By Craig Outhier
If drinking cocktails in a speakeasy where the doorman is an AI-powered priest in a confessional booth is wrong… well, brothers and sisters, we don’t want to be right.
Such is the sinfully delightful set-up that will greet PHOENIX Summer Cocktail Camp participants when the 14-week series visits Mea Culpa, a vibe-y new Italian cocktail lounge in Tempe, this weekend. Sequestered inside sister restaurant Roman God of Fire, itself a living statement piece of over-the-top Olympian décor and sculpture, Mea Culpa the latest genius-level immersive bar from Pretty Decent Concepts, the hospitality group behind Carry On, Cleaverman and Filthy Animal.
To achieve his vision of Catholic cocktail absolution, PDC chief Teddy Myers anointed veteran cocktail pro Zach O’Haire, who also authored the drinks at Filthy Martini (the embedded bar at Cleaverman in Downtown Phoenix). We went to the beverage director to confess our curiosity about this celestial new cocktail concept.
Tell us about the cocktail program at Mea Culpa
The cocktail program at Mea Culpa is a myriad of ideas pulling from global cocktail influence and regional Italian flavors. We feature a forced carbonation system, cocktails on draft and plenty of handcrafted beverages for every palate. Mixing fruit with herbs, vegetal with spice and sweet with savory to keep your taste buds guessing.
Tell us about yourself and your journey to wind up at Mea Culpa
I’ve been in the industry a long time and had the good fortune to work with a lot of greats. But my journey with Pretty Decent Concepts started before PDC even had its name. I opened Chico Malo with Teddy and Katie [Myers] in 2016, but was pulled away by the sudden growth of my own consulting business. Nearly 10 years later, I came back to open Cleaverman with the team and it felt like a family reunion. This is a new era for PDC and we are growing rapidly! It’s fun, exciting, and a little bit crazy…but all the best ones are.
What’s your favorite cocktail on the menu and why?
We just opened and I love them all! Hard to know what the favorite is yet, but there really is something for everyone. Whether you like it strong and bitter, tart and tangy, or even have a bit of a sweet tooth; our Negronis are beautifully balanced, our housemade Limoncello makes a great martini, and we even have a Tiramisu cocktail!
It’s still technically summer in Phoenix – what’s the first drink you reach for on a summer’s day?
A fun and fizzy drink such as a spritz can really hit the spot on those hot summer days! Whether you like it fresh and floral or citrusy and bitter, there is one that will match your tastes. Hugo, Limoncello, and Aperol are popular favorites but the Sarti Spritz is becoming quite popular and the product just hit our market. We make all of these and more at Roman and Mea Culpa.
What should guests expect if they’re coming to Mea Culpa for Cocktail Camp?
Guests should expect a mix of bold Italian flavors, time tested classics executed with meticulous detail and some fresh ideas presented in a fun and approachable way. We’ll walk guests through several different styles of cocktails, discuss how to build depth of flavor, and show off some of the techniques the industry uses to elevate a cocktail in the top bars. Want to lift back the curtain and see what the pros do? We will answer questions for those who want to take a deeper dive.
Mea Culpa
52 E. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe
480-520-4242, romangodoffire.com
