With an innovative Tex-Mex menu and more than 100 artisan tequilas to choose from, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed at the new Cactus Grille & Tequila Bar in Palm Beach Gardens. For a first-time visitor, we’ve compiled a quick cheat sheet of the staff’s favorite food and tequila pairings.
Jay Cross, General Manager
The Dish: Paper-wrapped Scottish salmon with citrus-jicama salad, cilantro, and lemon vinaigrette
The Tequila: Clase Azul Tequila Ultra
Behind the Pairing: “The tequila has great hints of sherry, vanilla, and caramel while still giving you that touch of lime. The mix of spice and citrus in the tequila marries beautifully with the flavors of the salmon.”
Tyler Curran, Assistant General Manager
The Dish: Chili Bowl with beef and pork chili, Cactus cheese blend, pico de gallo, scallions, and sour cream
The Tequila: Sombra Reposado Mezcal
Behind the Pairing: “This mezcal is aged in Bordeaux wine barrels—instead of the traditional bourbon barrels—that give the mezcal hints of smoke, vanilla, and blackberries. The combo really brings out the spice and meatiness in the chili.”
Billy Rosenberg, Executive Chef
The Dish: Chicken a la Pimientos with chicken breast, toasted garlic, pickled chiles, lemon juice, Chablis, parsley butter, roasted potatoes, and wilted greens
The Tequila: Don Julio Anejo
Behind the Pairing: “This dish has a toasted garlic and lemony flavor finished with warm spice from the chilis, [plus] the spinach. The Don Julio Anejo has similar notes of white pepper, honey, and toasty oak that enhance and complement the flavors of the dish.”
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