Agave has been the go-to restaurant for authentic Mexican food and tequila in Hong Kong for 18 years. Now with a new location on Hollywood Road, the lively restaurant and bar promises to continue serving some of the best damn margaritas in town. Grace Brewer picks the brains of head bartender Evan Gel Jaucian to find out how a nightlife icon was born.
You’ve been making these Margaritas since the year 2000; what tequila do you use in your classic margarita?
Well, this is no secret; Agave always uses the finest 100 percent Blue Agave tequila for our house Margaritas. We strongly believe that in order to serve the best quality margaritas, you need to start from the foundation, which means tequila made from the finest agave. We have two brands, Jimador Blanco and Gran Centenario – I prefer Gran Centenario.
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Has this changed at all over the past 18 years?
No! We have used different brands of tequilas in the past depending on stock and availability, but we always make sure any tequila we use is made from 100 percent Blue Agave.
What are the main steps in creating a good margarita?
Margaritas can be served in three different ways. For a margarita straight up, mix, shake and strain, hold the ice. On the rocks, mix, shake, strain and pour over ice, or for a frozen margarita, mix, blend and pour. All can be served with or without salt on the glass rim. At Agave, we use Triple Sec for our House Margarita and Cointreau for premium cocktails.
What are the biggest mistakes people make when making a margarita?
A lot of people believe that the most expensive tequila makes the best margarita. This is completely wrong. Mexican tequila, the perfect measurements, and a chilled glass are all essential factors but personally, I think fresh Mexican limes, and of course good quality Tequila is what makes a great margarita.
Which dish from Agave’s menu is best paired with your margaritas?
Mexican food has lots of unique flavours, starting from the preparation of the main ingredients like anchovies, peppers, chipotle, chillies, and the spices used. Due to the acidity and sweetness coming from the Mexican lime juice, just a tiny sip of our classic margarita before any of our dishes will cleanse your palate. We have always said that Margaritas go well with all our food at Agave but if I had to pair a margarita with one dish in particular, I would choose the fish tacos.
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Do you prefer a classic margarita or with a twist?
I’m a simple man with a simple taste. I go for the classic. However, I do use flavoured margaritas as my pick up technique with ladies at the bar!
What is the difference?
Classic Margaritas are the all-time favourite; we all grew up with them. For me it’s like the interpretation of our history, we can twist it… But we can’t change it.
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