Eduardo A. Dingler, Corporate Beverage Director, Morimoto Restaurants
Morimoto Napa takes dining a step further with a fully immersive Japanese culture experience. Tour Japanese prefectures at the Momosan Sake Bar, Napa’s only Sake and Japanese Whiskey bar or explore accessories of the Morimoto lifestyle at the entrance retail store.
Unexpected flavor pairings define the creative cocktail menu, as much a feature as the bar’s sake and whiskey. Eduardo A. Dingler, Morimoto’s Corporate Beverage Director, says The Perfect Purée has become a staple of the globally-influenced cocktail program. Eduardo’s French Smash evokes April in Paris with Hennessey, St. Germain, lemon and The Perfect Purée Strawberry Puree. The Mango Matcha Punch, created by former bartender Jules Smart, pairs The Perfect Purée Mango Puree and lychee soda with Charbay Green Tea Vodka and lemongrass. Other seasonal creations evoke Brazil (Campesino Caipirinha); Mexico (A Night in Oaxaca); and Vietnam (The Pho King).
Eduardo hosts a You Tube channel on sake cocktails and says using the right, expressive sake can add an extra layer to a cocktail with The Perfect Purée. “For instance, a Nigori Sake (unfiltered) with The Perfect Purée Strawberry Puree and a shrub can make a perfect summer drink. The same way a Honjozo (a richer style) can complement The Perfect Purée Tamarind Puree with The Perfect Purée Yuzu Luxe Sour blend and a hint of Mezcal for a more exotic drink,” he says. “We’ve been using The Perfect Purée at Morimoto Napa since day one. We appreciate the honest rendition of the flavor and its versatility but, most importantly, the consistency which is hard to accomplish by making purees in-house with fresh fruit.”
Psychiatry and bartending are famously compatible and Eduardo originally majored in psychiatry after moving to Napa from Torreon, Mexico, nearly 20 years ago. He fell in love with restaurants and shifted careers, learning from Napa legends including the late Donna Scala and her husband Giovanni Scala of Bistro Don Giovanni, Michael Galyen of Morimoto and others. In 2014, Eduardo began judging international wine and spirits competitions, most recently the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
“My position allows me to explore other parts of the world, creating friendships and, most importantly, experiences for our guests,” he says. Eduardo says he’s increasingly impressed with Napa’s classic and ever-changing cocktail scene. “You can travel the valley tasting the memorable takes of Vincent Lee at Goose & Gander, the monumental cocktails by Scott Beattie at Meadowood, the seasonal and playful list at Bistro Don Giovanni and downtown at Cole’s Chop House, Italian-inspired gems at Ca’Momi and craft cocktails at Angele,” he says.