Sam Coca, Bar Castañeda

Local Hero: Mixologist

Photos by Douglas Merriam

Sam Coca started as a dishwasher and line cook at sixteen years old and has been in the industry ever since. “I love the food and beverage industry and the evolution of it,” he says. Beginning at Bar Castañeda in Las Vegas as a sous-chef, Coca became the mixologist and general manager following the restaurant’s shutdown during the pandemic. “I immediately fell in love with being behind the bar. It was like my liquid kitchen.” Although he was born and raised in the other Las Vegas, Coca’s family roots are in New Mexico, and he currently lives in Las Vegas with his wife, Lucinda Coca; their four children; and two dogs. “A dish or a drink can make such an impression that it’s more than just an experience, but an everlasting memory,” Coca adds.

What was the first drink you ever mixed, and what brought you from that moment to this one?

The first cocktail I ever mixed was a Tommy’s margarita. I remember trying it for the first time and being amazed at how three simple ingredients (tequila, agave, fresh lime juice) in the proper proportions could create such a well-balanced drink. I have been working in kitchens for over twenty years. With all that kitchen experience, the transition to the bar was rather easy for me, and being able to integrate flavors with balance came somewhat naturally. 

Balancing flavors is essential to crafting cocktails, but beauty matters too. How do you play to senses other than taste in your own cocktail design?   

We taste with our eyes and our nose before our mouth, so appearance and smell are extremely essential. Using different methods like smoking, infusing, and spritzing distinct aromas, the use of citrus, bright colors, fruits, and vegetables, when used together correctly, can be extremely attractive to the eyes and nose, and can make the cocktail not just taste great but look beautiful. 

Do you have a favorite ingredient? Where do you source it? 

At the moment I’m really enjoying Altar Spirits Aradia (an aperitivo liqueur) with notes of cherry bark, citrus peel, and osha root. It makes for a delicious negroni. Though we are a fully licensed bar, we try to support as many local businesses as possible. In the past few years, some really amazing spirits and beers have been produced right here in New Mexico and we love to showcase those items on our menus and in our package liquor store.

This award is for mixology, but you’re also Bar Castañeda’s general manager and, according to your Instagram profile, lead dishwasher. What’s the most challenging part of your job? What’s the most underappreciated?

I’m actually the general manager, mixologist, and former sous-chef. The lead dishwasher part was just a little inside joke. I think the most challenging part of the position is managing many different moving parts on a daily basis, like organizing events, helping in the kitchen as needed, bartending, serving, placing orders, etc. Wherever I’m needed, that’s where I’m at during any given dinner service. It’s also the most rewarding, and the dishwashing would definitely be the most underappreciated.

Is it true that a ghost resides at the Castañeda? What do you recommend to guests hoping for an encounter?

The Castañeda Hotel was originally opened in 1898, so there are lots of ghost stories. Historical figures like Theodore Roosevelt, Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Pat Garrett, and Doc Holliday all frequented this hotel, so you can imagine the kind of stories you’d hear if these walls could talk. I’ve personally only experienced a couple of friendly encounters—the occasional bathroom door opening and toilet flushing. We have had guests send us pictures with strange apparitions, but I think the ghosts are happy to see the hotel bar and restaurant functioning. I feel like the most active space for ghosts would probably be the hotel lobby. That’s where some pretty cool images have appeared in pictures.

How has working with the team at Castañeda influenced your approach to bartending and/or mixology?

Definitely working alongside Chef Sean [Sinclair] and Chef Jeremy [Schmidt] has been the most inspiring kitchen I’ve had the opportunity of working in. When I moved to the bar, I knew drinks had to have the same passion and attention to detail as our dishes. That made me even more excited to produce signature cocktails that would reflect and complement our food.

What (or who) have been three of your greatest influences?

I would say I have two big influences. As I said previously, Chef Sean is a very talented chef, so he has been a huge influence on me wanting to evolve, create, and consistently execute quality cocktails. My other influence would be other craft cocktail bars and mixologists. This industry is a very tight-knit community and I get excited to try new places and new drinks and get ideas.

What kind of food did you grow up eating, and what’s your go-to comfort food? Do you have a favorite food-drink pairing for a late-spring evening?

Growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada, wasn’t as cultural as New Mexico, so we ate a lot of different foods. My mother was an amazing cook, so dinner was always exciting, especially when the family from New Mexico would ship us red and green chile. Enchiladas and huevos rancheros are two of my favorites. As a kid I really enjoyed Italian food, so anytime we went out for dinner, and it was available, shrimp Alfredo it was. These days I enjoy a nice steak with calabacitas, but I love trying new dishes. One of my favorite dishes and cocktails here at the Bar Castañeda is our lemon ricotta ravioli paired with my personal signature cocktail, the Caterpillar Crawl (mezcal, vodka, agave, lime juice, green Chartreuse, and a piece of muddled poblano pepper). This cocktail is smoky, citrusy, and boozy all at the same time, so it does really well to cut the fats in the ricotta and complement the lemon flavor.

Anything else you’d like to share with edible readers?

Yes, I’d really like to attribute the award to everyone that helped and supported our cause to feed displaced families and all the first responders involved in last summer’s fires. That includes our fellow restaurants in Las Vegas and throughout New Mexico, many of whom are also edible award winners or former award winners, and who came together with us in such a huge way. Generosity came pouring in from everywhere at a time when people were losing everything. I’m proud of our tiny community and our state for stepping up in such a difficult time.

524 Railroad Avenue, Las Vegas, 505-434-1005, kinlvnm.com