Photograph: Side Hustle
London's current infatuation with all things agave has spawned dozens of new bars specialising in the Mexican spirits du jour. But while you might find more extensive collections of tequila and mezcal elsewhere, few agave-focused bars can match the sophistication of this elegant Latin American-themed spot in the Grade II-listed former Police Station that now houses the NoMad hotel.
There's an old-school gentleman's club kind of grandeur to this low-lit space, decked out in dark wood booths, green leather seating, an imposing marble-topped bar and walls covered in vibrant photographs taken on the streets of London and Southern California.
On the menu, you'll find a seasonally-changing menu of half a dozen takes on the margarita, plus six bar classics and another dozen or so drinks categorised as 'refreshing' or 'spirit forward'. Most cocktails are agave-based, but the menu also incorporates a host of trendy ingredients from across the globe, from yuzu and white miso to pandan and cachaça. And for beer drinkers, there's the hotel's own Mexican Sour, a collaboration with King's Cross-based brewery Two Tribes.
Alongside this, the bar serves up a solid menu of mostly Mexican bar snacks; zingy guac is served with a hefty pile of crunchy tortilla chips, creamy prawn croquettes come topped with salty, umami shavings of bonito and churros are accompanied by thick chocolate sauce and fudgey dulce de leche crema.
Order this
On our visit, the star of the show was a chocolate mole margarita, an alchemical concoction incorporating the most unlikely of flavour pairings. Made with reposado tequila, mushroom-infused mezcal, 'agua de chocolat', Ancho Reyes chilli liqueur, chocolate bitters and lime juice, it has all the zing and brightness of a margarita, balanced with the rich, earthy depth of dark chocolate. The Sargeant Pepper is also brilliant: spicy, verdant, medicinal and incredibly drinkable.
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