Mexican Feast from Tequila Valley to the Guatemalan Border

by

Having lived in Los Angeles, Houston, and Tucson, I came to love the collective taste of the American Southwest, a mix of California’s Spanish influences, Arizona’s Sonoran-style cooking, and the Tejano heritage of Tex-Mex specialties. While the broad term “Mexican food” is often applied to any similar cuisine, Mexico’s 31 states and capital city feature their own diverse variations. And Annapolis’ newest Mexican-inspired venture, Agave, captures these flavors with substance and style. 

The popularity of Agave’s original location in Lewes, Delaware—recently ranking No. 8 on Big 7 Travel’s list of “50 Best Places for Mexican Food in America”—with its unique, creative dishes and its 100-plus tequilas and mezcals led ownership to expand the operation into West Annapolis last year. Specifically on Annapolis Street, which is the boutique throughfare of the charming community within walking distance of the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.  

On a Sunday afternoon, behind a front deck where people enthusiastically chatted and enjoyed the beautiful weather, two potted agave plants motioned us inside a hacienda-themed waiting area surrounded by shelves of recipe books, vases, and pitchers, sunken into pueblo-style adobe walls. The delicious aroma of sizzling meats, molé sauces, and frying tortilla chips wafted from the spacious dining room, where agave-shaped lamps illuminated framed Mexican illustrations and desert drawings. 

A row of agaves growing in planters atop a long wall divided the room and gave the atmosphere a tropical vibe. We sat next to the bar, where over a hundred tequilas and mezcals stood at attention, flanked by sipping straws made from agave (not edible, but biodegradable). Manager Tammi Beach and our personable and very helpful server Chad, one of the bartenders, warmly greeted us. Agave’s armada of mezcals and tequilas—reflecting blanco, repesado, and añejo degrees of aging—spawn an endless lineup of tempting margaritas. I chose the Pomegranate made with Rancho Alegre Blanco tequila distilled at Camp Azul in Jalisco and boasting notes of buttercream cake icing and dried mango; Pama liqueur—a delightful mix of California pomegranate juice, premium vodka, and more tequila—Triplo orange liqueur from Italy; and agave nectar. Tammi recommended it rimmed by chili seasoning blend and salt that superbly complemented this delectably fruity concoction and still allowed me to recognize the distinctly flavorful tequila. 

For our young sons, we ordered several dishes from the $10 and below children’s menu: The ground tenderloin Cheeseburger Slider, Queso, Salsa, and a basket of puffy Mexican pinwheel chips. We added a family-shared appetizer—the bountiful Guacamole Sampler and tortilla chips that included three of their five handcrafted styles, all of which are perfectly merged with diced tomatoes and onions, seasonings, and ripe, chunky avocados. The Basil & Cheddar was peppery and sharp; the Gale Apple & Moon Cheese contained crispy nubs of apple and a tasty, high-protein cheese; and the Goat Cheese & Pine Nuts exhibited a tangy, cashew-like appeal. 

As the boys dipped into the white, creamy Queso and the sweet, lightly seasoned, tomato-centric salsa, Chef Jonathan Silverio sat down and fascinated us with stories about how the menu was cultivated with flavors and techniques from across Mexico, which motivated us to indulge our culinary curiosity by mixing and matching the ingredients of our separate selections.

Suddenly, Chad slid another table alongside ours and said, “You’re gonna need it!” A number of preliminary courses soon arrived like a conveyor belt, each visually appealing. A loaded plate of Mango & Avocado Salad was topped with crumbled queso fresco, bacon, and crunchy pine nuts floating on a sweet, velvety pine nut dressing. 

A deep bowl of Mexican Chili Soup, featuring succulent beef tenderloin swimming in a zesty stew of, beans, peppers, onions, tomatoes, spices, and more queso fresco, came with flour tortillas. The oversized “Half Rack” of Sweet Ancho Ribs was a large cluster of lean, extremely moist and meaty ribs that effortlessly fell off the bones. Glazed in a dry rub and then drenched in a luscious ancho chile barbeque sauce, the ribs paired well with a small side bowl of mashed sweet potato with an enticing orange crema and more pine nuts atop. 

Corn on the Cob was also an ideal side. Roasted, lathered in a silky chipotle mayonnaise, and coated with an avalanche of queso fresco, the corn was simply exquisite and a perfect example of the imaginative prowess at work at Agave.

The heaping platter of Fajitas left a mesmerizing vapor trail as it was set before us, a dazzling display of plus-sized, generously portioned, and incredibly juicy slabs of medium-rare steak and seasoned chicken beside a plentiful helping of corpulent shrimp. Chef Silverio explained that the chosen heft of medallions is measured in-house from huge cuts of meat, then along with the shrimp and equally bulging wedges of grilled vegetables—onions and both green and red peppers—seared to seal in the flavors and served with cheese, lettuce, salsa, flour tortillas, and Mexican crema (not the orange kind). While wrapping each of the meats, vegetables, and other accompaniments into the light, airy tortillas made for a mouth-watering fajita, I also wanted to integrate the many regional elements, so I piled the Mango & Avocado salad on top and alternately ladled in dollops of queso, chili, and chipotle mayonnaise. Each new creation swirled everything together into a taste explosion! I’ve eaten fajitas almost everywhere on the continent, including Mexico, but these were the tastiest—and biggest—that I’ve ever had.

Three desserts provided a grand finale to a truly impeccable and memorable night. The buttery Horchata Ice Cream, conjoined with rice, coconut milk, nuts, cinnamon, and spices, was layered like icing over a bed of flaky Oreja pastries. The Pavlova looked like a pie—an outer ring of meringue encircling vanilla bean ice cream smothered in an amazing Chambord reduction sauce and garnished with fresh raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. The Banana Tres Leches consisted of a supremely moist banana cake cylinder soaked in coconut tres leches cream buried under whipped cream, caramelized bananas, and toasted coconut. 

While I look forward to someday visiting Mexico’s many states, until then, I now know where to find the flavors they’re famous for.

Agave Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar | 106 Annapolis Street, Annapolis; 410-449-3980; agaverestaurants.com

Mark Croatti has worked all over the country from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., as a caterer, prep cook, and food server at both specialty restaurants and large chains, including preparing meals for major figures in the entertainment industry and professional sports.