Tasting dinners are having a moment at restaurants in Champaign-Urbana right now, and I love to see it. Little tastes of special dishes are fun with little sips of special drinks. Food and drink were meant to be enjoyed together. At these tasting dinners, there’s no choosing the dish or beverage; the food and drink come out as chef intended, and everyone has the same thing.
I attended last Thursday’s tasting dinner with tequila pairings on the patio at Maize at The Station, and it was beautiful.
The event looked like a wedding reception, and the happy couple was Don Julio and Maize at The Station. On the table, branded placemats listed each tequila pairing in the order of tasting. I began the night with minimal tequila knowledge, and when it ended, I learned so much about tequila, these five bottles, and the process of making tequila. My main conclusion was that I very much like expensive tequila.
The event’s tequila tasting was led by a Don Julio rep. While the speaker talked about casks and flavors, we smelled and sniffed before tasting, and it felt fancy.
Much of the dinner was prepared and plated on the patio as diners watched.
Before the five-course dinner began, servers passed out guacamole in a crispy blue corn tortilla bowl. A great first bite, it was like eating a big scoop of guac on a big chip. I thought the little blue boat was so cute. With chopped onion and summer tomato, Maize’s creamy avocado clung to the corn chip, and I liked the bright lime finish.
Chilled Avocado Soup with Grilled Shrimp + Don Julio 70
The first course of the tasting dinner was a chilled avocado soup with creme fraîche, tail-on shrimp, and chicharrones. Pairing well with tequila, the grilled shrimp were yummy, and the pork rind added a flavorful crunch. The chilled soup was thick and silky smooth avocado, and I really liked it as a dip for the shrimp and crispy chicharrones.
Floral Citrus Summer Salad with a Tequila Vinaigrette + Don Julio Rosado
With tequila vinaigrette served on the side, the salad had mixed greens with sliced strawberries, oranges, and edible flowers of white, yellow, orange, and purple. The salad’s bright colors were inviting, and I enjoyed nibbling the different flowers. The light tequila vinaigrette (obviously) went nicely with the pink tequila, and the blossoms accentuated the rosado’s floral notes and fruity characteristics.
Mole Pork Belly + Don Julio Primavera
The third course was mole pork belly, and it was absolutely incredible. This was an ode to pork belly if there ever was one. Braised and seared, the pork belly’s rendered fat was melt-in-my-mouth tender while the seared edges were crispy like bacon. The fatty hunk of pork stood delicious on its own, but atop Maize’s housemade mole sauce, it was next level. That mole added a yummy, smoky sweetness to the pork belly, and the sprinkle of charred sweet corn was so good.
The tequila pairing for this was Don Julio Primavera, a reposado tequila finished in orange wine casks; the agave and citrus flavors of the tequila tasted wonderful with the mole.
With 50+ horizontally-sliced bones grilling feet right there on the patio, the wafting aromas teased Maize’s the fourth course: taco de tuétano.
Taco De Tuétano + Don Julio 1942
Paired with Don Julio 1942, the taco de tuétano was — pardon my French — fucking delicious. Birria meat atop unctuous marrow on an actual bone was epic. Served simply with two from-scratch corn tortillas (yellow and blue) and lime, it was the most boss build-your-own taco I’ve ever had. I scraped the tuétano from the bone into a tortilla with the beef. The marrow was melty and gelatinous in the best way, and with the tender birria and soft tortilla, it created a luscious textural bite unlike any taco I’ve had before.
Before our plates were cleared, shots of Don Julio tequila appeared out of nowhere — it happened too quickly for a photo. They encouraged us to do a marrow bone luge shot (pour a tequila shot down the bone and into one’s mouth). Truly a highlight of the evening, we all did it. Besides being fun, it was cool how the tequila picked up flavors of the remaining decadent marrow.
Grilled Watermelon Salad + Don Julio Ultima Reserva
Finally, the dessert course: grilled watermelon drizzled with agave syrup plus candied jalapeños and queso fresco. The in-season watermelon and candied jalapeño battled on the palate: cold, sweet, refreshing melon versus spicy, caramelized pepper, and the fresh cheese was the thing to bring it all together.
The summer dessert was paired with Don Julio Ultima Reserva tequila, the nicest tequila of the night. Of course, the tequila tasted amazing, which tracks with its pricetag and limited quantity. The watermelon dessert didn’t compete with the tequila’s glam; the Ultima Reserva was the star, and the grilled melon with queso and peppers was a superb supporting snack.
All five of these tequilas were much better than any tequila I’ve tried — because (for the most part) tequila and I have a vaca relationship. As such, most tequila that I’ve had burn on the finish, but these were all very, very smooth.
Overall, the event was a lovely summer night al fresco. The food was totally delicious and the tequila unbelievable. Plating dishes on the patio and the Don Julio guru (who received applause after each tasting explanation) made the experience feel like dinner and a show.
We all know C-U’s patio season doesn’t last forever, so it was nice to enjoy an evening outside with pleasant weather (and tequila). Though this was the very first tasting dinner Maize Mexican Grill has ever done, I bet it won’t be the last.
Follow Maize on Facebook to stay up to date on future events.
Maize Mexican Grill at The Station
100 N Chestnut
Champaign
M-F 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sa 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Su 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
