NIGHTLIFE
Originally published on Friday, 02 May 2008
Ode to Tequila
May 5th means many different things to many people. It’s the birthday of a rarely-seen (but delightfully generous) great aunt of mine, for example. It was the date Columbus laid claim to Jamaica, the New York stock market crashed in 1893, and this year, also coincides with a Bank Holiday.
But further, it was also the date of the battle at Puebla, just outside Mexico City, in 1862. Known in Spanish as Cinco de Mayo, it has become an international celebration of all things Mexican, and a sterling excuse to explore the wonders of its most holy export: tequila.
What better excuse, then, to offer our pick of the best tequila spots and tipples in London for this weekend...
Cafe Pacifico
At a ripe 25 years old, Tom Estes’ Pacifico is the ultimate haven for low-key Mexicana, knocking out some of the fastest yet finest margaritas in town. Head to Covent Garden for a spot of retail therapy, and make a point of grabbing a bar-stool during the Cinco de Mayo weekend for their excellent quesadillas and a pitcher of margarita – especially with Tom’s own cracking tequila, Ocho.
Café Pacifico, 5 Langley St, WC2H 9JA
http://www.cafepacifico-laperla.com/cafepacifico/index.htm
Crazy Homies
Perhaps London’s coolest little Mexican restaurant, Crazy Homies makes some pretty mean burros. Once you’ve hit their churros y chocolate for a spot of quality artery-hardening, it’s all about their pomegranate margaritas to clear the palate. And when you start to think about leaving, get them to hook you up with a margarita with Siete Leguas Reposado – like a perfect tequila cherry on a giant tequila cake.
Crazie Homies, 125 Westbourne Park Rd, W2 5QL
http://www.crazyhomieslondon.co.uk/
Green and Red
What tequila rundown would be complete without a visit to Green and Red: the London king of all Mexican festivities? Personally, I find their margarita mix a touch on the sugary side, so would suggest a general break from all that Cinco de Mayo over-liming with an Estilo Viejo, a tequila old fashioned made with love and a soft, golden 1800 Anejo.
Green and Red, 51 Bethnal Green Rd, E1 6LA
http://www.greenred.co.uk/index.asp
Westbourne House
And should you find yourself done with plain old margaritas (borderline-blasphemy right there) and rightly bored of those blended fruit monstrosities, then how’s about the perfect alternative Sunday brunch-boozer, with Westbourne House’s Marmarita, combining one of my favourite blancos – Arette Suave – with Marmite. The ultimate ‘love it or hate it’, I’m thoroughly for the former.
Westbourne House, 65 Westbourne Grove, W2 4UJ
http://www.westbournehouse.net/