BAR REVIEW: Xolo

It's hard to believe that over three months have passed since my last proper bar review, so it's about time we correct that. And what better way to do so than with one of the hottest new Houston openings in some time!

Mexico City is one of the cocktail meccas of the world, so it's no surprise that tributes and homages to CDMX bar culture are popping up left and right. I was fortunate enough to visit the capital of our southern neighbor for the first time last year (and enjoyed it so much that I will be making a repeat pilgrimage soon), including checking out Handshake Speakeasy, which at the time was ranked the #1 bar on the planet. My mind was absolutely blown by the creativity and quality of everything I tried, and it really changed my conceptions about what a cocktail can be.

Former employees of Handshake have gone on to open up spots all over the globe, and one of those alumni, Angel Bautista, is part-owner and the brains behind the bar program at Xolo (named after the ancient Mexican dog breed Xoloitzcuintle and pronounced "sho-lo", in case you were wondering, which I definitely was for quite some time before I finally figured it out). Located on busy Westheimer Road at the far eastern edge of Montrose, the building is adorned with rusty earth tones and consists of a skinny room with the long bar on the left and a handful of tables on the right. As seen above, an illuminated "X" made from black pebbles emblazons the wall near the entry, standing out in the otherwise minimalist space... and if you don't immediately start singing "X Gon' Give It To Ya" from 2003's celebrated (by me) film Cradle 2 The Grave, then I don't know what to tell you. RIP DMX.

As is customary in a bar review, we start with the drinks. There is some serious technique here, with a little laboratory in one corner featuring an infuser, a carbonation machine, and other equipment I've never even seen before. Many of the cocktails require multi-step preparation processes that can take over 24 hours to complete. This is perhaps Houston's first true example of molecular mixology, following in the footsteps of Handshake, Carnaval in Lima, and The Aviary in Chicago.

I started out with the Infinity Highball: Ilegal mezcal, jasmine pearls, and mandarin orange. Expertly balanced between the marked smoke of the spirit and the bright citrus of the mixer, the green tea buds added an herbal note to take it to the next level. This was undoubtedly the second best highball I've ever had (often I find these to be a bit boring, if I'm honest), behind only an otherworldly whiskey version I once had in Malaysia, which was one of the extremely rare occasions where I ordered the same beverage multiple times.

Getting a bit crazier was the Pan + Tomate, with Bulleit, Ketel One, toasted barley, and tomato cordial. You wouldn't think that bourbon and vodka would go together, but they worked in such unexpected harmony, largely because this was quite savory, tasting about as similar to a tomato toast as is feasibly possible while still being delicious. The infusing equipment (or whatever it's called) was really put to work here, and the resulting concoction reminded me of my favorite bar in the world, New York's Double Chicken Please. It was even served with a blistered cherry tomato garnish, which was not just for show: taking a nibble before a sip actually activated the palate and brought out the corresponding flavors in the drink. Crazy fun!

Another food-adjacent selection was the San Luis 37, described as featuring just Bulleit bourbon and arroz con leche. I've only had that iconic Mexican dessert a few times, but I'll be damned if this didn't taste like a rice pudding old fashioned. Clarification resulted in a light-colored, translucent liquid, so if I hadn't known what was coming I wouldn't have anticipated the warming spices like cinnamon which sang against the slight bite of the whiskey. Don't judge a book by its cover.

I don't order coffee-forward libations, but I did get to sample the Banana Carajillo (there's also a butter pecan variant available!) featuring Licor 43, Zacapa 23 rum, banana, and espresso. This Mexico City classic, which has been adopted as something of a Houston staple in recent years, was given a tropical twist with the prominence of the yellow fruit. A touch too bitter for my liking (aka it tasted like coffee), though this was still one of the better carajillos I've tried.

While this is nominally a bar, there's also an excellent food program helmed by chef Javier Becerra, formerly of top 10 Houston restaurant BCN. A tightly curated collection of Mexican-inspired small plates pair perfectly with the cocktails. One can easily have a proper dinner here (and we did!) if so inclined.

