BY JENNY ADAMS
Special to The Miami Herald
Tulum, Mexico, is a beach town that offers a great deal in both local tequila traditions and breezy beach settings.
LIKE A LOCAL
El Bistro's bar manager Ignacio hoists a major margarita. JENNY ADAMS
The Mexican manner of consuming a high-end tequila employs more patience than hard partying. Keep it simple. Order one shot, one beer and one Sangrita. This trifecta engages your taste buds with several flavors, from the salt and spice of the Sangrita to the bitter coldness of a beer to the warm caramel notes in a nice reposado and back again. The best place to imbibe with locals — including a few stray cats and live, rowdy songs — is El Mariachi. Plastic red chairs settle in on a dirt floor and, thanks to no enclosure save a simple tin roof, you get all the sounds and scents of downtown. The quesadillas are hearty and go perfectly with their Sangrita, which I’m told is a mixture of Clamato juice, lime juice, pepper, Tabasco and a dash of sugar to give it a sweet, harmonious finish.
Details: Tulum Ave. (Hwy 307 So.), Westside three blocks south of the first traffic circle.
Don’t Miss: Buying a rose from the local kids who sell them tableside.
Drink: A shot of Don Julio Reposado $6.85, with a complimentary Sangrita.
TOURIST ROUTE
While it’s beachside and certainly created for the tourist crowd, the experience at El Bistro at Ziggy Beach is worth your time. The outdoor café sits just off the water, with white sand floors, heavy timber tables and haphazardly strung Christmas lights.
They use purified water for their ice (most tourist places do in Tulum), so you can partake in what is truly a wonderful Margarita on the rocks without hesitation. Check out Happy Hour: From 4 p.m. until close, house tequilas, the entire cocktail list and all beers are two-for-one.
Details: www.cabanastulum.com; Carretera Tulum-Boca Paila km 7.
Don’t Miss: Chatting with Ignacio, El Bistro’s bar manager, about his love of Spanish wines.
Drink: Splurge on a shot of Tequila Clase Azul (750 milliliters retail for about $114).
