Fonda San Miguel, known for its incomparable interior Mexican cuisine, is bringing another highly regarded Mexican classic to Austin. Fonda San Miguel will host a Tapatio and Ocho tequila-pairing dinner event on Feb. 5, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Featuring special guests Tomas Estes, Mexico’s official tequila ambassador, and Master Distiller Carlos Camarena of the renowned La Alteña Distillery, this one-one-a-kind three-course tasting ($45 per person) will include Fonda dishes inspired by La Alteña tequilas and created especially for the event. The dinner will showcase La Alteña’s Tequila Ocho, a single-ranch tequila, and Tapatio, a 75-year-old icon of a tequila brand that has just recently become available in the United States for the first time.
This exclusive pairing event will begin with a reception featuring passed hors d’oeuvres and a Viva La Alteña Punch comprised of Tapatio Blanco, Valdespino Dry Amontillado Sherry, ruby red grapefruit juice, lemon juice, oleo saccharum and Champagne. The appetizer course will include Tapatio Salmon Tostaditas paired with a tequila flight highlighting Tapatio Blanco, Tapatio Reposado and Tapatio Añejo. The entrée meal, which will continue to demonstrate how beautifully La Alteña tequilas marry with Fonda’s cuisine, includes Camarones con Naranja y Tapatio, sautéed gulf shrimp with orange zest, onion, chipotle, cilantro and Tapatio tequila. This course will be paired with Chef on the Beach, a spirited cocktail of Tapatio Reposado, Cardamaro, ginger syrup, lime juice and seltzer created by Chris Bostick. The dessert course features Mangos con Helado paired with Café con Amigos, a smooth digestif of Ocho Añejo, piloncillo syrup, coffee bean-infused Barolo Chinato and cream.
Throughout this special dinner event, Tequila Ambassador Estes and third-generation Master Distiller Camarena will speak about the history of tequila in Mexico, and the La Alteña Distillery specifically. The Camarena family is the most influential family in the tequila industry, having distilled tequila since the early 1800s. Camarena’s grandfather, Don Felipe, opened La Alteña—the most well-known and respected distillery in Mexico—in the mountainous region of Jalisco, Mexico, in 1937. The Camarena family owns 1.5 million agave plants grown on numerous ranches throughout Arandas, and takes great pains to ensure La Alteña tequilas impart specific terrior, expressing different flavors based on the ranches where the agave was harvested. La Alteña uses wild yeasts, tahona and traditional methods to create the most authentic tequilas in the world, including Tequila Ocho, a single-ranch tequila Estes and Camarena make together that showcases the flavors of each individual ranch from which it was produced; El Tesoro, an incredibly popular brand that changed the world’s understanding of what tequila can be; and Tapatio, the 75-year-old brand that, until recently, was not available in the U.S., and was often smuggled into the country by bartenders and travelers to Mexico.
Fonda San Miguel, located at 2330 W. North Loop, is widely recognized as one of the finest interior Mexican restaurants in the country. For more information about Fonda San Miguel and to make reservations for the exclusive La Alteña tequila-pairing dinner, please call (512) 459-4121, or visit www.FondaSanMiguel.com.
