Raising the Roof

“As they say,” says Edgar Torres, before toasting a clay copita of a rare Alipús San Miguel mezcal: “‘Para todo mal, mezcal; para todo bien, también.’ For everything that’s bad, there’s mezcal. For everything good,” he smiles, “there’s mezcal.” Edgar and his wife, Christina, are owners of Manor Road’s new mezcaleria, Techo.

Heir to Mi Madre’s (the elder Torres generation’s Tex-Mex eatery downstairs), Edgar aims to educate drinkers that mezcal is more than just “the tequila with the worm.” For just under two months, Techo has been quietly enlightening patrons to the breadth of flavors born out of the lava-rock-roasted maguey plant (the type of agave used). “There’s a bunch of new artisanal mezcals that are really great,” says the aficionado. “The story behind them is great. What they do for their community is awesome. These villages literally work on these mezcals to take care of the village.”

Resident bartender Mike Saltzman enthusiastically discusses each menu item for those who want to know. The mezcal list at Techo runs 15 bottles deep, spanning batches distilled with the nine botanical herbs used to make gin (Pierde Almas +9) to single-village recipes incorporating plums and apples and almonds while a chicken breast hangs above the clay pot still (Del Maguey Pechuga). “All the vapors cook the chicken; the juices drip down. You get this savory and sweet …. It’s a very traditional thing,” Edgar explains. “They also do one with an Iberico ham,” he enthuses.

For the initiated or intrigued, limited-run and experimental bottles are often in-house, but off-menu. For those wishing to sample several varieties while maintaining an appropriate blood-alcohol level, servings are also offered in a smaller copita (¾ ounce) at a lower price. And for those hesitant to sip straight mezcal (like Christina), an extensive craft cocktail menu incorporates the smoky spirit in surprising ways.

The bright and refreshing Verdito – named after the shot of cilantro-jalapeño juice that is a traditional accompaniment to mezcal in Mexico – infuses a house-made basil-serrano-lime juice with St. George absinthe, mezcal, and agave syrup. The Crudo invokes a negroni, combining traditional ingredients Campari, Carpano, and orange peel with the more unorthodox mezcal and Amaretto. It works. Homemade tepache, a traditional Mexican fermented pineapple drink sold out of a cart by roadside vendors, appears alongside cinnamon, anise, chile salt, and pineapple-sage shrub. “It’s one of my favorite drinks on the menu,” says Edgar of the kombucha-like cocktail.

Techo’s intimate barroom is accessed by a staircase (“techo” translates to “rooftop”) rooted in the patio of neighboring School House Pub (also owned by the couple). Visitors are welcomed by a set of elaborately carved, arched wooden doors that recall rustic San Miguel in central Mexico and its cobblestone streets. Swinging inward, they reveal a cozy room with walls and floors of reclaimed barn wood, a ceiling of hand-painted tiles sourced from the Torres family’s hometown of Saltillo, Mexico, and on the southern wall, a prominent stained-glass window depicting a jimador, the specialized farmer who painstakingly cuts the piña from the heart of the succulent’s hardy spines. Most of the decor, including metal filigree tables and chairs, was acquired at an artisans’ market in Saltillo during trips to Mexico to visit family.

Once warmer weather permits removal of the patio’s clear vinyl tent, the view of Downtown will be stunning, Christina promises. For now, the pyramidal gas fireplace and colorful prayer candles create a charming ambience, and the libations are sure to keep you warm.

Techo Mezcaleria & Agave Bar

This article appears in January 22 • 2016.