Tequila Festival at Oyamel

Oyamel is holding their annual Tequila Festival starting March 2, and a couple weeks ago I tried the special dishes and drinks on the menu.

The menu includes marlin ceviche marinated in tangerine and reposado tequila, which is really fresh and light, a mushroom-nopal soup with blanco tequila, and grilled calamari with tomato-mezcal molcajete sauce.

On the cocktail side, the Mexican-Americano is a twist on the Americano with añejo tequila, campari, cherry heering and orange soda, and the Black & Blue is made with blackberries, blueberries, blanco tequila and mezcal. Of the two, I like the Mexican-Americano the best, following along with my newfound interest in campari.

On March 3, there is a complimentary tequila tasting in Oyamel’s Butterfly Bar, from 5-7 p.m.

On March 4, they're throwing a chef’s dinner with Chef Joe Raffa's tequila and mezcal inspired menu. The dinner costs $80 per person and reservations can be made by calling Oyamel at 202-628-1005.

On March 5, there is a complimentary mezcal tasting of Del Maguey’s mezcals including the Mezcal Pechuga, triple distilled with wild mountain apples, plaintains, almonds, plums and chicken breast. The tasting is at Oyamel’s Butterfly Bar, from 5-7 p.m.

The menu items from the dinner will be available at Oyamel throughout the festival, which runs through March 15.