Up first was a Tostada made of conico azul (blue heirloom corn) and loaded with scallops, avocado, and aioli petrolero. Fulfilling my weekly tostada quota, this was a nice change of pace with the mollusk bringing a different texture than the usual shrimp (or lobster). A chorizo foam that topped the dish was an amusing molecular gastronomy nod to the mixological methods noted above, even if it was a touch on the salty side.

Something I can safely say I've never had before was Salchipulpo, an "octopus chorizo" (80% cephalopod, 20% pork) in a homemade bolillo roll with chimichurri de chiltepin (a chili pepper-enhanced interpretation of the green sauce). Perhaps the fanciest pig in a blanket I've had, the soft bread was the perfect vehicle for the seafood-sausage chimera where both ocean and land shined without overpowering the other. A hit of acidity and heat from the South American condiment was the metaphorical cherry on top. As you will shortly see, there are multiple must-orders here, but this is definitely one of them.

The Taco Del La Central was perhaps the most normie item on the menu, but it was still tremendous. A cacahuazintle corn tortilla enveloped a generous portion of sliced medium-rare Texas wagyu, a swipe of refried beans, and "patatins" (referring, I assume, to the crispy fried potato strips on top, rather than the storage glycoprotein in the tubers, even though I can't find any evidence of this being a term used for the former anywhere on the internet). This was juicy and succulent, with some earthiness from the legumes, and a side of fiery salsa toreada added a delightful amount of spiciness. An excellent taco, to be sure.

I was absolutely blown away by the Cameron A La Talla. These king prawns were butterflied, marinated in an adobo sauce, and grilled. Deceptively simple but bursting with delicious smoky flavor, I'm not kidding when I say this was the best shrimp I've ever eaten. There was a side of aioli for dipping, but it wasn't even necessary: the crustaceans were that good. I would go back literally just for this.

The final savory course was the closest thing to an entrée, as it was definitely the most substantial. Chuletón normally refers to a ribeye steak, but in this case was pork cheek in pibil marinade, with habanero and pickled red onions. Large chunks of the effortlessly tender meat were coated in the sweet/sour/spicy achiote-citrus sauce (with more served on the side for dipping, which I obviously utilized). While this can be consumed on its own with a fork, I strongly recommend the optional corn tortillas to construct your own tacos; a complete bite with the pork, piquant peppers, acidic onions, and starchy wrap was heavenly. Yet another mandatory item to order when you visit (which you should ASAFP).

For dessert was the Pan De Merienda: a thick slice of brioche caramelized with a baking spice brûlée and drizzled with condensed milk. Based on the chef's favorite after-school snack when he was a kid, this was quite no-frills, but very tasty. The spongy bread soaked up the sweet flavors and the warm notes of the spices to result in a richly scrumptious mouthful. If I had a blowtorch (and quite frankly it's a bit embarrassing that I don't) I would make this at home all the time.

I honestly didn't want to leave, I would have stuck around there for hours sampling other items and admiring the work of the magicians behind the bar if I had been able. A magical evening, and absolutely the type of establishment that we need more of in our fair city. If you've been longing for a taste of the Mexico City hospitality industry in Houston, or just love good food and drink, this is a stone-cold must visit. I plan to return soon for round two, as I'm sure the menu will be ever-evolving.

(By the way, reading this back I realize there is a dearth of the usual jokes, hot takes, and history/aviation references that you have come to expect from Adrian Reviews. I'm not sure why this happened, I guess the source material was just so strong that I wanted to make sure to do it justice. My apologies if you were bored.)

RANKING UPDATE: After careful consideration, I am officially declaring this the #1 overall best cocktail bar on my Houston Drinking Guide (a big deal!), and as much as I wanted to fudge the numbers to put this in the still-to-be-unveiled Best Mid-Range section to keep my beloved Bandista (recently named one of North America's 50 Best Bars!) atop the Best Fancy/Sophisticated rankings, that would have been disingenuous and I could not have lived with myself... so Xolo tops that list as well, and drops Bandista to a very respectable #2.

NEXT UP: The (very) long-awaited reveal of my Best Mid-Range Cocktail Bars rankings.