San Diego: home of sunny skies, blue beaches, and the best mexican food you can get your hands on north of the border. Since the area is so heavily saturated with incredible mexican restaurants, and Tijuana is just a short drive away, eateries are needing to step their game up in order to stand out. El Agave does just that, and stand out it did, with elevated seafood dishes, unexpected menu items, and twists on old favorites this Old Town gem rises above the rest.
El Agave
2304 San Diego Ave
San Diego, CA, 92110
619-220-0692
www.elagave.com
From the moment we walked in, I could tell this would not be my typical Old Town experience. El Agave is home to a tequila museum that houses over 2,000 tequilas, and as we were lead to our table I was in awe of the bottles lining the wall. So much tequila! Being a margarita lover, I made the easy choice of a house margarita and after injuring my food earlier that day, it was exactly what I needed to take the edge off.
Warm and crispy chips arrive quickly with a trio of dips and a couple of rolls dotting the basket, and while all of the salsas are delicious, the black bean dip was so unique with just the right amount of spice and I could not stop eating it. My guest Heather couldn’t decide between salmon or quesadillas (duh, salmon) so we also got quesadillas to start, and out came the cutest little mini quesadillas in 4 different varieties. There was of course your classic cheese, mushroom, poblano, and chicken, all served with a tangy chipotle creme-fresh; the only problem was trying to restrain ourselves so we had room for the main event!
As a former picky eater, I have a habit of menu browsing before I eat anywhere, so I already had my mind made up on the Seabass Mac Cumm Negro. Upon asking the waiter which seabass dish he would choose, he didn’t even hesitate and my decision was made. Seafood and I have a relatively new relationship, and after this seabass I would say we things have gotten serious. Cooked and served in a sauce with pasilla chili, bell peppers, and spices and served with warm plantains, this dish disappeared from my plate too quickly and left me wanting to pour the rest of the sauce straight into my mouth. It was hands down the best fish dish I have tasted, elevated and refined, and certainly not your average mexican restaurant fare.
Heather chose the Salmon Natas, a pan seared salmon medallion served with dungeness crab meat and sabayon and finished with a red natas mole. While I’m not a salmon eater quite yet, I did sneak a bite of the crab and sabayon off the top and was surprised with a fresh and exciting combination of flavors. This was also described as one of the best salmon dishes she had ever had, so I’ll take that as a confirmation that the entire dish was equally delicious.
Stuffed beyond belief and still savoring the insanely delicious meal I had just finished, we decided we would be foolish to skip dessert and soldiered on. Although every choice provided by our server sounded delicious, the mexican chocolate creme brulee seemed like the obvious way we had to go. It was a perfect end to a perfect dinner, with the spiced chocolate melting in your mouth and the perfect amount of crunch from the brulee.
If Old Town is on your list of places to visit, I highly recommend you skip the strip of touristy and overcrowded restaurants and head around the corner to El Agave for a dining experience you will not soon forget and all the tequila you could ever want!
