Bar Toscana to Open in Brentwood

Offering modern spins on classic Italian cocktails, Bar Toscana, the brainchild of Italians William Perbellini and Francesco Lafranconi, is set to open in Brentwood on December 10th.

In contrast to the dark, shoebox-sized, wood-paneled speakeasy vibe that's been the rage these last couple years, Bar Toscana -- located next to Italian restaurant Toscana on San Vicente Boulevard -- will be light and airy.

As for the cocktail program, which was developed mostly by Perbellini, think Italian: lemon verbena, espresso, Campari, Amaros, Aperol and "nice produce," says Joel Black. The busy bartender, who's already at The Yard on Friday nights, will step behind the counter at Bar Toscana a couple nights per week.

In the next week or two, Black and fellow bartender Julian Cox also plan to debut their internet cocktail show, "Joel & Julian's Quest for a Proper Cocktail."