Oyamel showed up on two sources that I generally trust when it comes to food and beverage: Anthony Bourdain’s D.C. list and Thrillist’s List of Best Bloody Marys in D.C.
When I happened to walk right by this restaurant, I thought it was a sign.
I sat at the bar and asked the bartender if they had their famous bloody marys. “Yeah, we make a good one,” she replied.
So shame on me for assuming the one she would make would be the same one that was written up…
According to Thrillist, “The Bloody at Oyamel proves something can be gross AND good. That’s because it’s rimmed with “sal de gusano”. For gringos, that means worm salt. The worms that inhabit the agave plant are dried and then ground down with chilies and sea salt. The wormy rim is your gateway to sips of a Bloody made with your pick of mezcal, tequila, or vodka, plus house-made tomato juice, lime juice, and guajillo chili. It’s garnished with cilantro and marigold.”
This place made Bourdain’s list simply on mezcal selection…
Anyway, here’s what I got:
Mix: Housemade, somewhat spicy
Chaser: None offered
Fixin’s: Cucumber
Price: $10
I have no idea if this bloody was rimmed with the “sal de gusano,” or not and the bartender just used vodka without asking if I had a preference, so I didn’t get to try that famous mezcal. It also was not garnished with cilantro and marigold.
Overall, this bloody mary was decent and I guess it was my fault for not inquiring further or specifying, but had I known, I would have probably tried the sangria or margarita to go with my food, which for the record, was fantastic.
The made-to-order guacamole was heavenly and melted right into the still-warm fresh-baked tortilla chips. I must admit I devoured way too much and could barely eat my meal, which was also top-notch.
Definitely a cool place to check out, but maybe skip the bloody to make more room for guac.
Out For Bloodies 