Avoid the cheap tequila this Cinco de Mayo That “gold” colored stuff you bought on discount at the local grocery store sitting in your kitchen cabinet next to the box of Froot Loops? Well, it’s technically tequila, by the legal definition, if it says it on the label.
But it might be time to move beyond the cheap stuff this Cinco de Mayo and try tequila with a capital “T.” Something more suited for sipping than shooting.
| Where to go for fine tequila on Cinco de Mayo |
| » Ceiba: 92 tequilas on hand. All week, enjoy $5 margaritas. Info: ceibarestaurant.com |
| » El Centro D.F.: A new restaurant by chef Richard Sandoval is scheduled to open on Cinco de Mayo. Check out the 200 tequilas. $20 admission gets you unlimited hors d’ouevres. |
| Info: richardsandoval.com/elcentrodf |
| » Masa 14: This restaurant features a 74-seat tequila lounge. On Thursday, enjoy five different flavors of margaritas for $5 each. |
| Info: masa14.com. |
| » Oyamel: This restaurant’s 100 or so tequilas are divided into “highlands” and “lowlands.” Treat yourself to an “anejo,” sip and relax. Info: oyamel.com |
| » Rosa Mexicano: A small chain with locations in D.C. and National Harbor, Rosa Mexicano has an impressive tequila list. Special menu for Cinco. Info: rosamexicano.com. |
“It’s not just to shoot and get drunk like college kids,” said Ivan Iricanin, a partner in local restaurants Masa 14 and the new El Centro D.F., which opens Thursday.
Iricanin says Masa 14 has more than 100 tequilas on its menu, and El Centro will feature 200. He stresses that anejo tequila, which is aged at least a year, is best for sipping.
Like Iricanin, Diego Zeballos also emphasizes that any consumer of tequila needs to see the words “One hundred percent agave plant” on the bottle. The beverage director at Oyamel Cocina Mexicana in D.C. boasts more than 100 tequilas and eight mezcals at his establishment. Mezcal is another spirit derived by a type of agave plant.
Oyamel’s selection runs the gamut, including some high-end tequilas.
“They’re different. It depends on what the guest is looking for,” Zeballos said. “These tequilas are definitely for sipping.”
By the time Cinco de Mayo rolls around, Scott Clime, the wine and beverage director at Ceiba, will be ready for a vacation. All week, the restaurant where he works has been serving house margaritas for $5. It’s similar to the establishment’s Friday night special, just every night this week. Or, as Clime put it, it’s been Friday all week.
“It’s a zoo,” said Clime, who added that last year by 7 p.m. on Cinco de Mayo, Ceiba had gone through 250 liters of sour mix. “That’s a lot of sour mix.”
Clime hypothesizes that the reason tequila has been known as a party drink best for guzzling by the shot is because consumers weren’t aware of the premium selections.
“They never exported any of the good tequilas,” said Clime, who suggests a premium tequila as a good replacement for cognac. “We weren’t buying it. Along with other spirits, we just never got exposed to that.”
Zeballos added that he’s seen an increase in tequila’s popularity.
“It’s gotten a lot more attention from people in the industry,” he said. “I think little by little it’s coming a long way.”
