The UWQ Margaritas are being mixed at El Tajin.
If you're planning a road trip up north this summer, we have all the new openings from Aberdeen and the north east. And some tasty UWA Tequila Margaritas from a Montrose Mexican.
We will kick off with the news that The Signature Pub group are to open a branch of The Spiritualist in the city.
The former Boozy Cow premises on Langstane Place have closed and work is underway to transform the bar into its new incarnation.
We understand that the plan is for the new outlet to be up and running at some point this month.
A branch of The Spiritualist has been running in Glasgow since, ooooh, 2016 we think.
Signature Pubs hospitality group runs 23 venues throughout Scotland including The Raven, and Smokin’ Fox in Glasgow; Kyloe and Badger & Co. in Edinburgh and, as of last month, The Saint in St Andrews.
Vovem: steakhouse and liquor
Sticking with Aberdeen, the council has just given the go ahead for a new bar on Union Street.
The former Filling Station premises will become two interlinked venues. On the ground floor, Vovem will open.
According to their marketing, 'Vovem will be a bar and steakhouse of the likes Aberdeen has never seen before'.
In the basement below, there will be the 'secret' 21 Crimes speakeasy bar.
Apparently the bar's name comes from the 21 crimes that could result in deportation to Australia during the 1920s.
Not sure that that little nugget is entirely historically accurate but we won't let the facts get in the way of a good story.
The new development is pencilled in for an autumn opening.
UWA Tequila gets the fiesta started at Montrose Mexican
If we head down the coast a few miles to Montrose, we could get the fiesta started at El Tajin.
The Market Street Mexican is celebrating its first birthday with an anniversary cocktail made with UWA, Scotland’s only craft tequila.
As per a previous blog, UWA tequilas are barrel aged in Speyside single malt casks. The tequila spirit comes from Distillery La Cofradia, Mexico, which has been owned and operated by the Hernandez family for over 50 years.
El Tajin is the creation of Martha Doyle. Martha hails from Veracruz Port, Mexico. She moved to Scotland in 2010 with her Scottish husband. Last year, she opened El Tajin.
Martha said: 'The way I express my love for my country is through my food and educating people about the diversity and complexity of Mexican food. I love bringing together local produce and giving it my own twist. treatment. We use goat from Myreside Farm just a few miles away for our goat tacos; seasonal vegetables such as asparagus; Arbroath Smokies, goose eggs from Fare of Scotland and Turrifs of Montrose who manage to find me all the Mexican vegetables I request.
'When it came to celebrating our first year of business, I wanted to create a drink that was steeped in Mexican culture but with a Scottish influence, mirroring El Tajin’s ethos. UWA is the first Scottish tequila and so there couldn’t be a more perfect fit.
'In my home town, the guanabana fruit, also known as soursop, is extremely popular and is one of the most common flavours of ice cream... I’ve taken that flavour, a cross between a creamy strawberry and pineapple, and fused it with UWA to create a totally unique and mouth-watering margarita. I love being able to use Scottish produce to create food, drink and flavours that show Mexico in Montrose is alive with a passion.'
We'll raise a glass to that.