MEZCALEROIf you live in the DC area you need to hit up this place. Last Tuesday, to celebrate the end of finals, myself and some fellow grad students hit up Mezcalero in the Petworth/ Columbia Heights area. Mezcalero is an authentic Mexican restaurant that also carries a wicked selection of mezcal. I hit up the taco menu hard core! Drink It was happy hour so I went with the house margarita and choose to have it made with mezcal. It is in the restaurant's name and its been on my list of thing to try. For those of you who don't know, mezcal is similar to tequila in that it comes from agave but it doesn't have the same restrictions so each mezcal has a unique flavor profile and is more complex, especially compared to your typical silver tequila. I guess technically, tequila is a type of mezcal but don't quote me on that. Anyways, I typically have low expectations for house drinks but this blew my socks off. The mezcal had a subtle smoky flavor to it that really brought the margarita to a whole knew level. Garnished with lime and and what I think was a cayenne salt rim this drink was so unexpected and exciting that I had three of them! Snacks We started off our meal with complimentary chips and a trio of salsas. to be honest I don't really know how to describe them other than fresh and amazing. If they bottled and sold their traditional red salsa I would be buying it by the case. And of course we got an order of guacamole...I mean did you even eat Mexican if you don't have guac? One again, amazing and fresh. The only way to accurately describe it is by asking you to imagine Chipotle Guac, not add more flavor and brightness to it. Is your mouth watering yet? The Main Event: Like I said before I was all about the street tacos
Carne Asada Flat Iron grilled Steak with Onions and Cilantro So upon reading the description this taco doesn't sound that exciting but let me tell you this is a must eat when gong to Mezcalero. The streak was extremely flavorful and juicy and the onions and cilantro complimented the flavor perfectly. There was absolutely no need to add any sort of condiment to this taco. Pollo Asado Chicken Breast with Tomatoes and Cilantro Similar to above, out of this world! If I had to choose one I think I would go for the steak but this is a close second. The chicken was so juicy that I was actually slurping at one point. Tinga Chicken Marinated in Chipotle Sauce, Lettuce, Queso Fresco, Sour Cream I don't even know where to begin with this one. I am not a huge fan of spicy food so I was a little nervous that the chipotle would not go over well but the Queso Fresco and Sour Cream balanced out the spice perfectly. I would have to describe the relationship as pure harmony. This was a well balanced taco that was interesting in flavor and delighted my taste buds. Baja California Fish Deep Fried Mahi Mahi, Guacamole, Red Cabbage Fun facts, I love red cabbage. Which is exactly why I was so excited about this taco. The flavor profile was right on point; bright, citrus, and perfectly pared with the fried fish. This was the most refreshing of the four tacos I got but also the only one I have something negative to say about. I wish the fish had been smaller or maybe multiple smaller pieces of fried Mahi Mahi. It was pretty challenging to get all the ingredients in one bite. I would, however, order it again.
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