DISH OF THE WEEK: Dark Side of the Fu at MAYAHUEL

Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City

SADLY, MAYAHUEL IS NOW CLOSED.

Tonight’s the night that everybody goes out drinking. Or stays in drinking. But the point is, everybody is drinking. Some call New Year’s Eve “Amateur Night.” I think it’s a good excuse to gain a greater appreciate for some of the best cocktail bars in town.

One of those stops should be (and probably will be for me) Mayahuel. The agave-based spirits bar is a highlight of our Craft Cocktail Tour and at one time had been elected best new bar in the world. 

Here you can get a taste and a true education on both tequila and mezcal. I have grown hugely fond of the latter, tequila’s godfather, wherein the agave hearts are roasted underground. The spirit has a complex, smoky, earthy flavor that plays well in just about every drink.

Most recently, I tried a bittersweet, chocolaty elixir called Dark Side of the Fu. The brilliant bartenders stir together mezcal, cream de mezcal (a rich, sweet mezcal liqueur), sweet vermouth, an ancho chili-infused wine, and a touch of the Italian Ramazoti. This cocktail is smoky, dark, slightly sweet, and bitter. It’s really all the flavors that in my mind make up an excellent sipping cocktail.

So this year, instead of downing champagne without thinking about it, might I suggest learning about and appreciating a layered mezcal cocktail. It would make for a New Year’s Eve experience that you won’t soon forget.