Oyamel’s Tequila & Mezcal Festival Lasts March 2-15; Kickoff Party on March 2nd:

It’s time for one of Oyamel’s huge annual celebrations, their 8th Annual Tequila & Mezcal Festival. The festival lasts for two weeks, from March 2nd-March 15th, and on the first night, there’s a big kickoff party. Take a look at a special sneak peek of what you can expect.

Tequila & Mezcal Festival Kickoff Party

Join Oyamel to open up their festival in style on Monday, March 2nd from 6 to 9pm. Tickets cost $60 and include premium tequila and mezcal tastings, cocktails, all types of specialty bites, live music, and generally, what’s sure to be a raucous evening — It should be epic, Executive Chef Colin King warns/boasts, you may want to change the name of the event to the Take Tuesday Off Festival.

You can buy your tickets online here, or visit Oyamel.TFG.Events.

The Food & Drink

Cocktails:

  • Pica Pepino: Milagro Silver, Combier L’Original, cucumber, serrano and lemon
  • La Capital: Guajillo chili infused Herradura Anejo, Dolin Rouge and orange bitters
  • *Paloma de Oaxaca: El Silencio Espadin Mezcal, grapefruit juice and grapefruit-jalapeño soda
  • *Media Naranja: Fidencio Clásico, sour orange, habanero,egg white and bitters

Dishes:

  • Aguachile seco de costeño amarillo: Hawaiian Ono sliced and served over jicama, red onion, avocado, radish, and cilantro with a spicy sauce of costeño amarillo chile and a puree of Mexican papaya.
  • Ceviche Veracruz: Lightly poached squid and striped bass ceviche with a tangy tomato sauce, fried capers, green olives, tomatoes and pearl onions
  • *Birria de Cabra: Local whole roasted goat marinated in a paste of guajillo chiles shredded and served in a house made corn tortilla topped with cilantro and white onions. Served with a shot of the goat jus/broth to drink down.
  • Lomito de Puerco en Adobado: Local pork tenderloin with guajon chile sauce, blistered cherry tomatoes, grilled asparagus and grilled green onion
  • Nopalitos in pasilla de Oaxaca: Fresh cactus paddles tossed in a passila de Oaxaca chili oil with pickled onion, serrano chile, queso fresco, and green beans
  • *Panuchos de pavo con salsa chiltomate: Braised turkey leg cooked in a tomato and habanero salsa, over a bean stuffed and fried tortilla, topped with a sour orange, habanero, and tomato salsa with pickled onions and avocado

* = My can’t miss picks

The Festival

While the festival is centered on tequila and mezcal, it’s also about celebrating the cuisine from those regions, and the types of flavors which can be paired with those drinks. So the dishes incorporate unique, hard to find chiles such as Costeno Amarillo and Chihaucle Negro, in addition to standbys such as serrano, guajillo and habanero, and plenty of big, bold flavors.

Throughout the festival, the specialty dishes and cocktails will be available for ordering in addition to the regular menu.

There will also be a series of complimentary tastings at the bar during the festival, including Tuesday March 3-Thursday March 5, and Monday March 9-Thursday March 12, from 4 to 6pm each night.

Try choice samples such as Tequila Avión, Fidencio Mezcal, Wahaka Mezcal, El Silencio Mezcal and Herradura Tequila, with brand representatives on hand to provide expert information. Great way to improve your palate and try some wonderful tequila and mezcal.