THE SCENE
You can see Agave del Scottsdale from the street at the corner of North Hayden Road and East Via de Ventura – it has a lovely patio looking out onto North Scottsdale – but once you turn into the labyrinthine Mercado on Hayden plaza, it can be challenging to locate. Tip: It’s between Village Coffee Roastery and Mail and Parcel Express, on the ground floor – don’t be distracted by the elevator.
Inside, it’s Scottsdale opulence with Latin twists: colorful patterned tiles, textured stone walls, a “tequila library” with hundreds of bottles of the agave spirit illuminated behind glass, a gleaming wood tequila cart and generous splashes of hot pink via chandeliers, banquette seats and barstools. The clientele on the evening I stopped by was a nice mix of couples and singles in their 50s and 60s and young families. It was early March and the weather was gorgeous, so Agave’s PR rep, Claire, and I sat at the indoor-outdoor bar and chatted about food and books over cocktails and bocadillos (snacks en español).
THE FOOD
Agave del Scottsdale eschews straightforward Sonoran fare in favor of a more pan-regional approach to Mexican cuisine. We started with salbutes (two for $7), puffy tortillas reminiscent of sopes, that are typical of the Yucatán peninsula. Agave’s come piled with cochinita pibil (the Yucatán’s signature slow-roasted pork) and a zippy red onion relish sprinkled with what looked like Mexican oregano. Delicioso. Veering over to the Veracruz region of Mexico, the menu offers two ceviche options (each $9): Ceviche Agave, with mixed seafood; and Ceviche Atun, with ahi tuna. We went for the former and scooped up every juicy morsel of shrimp and fish “cooked” in an herbal, tomato-y lime broth with crunchy tortillas. Finally, we landed in Puebla, with orders of tacos al pastor ($8 for three) and tacos de pescado al pastor ($9 for three). The traditionally spit-roasted pork tacos have origins in the shawarma cooked by Lebanese immigrants in Puebla. Here, the signature flavors of al pastor – chiles, achiote, pineapple – shine on the traditional pork and in a fish version, a nice option for guests who don’t eat pork.
THE DRINKS
Claire sprung for the Cadillac Margarita ($8 during happy hour; $12 regularly), a jaunty mix of Maestro Dobel Silver tequila, fresh lime juice and orange liqueur. I went for the Agave Sangria – red, to better stand up to those bold tacos ($8 during happy hour; $10 regularly). Regular margaritas are $6 during happy hour, as are well drinks and glasses of house Chardonnay and Cabernet. Draft beers are only $4, and two craft cocktails using local spirits are each $8: Commerce Gin (Arizona Distilling Co.’s Commerce Gin plus cloves, agave, Fever Tree tonic water and lime) and Western Sage Gin (Thumb Butte Distillery’s Western Sage Gin with star anise, agave, Fever Tree tonic water and fresh mint).
THE INSIDER SECRET
I asked our sweet server/mixologist, Elizabeth, for intel on what regulars order. Her pro tips:
- When ordering the ribeye taco, ask for the cheese to be melted on the tortilla. Yes, please.
- If you ask the bartender to make you something off the menu, head barman Fernando will make you a cucumber-cilantro margarita, while Elizabeth will make you a coconut mojito. I ordered the latter and immediately felt like I was lounging under a palapa on vacaciones.
- Ask your server about monthly drink specials. Claire did and ended up sipping a gorgeous, bright pink raspberry margarita.
THE DETAILS
Happy hour is available at the bar only and runs from 3-6 p.m. daily.
