Led by globe-trotting bartender, La Otra cocktail lounge opens next to Lita in Aberdeen

"La otra," or the other woman, has set up shop in Aberdeen.

This isn't the plot of a dramatic telenovela, it's an elevated and conversational cocktail lounge opened by “Top Chef” competitor David Viana and Heirloom Kitchen’s Neilly Robinson.

Located next to Lita, their Iberian, prix fixe eatery that opened in April, the bar is managed by Ricardo "Ricky" Rodriguez, a Miami-native that moved to Bradley Beach.

“What we’re doing is something special here," Rodriguez said. "I wouldn’t have moved all the way from Miami if I didn’t believe in it."

While "la otra" can be slang for "the other woman," it can also simply mean "the other," and La Otra is certainly different from its host restaurant.

The intimate room, which had a soft opening last month, is draped in Florida-room decor, with calming whites and warm beiges. The chairs are weaved, cozy booths are strewn about. You'll notice the color-coded bottles, specialty glasses, ice in different shapes from Clear Cut Ice Co. in Ocean Township, and a tool and garnish station.

La Otra is the opposite of Lita, which is dimly lit at night, candles all about, serving tapas-style finger food and eclectic drinks while guests listen to 1990s hip-hop. The bar has some wines and beer, too.

“We’re the antithesis of Lita in a sense … ," Rodriguez said. "It has this intimate yet approachable vibe where nobody has to feel like this isn’t the place for them. It’s the reason we created a counter height bar, to feel like you’re sitting at someone’s kitchen island."

La Otra's menu is smaller than Lita's, but there are some crossovers, like the Rissois de Camarao (shrimp turnovers). There are also exclusive tapas-style bites, like salmon yakitori and Iberian pork secreto skewers.

At Lita and La Otra, many employees are Latin or Iberian, including Viana, who is Portuguese. Rodriguez's father is from Spain, while his mother is from Cuba.

“I think we’re doing justice to our culture and the food we’re putting out,” Rodriguez said.

His favorite drink is Three Sheets (milk washed Scotch, vanilla, Chai tea, and lemon, force carbonated).

“To be able to have a [Scotch] cocktail that I really enjoy, where the Scotch flavor is very present but interesting with the Chai tea, the vanilla, ... it’s such a fun drink,” he said.

All about Lita: New Iberian restaurant opens this week in Aberdeen

The goal, Rodriguez said, is for everyone to be happy.

“Our job is to make sure people are having a good time, everything else is smoke and mirrors,” he said. “Anyone can make a good cocktail, but at the end of the day, a bar should be where people feel comfortable."

Rodriguez has had an interesting history. He enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miami, but only stayed for two months. He tried his hand at community college for a semester, but found more value in skipping to surf and skateboard.

He bounced around many kitchens — learning from the likes of Miami-based Julio Cabrera, known for his classic Cuban bartending style, and Argentinian-born James Beard nominee Chef Alan Hughes.

Tropical sips: More than 20 must-try summer cocktails and buckets at the Jersey Shore

Beachy Bites: Swim Crush opens on Asbury Park boardwalk with rum buckets, frozen cocktails and burgers

His first big break in bartending was at Finka Table & Tap in Miami, under the supervision of Eddie Fuentes, a Broken Shaker and 27 Restaurant & Bar alum.

Rodriguez became a finalist in the famous Bacardi Legacy competition. From there, he earned opportunities at other Miami hot spots. He's been to top cocktail bars in London, New York, Barcelona, San Francisco and Berlin. He recently spent a week in Guatemala, pop-up bartending and hosting a master class at Minerva cocktail bar in Guatemala City.

This world traveler says he is happy to be embedded in Monmouth County's growing cocktail scene.

“When people think about getting a nice cocktail, they think of ... going into the city," he said. "[But] there are people doing great things in New Jersey, and we’re ripe for a little more attention for what we’re bringing to the table."

Go: Lita: 1055 Route 34, Aberdeen, 732-696-8517, thelovelylita.com. Enter La Otra through the shared door inside Lita (towards the left of the restaurant), or enter through the exterior door to the left of Lita's front door.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Heirloom Kitchen opens La Otra cocktail bar in Aberdeen next to Lita