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FeedViva La France
The Bistro on the Brandywine returns to culinary tradition.
(page 3 of 5)
No Way, José
Agave teaches tequila: Sip, don’t shoot.
Chris McKeown takes his tequila seriously. At his Agave Mexican Grill and Tequila Bar (137 Second St., Lewes, 645-1232), the rules are simple: No shots. No salt. No lime. No José Cuervo. “If you want to pound shots with lime, go somewhere else,” McKeown says.
The tequila selection at Agave numbers in the 70s, and each is made from 100 percent distilled agave. McKeown prefers to imbibe varieties of Don Julio, Herradura, El Tesoro and Cazadores. “Those are not expensive, and they’re so much better than the run-of-the-mill stuff,” he says.
Agave offers tequila-tasting flights that feature six 1-ounce samples of various brands. A flight of top-shelf tequilas can fetch $160.
Naturally, Agave makes a mean margarita. They’re made with El Jimador tequila, lime juice and agave nectar. “It’s kind of like honey in that it tastes a little sweet but with a real distinct flavor,” he says.
Agave also serves authentic Mexican cuisine. Mole chicken with its chocolate-based sauce, chiles en nogada (poblano peppers stuffed with meat and fruit, topped with a peanut-cheese sauce and pomegranate seeds) and puffy mahi-mahi fish tacos are top entrées.
“A lot of people who come in don’t know but they’re open to it,” McKeown says. “The high-quality, aged tequilas go down a lot smoother, so we tell them to breathe in, savor it and breathe out.” —Matt Amis
Page 4: Talking Turkey, Talking Fresh
