It’s practically summer, and we all know the that the peak of nice, summery Saturdays is for uncontrollable drinking. I found myself in the midst of Kensington Market, where I found the perfect place for a drink or five, El Rey Mezcal Bar.
I stopped in for just a quick bite while sauntering around but figured- hey! It’s 12pm somewhere and my life is in shambles, why not a drink? When I came up to El Rey I couldn’t help but notice their beautiful patio, perfect for letting you glimpse and glare at all the colorful characters in Kensington Market. I had the option to sit on the patio or sit indoors, and I preferred to sit indoors so I wouldn’t melt.
When I got my hands on a menu, I realized that this may not be the place for me. Since my first sip of alcohol, tequila has been my archrival. Not in a cute way, but in a ‘this drink has ruined my night far too many times’ kind of way. I should have guessed by the bar name that tequila was the only choice, but I am obviously not that smart.
I ended up ordering their cocktail called ‘Not, Not a Daquiri’ hoping it would indeed, be a daquiri. While it wasn’t a daquiri (again, not so smart over here) it was actually the best tequila cocktail I have ever had. It almost made me forgive my traumatic tequila past. I was shocked and amazed, so much so that I ordered another and realized I should probably eat. I added on the Shrimp Tacos and Birria Quesadillas, and they were straight up amazing. The Shrimp from the tacos was so light and crispy, literally the perfect fry. The Birria was dripping in that tasty and rich consommé, just delicious.
They say the ‘happy accidents are the most memorable’ however I usually think ‘that’s a quote for when you fuck up’. Yet in this case I was very delighted to accidentally stumble upon this tequila haven. I am glad El Rey could mend my broken relationship with tequila, if only they can do the same with my family..