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This is as authentic—and gourmet—as Mexican gets. If you want a burrito, go to a drive-thru
By Dave LowryMole is tricky. Generically, it’s a “sauce.” On a typical Mexican restaurant menu it conjures the taste of chocolate and chilies, garlic and onion, all combined with more attention and folderol (though less mess) than rebuilding 64/40. The cranberry-scarlet puddle on our plate, next to a parade of delicate pink duck breast medallions, looked like a light mole. There was a detectable sweetness, though, added to the dark chocolatey bitterness that rolled over the palate along with all the rich, complex flavors of a classic mole. The waiter prepped us correctly: There’s applesauce in the mix. A mole with applesauce. That’s the sort of surprise to expect at Agave, a new place that’s presenting some of the boldest innovations in Mexican cuisine ever tasted in our city.
The food of the states of Jalisco and Michoacán on Mexico’s southwest coast is the inspirational starting point, with a menu distinguishing between reasonably authentic Platos Rusticos and Platos de la Casa—stylish riffs on the culinary tradition of that region. Instead of chips and salsa, a basket of fresh grilled tortillas arrives swaddled in a napkin and accompanied by a cup of chipotle-spiked butter that tastes like tangy honey. The butter melts instantly when slathered on the hot, fluffy tortillas; it’s an enjoyable way to start a meal. Or dip indigo corn tortillas and discs of homemade crispy tostadas into a big bowl of guacamole; notably superior to that of most local Mexican places, it’s an emerald glob generous enough for nibbling throughout the meal. Agave’s ceviche is creditable and served attractively on a pair of scallop shells: bite-sized nuggets of red snapper, sweet scallops and shrimp, all tossed with fresh chopped cilantro and onions, then spritzed with lime juice to “cook” it.
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“Rustic Plates” feature four favorites of Mexican cuisine. An exceptionally good casserole of chilaquiles comes out dangerously caliente. Break into the layers of soft, chewy lime-marinated tortillas, and you’ll release a steamy fragrance of grilled adobo chicken, roasted poblano peppers and Chihuahua cheese so powerful that you’ll be tempted to risk a seared palate for that first taste. Be patient; this is an outstanding presentation, well worth allowing it to cool. A thick cut of marinated tenderloin, carne asada comes off the grill glistening, redolent with chipotle-adobo sauce that’s spicy enough to enliven the meat but sufficiently restrained to allow the beef flavor to come through. Huachinango Veracruzana is a specialty from Mexico’s other coast; the version here is traditional, the red snapper pan-seared and then dressed with a chunky chopped tomato–chile–and–caper salsa and served on a bed of rice dyed with achiote.
Carnitas originated in Michoacán, so expectations were high—and Agave met them. Slow-cooked chunks of pork absorb cumin, bay and onions from their rich, salty broth, along with a thoroughly authentic and understated touch of citrusy orange flavor. A roasted tomatillo salsa, sautéed chard and red cabbage, and a dollop of house pinto beans all work to make this dish a success.
“House Plates” are designed to show off Agave’s innovative flair. The duck breast is flawless—pink in the middle, that luscious fat browned along the edges—matched with crispy plantain cakes, a spicy jicama slaw and a piquant salad of grilled apples. Consider also a grilled center-cut beef filet, drizzled with a sauce of garlic, black pepper and red wine with cotija cheese, plated with roasted red potatoes and grilled squash: simple and elegant. An odd but pleasant habanero-apricot chutney makes a delicious accompaniment to medallions of roasted pork tenderloin.
Sides at Agave are hit and miss. Grilled vegetables, slices of yellow and green squash, are memorable; they spend just enough time over the flame to become tender and to caramelize, highlighting their natural sugars. Annatto, the vivid, scarlet oil of achiote nuts, adds a decorative color to the rice, but no flavor; the arroz is only average. Mashed plantains have more sweetness than they should. House pinto beans are wonderful; so is Agave’s noteworthy use of cotija cheese. Like a mild Parmesan, it shows up in several dishes and will send diners unfamiliar with it to their friendly neighborhood tienda to substitute it, as they should, in homemade dishes that call for queso fresco.
Considering Michoacán’s dessert reputation (sugar cane grows there like crab grass in St. Louis, and its ice cream is the Ted Drewes of Mexico), we were disappointed at the limited last-course offerings. Pass on the churros. Too much grease, along with an unremarkable strawberry filling, grounds the version here. Go instead for the exceptional sopaipilla, expertly fried, the crispy, puffy tortilla topped with just a dusting of cinnamon, a scattering of fresh fruit sautéed briefly in an almond liqueur and a big fist of house-made tequila ice cream. This is a far cry from the too-sweet, honey-and-sugar pastries that have sullied the reputation of this appealing dessert in too many Mexican eateries.
Agave defines itself as a tequilería, a sort of connoisseur’s cantina devoted to the fruits of the agave plant, the basic ingredient in tequila. More than 90 brands, all made from the premier blue agave, are on the shelves of a spacious bar. Even the margarita mix is 100 percent agave nectar ... a radical improvement in taste. Avail yourself of the opportunity to sip one of the top-class tequilas, or have one blended into a hand-shaken cocktail.
Agave is part of a rewarding renovation of the stretch of Manchester just east of Kingshighway. The interior is attractive and modern, its walls a pleasant ochre and olive, with polished wood floors. The Michoacán influence is seen in the array of wildly colorful folk masks of that region, simultaneously happily festive and mildly creepy. Tables are widely spaced, but it does get noisy at peak hours. Service is good-natured and efficient. Just be prepared for that applesauce in the mole.
Agave Mexican Table & Tequilería
Address: 4198 Manchester at Boyle
Phone: 314-652-4283
Website: agavestl.com
Average Main Course: $18
Reservations: Sí
Dress: Stylishly, like Juan José and Eloísa on Bajo las riendas del amor on Univision
Bottom Line: Perhaps St. Louis' most upscale Mexican eatery, with traditional fare and creative innovations
