Milo’s Cantina Goes Beyond Tequila

Brianna Valentin

The Hudson Valley’s newest taco and tequila bar, Milo’s Cantina, hosted their first tequila pairing dinner March 13. Their unique cuisine consists of Asian, German, Mexican, and American flavors infused into south western classics.

Milo’s wants to prove there are alternative ways to drink tequila other than making a thirst quenching margarita. The restaurant houses over 85 tequilas and 19 mezcals in their bar.

Heather Grunion, general manager of Milo’s Cantina, says that the establishment has set themselves apart from other taco restaurants in the area because Milo’s is not an authentic Mexican spot, nor have they ever tried to be. “We like to combine different food and flavors with a Mexican influence,” Grunion says, “Along with our food, our tequila and mezcal selection is one of the largest in the area and our staff has learned a lot about the different styles in order to educate customers and give them an experience while visiting the restaurant!”

The four-course dinner special started with an appetizer and completed with a dessert mezcal as well as course.The first course was paired with a siembra metl cupreata mezcal. Grunion said, “The siembra metl mezcal that we started with was more on the sweet side as opposed to the smokiness that mezcal is known for. We paired it with a blueberry and goat cheese guacamole; the acidity in the guacamole complimented the mezcal very well.”

Jalapeno corn chowder paired with san matias gran reserva extra anejo followed second. “We made this pairing because the notes of spices and cinnamon in the tequila really brought out the spices in the chowder,” Grunion said.

For the main course, guests chose from a braised short rib in a white mole sauce or a cauliflower “steak” in a white mole sauce. This was paired with dos armadillo anejo and served with a side of house corn pico. “Pairing this anejo with the short rib dish enhances the chocolate, clove and nutmeg spices; the anejo has a strong vanilla aroma that pulls together the course,” explained Grunion.

Lastly, the fourth course was a margarita bar paired with del maguey crema de mezcal. The margarita bar included the mezcal as well as mezcal infused whipped cream. “Del maguey crema de mezcal is the type we used; it is sweet due to the fact they added 10% of agave syrup directing to the bottle during distillation,” Grunion said, “Del maguey is the first mezcal distributor to export to the US.”

The pairing dinner not only left guests full and happy, but a bit more educated on Mexican liquor. The appeal of these types of meals? You leave with a full belly, an experience, and a culinary education. “We like to experiment with our food and unique flavors at Milo’s,”owner Jeremy Phillips said, “Since we opened in October we have received nothing but positive feedback from our diners… we hope to keep finding new ways to incorporate new flavors into Mexican dishes.”

The restaurant is located at 206 Main St. in Poughkeepsie. Be sure to check the restaurant’s Facebook page for upcoming events.