Bartender of the Month – Carley Ellis

By: Paddy McDrinksey

Article Category: Bartender of the Month Leave a Comment

BARTENDER OF THE MONTH: Carley Ellis of Rock Taco

I’ve traveled a lot in my 38-odd years of misspent life, and have seen a whale’s share of taverns, saloons, watering holes, gin mills, pubs, wine bars, and all manner of whiskey shacks from Sri Lanka to Shreveport.

Somehow, though, I’ve missed out on Central America. Unless, that is, you count the time I once sipped a tequila while wearing a tattered panama hat at my friend Pablo’s house, which wasn’t, by the way, constructed of anything even remotely resembling adobe. And Pablo was from Lansing, MI. But yes, there was that time when I once — purely by accident — logged onto the Belize Tourist Board website when its window popped up on my screen while I was trying to click onto some rather wet and salacious videos of a distillery being installed in one of the outer Orkneys.

But during our recent search for December’s “Bartender of the Month,” I came as close to visiting sunny Central America as I ever could without having to hop a plane full of chicken feathers and ponchos.

I have no qualms in admitting that Cocoa Beach-bred Carley Ellis was chosen as this month’s recipient by default; in fact many of the best discoveries are the result of pure serendipity. Rest assured, as she womans the bar in Satellite Beach’s newly-installed Rock Taco, she exudes a coolness we’ve rarely encountered and her smile shines with the experience of having lived and breathed the hale, fabled air of Costa Rican climes. Didn’t she live there for 13 months? And hasn’t the peacefulness of the place rubbed off on her? Doesn’t it shoot from her eyes like verdant palm fronds? Assured without off-putting cockiness, entirely free of artifice, and disarmingly charming, Carley gets my vote for one of our favorite picks thus far, and her visage is a veritable promotional poster for the good life Costa Rica offers.

In fact, I’d have no problem with saying: “Mum, I’d like you to meet Carley. She’ll be taking care of me from here on out, thanks very much. We won’t be needing your blessing, because we’re packing it all in and moving to Costa Rica where we’ll live forever on coconuts and Negra Modelos… at least until we need some extra cash.”

Carley’s a bartendress extraordinaire… which in French means that she’s an extraordinary bartendress. I don’t know the Spanish for that, but there you go…

How long have you been tending bar?

Three years.

What is your favorite thing about bartending?

Dealing with all the crazy people.

What’s your least favorite thing about the profession?

Umm… I can’t think of anything. I love it. I can’t say anything bad about it.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve witnessed whilst tending bar?

Wow. There are so many. But once I saw two guys start making out and watched as their girlfriends tried to break them up.

What kind of music do you like to listen to whilst tending bar?

Reggae and punk.

What do you like to do on your time off?

Surf, fish, and drink.

Where do you hang out on the other side of the bar?

Side Pockets, Bunky’s and Declan’s.

If you could open your own bar, where would it be situated?

On the ocean, somewhere in Central America.

What’s your beer of choice?

Negra Modelo.

Do you have a trusted hangover cure?

Beer and espresso.

At the same time?

Yes. Double-fisted.

Any parting words of wisdom?

No regrets. No matter what.

Visit Carley at the beautifully tropical Rock Taco (1246 Hwy. A1A; Satellite Beach) weekend days and nights. Rock Taco opens every day at 11:30 a.m. (except Mondays) and closes at 12 midnight during the week — 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 10 p.m. on Sundays. Enjoy live music Tuesday and Friday nights as well as some Sunday afternoons. Happy Hour is celebrated Tuesdays through Fridays from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., featuring $1.50 domestic drafts and $10 domestic buckets. “Chill-Out Sundays” feature $2 Coronas from 3:30 p.m. to close. Rock Taco offers a stellar selection of bottled beers, including Negra Modelo, Pacifico, Tecate, Dos Equis, Land Shark, La Tropical, Kona Longboard, and Shock Top Belgian White, among many others. But the folks at Rock Taco’s true specialty is healthy, grease and oil-free food sans cans or preservatives. Enjoy a variety of tacos (including fish, carne asada, carnitas, shrimp and chicken options), generous quesadillas, four types of fresh, house-made salsas, “bowl” meals prepared with a variety of hearty, traditional fillings, and a huge array of fresh, inventive salads, plus flan and delicious espresso. Call (321) 610-4644 for details or to place take-out orders.