El Agave - it's the plant that when processed makes such delicious products such as agave syrup and tequila. In this case though, it is the name of one of San Diego's finest Mexican restaurants. For those of you who think "Mexican" is just tacos and burritos you are missing out on the fact that Mexico cuisines is as diverse as any other with influences from Europe as well as indigenous cooking techniques and plants.
I have seen El Agave several times as it is located above one of my favorite liquor stores in Old Town San Diego. However I didn't know much about it until the PR folks contacted me recently and invited Heather and I to check it out.
- Written by: James Hills
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A scene from Top Gun was filmed here, their bartender loves to create artisanal tequila cocktails and to top it off, San Diego Magazine's readers just named their chef, Accursio Lota, as "Best Chef" in San Diego - so who was I to say no when they approached us recently and invited us to stop by for dinner!
Honestly, I am not typically a fan of Italian because I usually associate it with kitschy bottles chianti, heavy but tasteless spaghetti sauce covered pasta and pictures of the pope or mobsters on the walls. Over the past couple years though I am starting to warm up to it. What I discovered at San Diego's Solare Ristorante was a delightful interpretation of classic Italian but merged with the essence of the Southern California farm-to-table movement.
- Written by: James Hills
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Happy National Tequila Day!
Not sure about your plans, but we're celebrating with some delicious margaritas and tequila cocktail recipes that we've rounded up from around the world. Which is your favorite?
- Written by: James Hills
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Sometimes the cocktails we get pitched are amazingly sophisticated and other times they are just downright ridiculous.
This one, the Irish Breakfast Shot from Kilbeggan falls into the later category but could be delicious anyhow.
- Written by: James Hills
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If you think that Tequila, Rum, and Cacasa are the only spirits from South America then you need to bring a chair up to the bar and try some Pisco. This is a colorless to amber spirit made from grapes and can be compared to a grape brandy.
This spirit has been distilled in the winemaknig regions of Peru for hundreds of years and is now making its way to the United States!
- Written by: James Hills
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