So Sour, like everything else on the menu, is the result of trial and error, of restless experimentation. In his time in the business, Pérez Rivera has learned flexibility; he’s often tweaking his drinks to fit his customers’ requests, never satisfied to just fall back on an existing menu.

“It’s the same as being a chef,” Pérez Rivera said. “The chef creates a dish, tries it, and maybe it’s too salty, maybe too strong. At some point, you get it right and think, ‘Wow.’ It’s the same process with cock tails.”

Another highlight is the Drifthouse Signature Berry Berry. Blanco tequila and Cointreau are combined with blueberry and lime juices and a housemade spicy pepper mix, then garnished with sliced hot chiles. The Oak Negroni, a twist on the Italian classic that Pérez Rivera finishes with Carpano sweet vermouth, is one of the mixologist’s personal favorites. The Pisco Sour pays tribute to Chile’s national drink, blending pisco, a grape-based brandy, with citrus and egg white.

Pérez Rivera is driven by the principle that, no matter how good his drinks look, the experience at the Drifthouse bar goes far beyond pretty presentation.

“If you make a cocktail beautiful, people will want to try it,” he said. “But it’s also about the experience, making sure you are taking care of the person sitting in front of you. Everywhere I’ve worked, I have memories with the people at the bar. Anybody can create cocktails. Anybody can mix all the ingredients and bartend. It’s more than that. It’s a personal job.”

At Drifthouse, cradled on one side by the Atlantic and on the other by the Shrewsbury River, Pérez Rivera has quickly become a familiar face to countless guests. He prides himself on his ability to develop relationships. He recalled a moment in his early career when a customer at another bar ordered a vodka on the rocks during a busy shift. A year later, the same customer returned to the bar, and Pérez Rivera remembered his drink order. The customer offered him a job on the spot.

Pérez Rivera may be relatively new to Drifthouse, but his longstanding career in the area has given him deep roots in the Jersey Shore. At the end of the day, he’s in it for the people; kids he once saw dining with their parents now frequent Drifthouse as adults to order their own cocktails. Ultimately, it’s these connections that drive him and stoke his fervor for the craft.

“The restaurant business is magical,” Pérez Rivera said. “I’m 56 years old now, and I have a beautiful family. Sometimes you miss a Christmas or a birthday, but I do this job because, to me, it’s not only business. This is not an office job where you close the door and go home. It’s about service, day after day.”

The Stavola family prides themselves on attention to detail and outstanding service. When owner Jesse Stavola first interviewed Pérez Rivera, he knew immediately he would be a great fit to fulfill their vision. As he settles into his new home, Pérez Rivera is sure of one thing: these days, he’s exactly where he’s meant to be. “I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to work with Jesse Stavola and the Stavola Family and to be a part of such a renowned Jersey Shore establishment,” he said.

Drifthouse Restaurant, Lounge and Bar

1485 Ocean Avenue, Sea Bright / drifthousenj.com