One Tequila, Two Tequila, Three Tequila...Floor!

Tequilas

1602 Locust Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

www.tequilasphilly.com/ 

One of the places that I chose for my girlfriend and I to eat at one Friday night was a Mexican restaurant called Tequilas. They are known for their selection of tequilas (a bit obvious I know), but they are also known for their authentic Mexican fare that has quietly kept the place packed for many years. It was surprisingly large inside, and we were taken to a table near the back to dine.

The tables were a bit close together, but that seems to be the case in many dining establishments in Center City. We both ordered drinks, and we pored over the menu trying to decide what deliciousness to partake in. I enjoyed the Alma Blanca, a habanero infused tequila based drink, made with pineapple juice, ginger liqueur, and lemon juice. It was really tasty, but I didn’t get a whole lot of the habanero. It was faintly there, but I was looking for a bit more of a kick.

My girlfriend had quite a laugh with the waiter once she spoke Spanish to him. He was quite the character. We delved into the house made tortilla chips and the pico de gayo, tamarind dipping sauce, and pickled jalapenos while we sipped our drinks. The salsa and dipping sauce were really fresh and delicious. I always love homemade tortilla chips, and these were especially nice, with a real prominence of corn flavor.

We had ordered a Veracruz style ceviche to share as well as an order of empanadas with beef and cheese. The ceviche had a really nice bite to it from the pickled onions and Serrano peppers. It was fresh and light, almost palate cleansing from all the acidity. The fish and shrimp were tender and just cooked enough to remain fall apart tender in each and every bite. The empanadas were a bit strange. They weren’t the traditional style of empanadas I have experienced in my life. They weren’t fried at all. They were more of roll ups than empanadas. The fact that they were a bit strange in shape and form didn’t take away from their taste. The meat and cheese combined nicely with the dough for a tasty little morsel of an appetizer.

I had ordered a spicy pork dish for my main course that I am not really the sure what the name was. It was basically pork medallions cooked in a rich, thick, and spicy sauce. The taste was phenomenal, but the pork was a bit overdone for me. It’s a shame that it was, because the entire dish other than that was outstanding. The plantains were super caramelized and sweet. The refried black beans were really creamy and delicious and when mixed together with the rice, the perfect combination was complete. 

For dessert my girlfriend and I had a cake that was half flan, half chocolate cake. It was really interesting. I like chocolate cake, and I like flan, so one would assume I would like the two combined, and I did. But there was something about it that threw me for a loop and I couldn’t figure out what it was. It was delicious; creamy and rich, but I think the texture was a little funny for me, like there was air bubbles in the middle of it or something.

All in all, Tequilas was a pretty delicious meal. There were a few missteps, but they were pretty minor. The service was great, the food was delicious, and the ambiance was pretty cool. I will definitely be returning at some point, and I think you should go try it too and let me know what you think! Cheers!