Agave Cocina & Cantina

Contemporary Mexican in Redmond and Kent

You can find a decent burrito, quesadilla, taco, etc., in numerous places around Seattle. If you're looking for something a little different, more modern, with a focus on freshness, your choices are a bit more limited. Save yourself some time and head to Agave in Redmond or Kent.

When Julian Ramos took over the Redmond Las Margaritas from a friend in 2002, they were serving standard Mexican dishes. It wasn't as though he was a restaurateur-an uncle had a restaurant in Jalisco where he grew up, so the business was in the back of his head. However, he attended school in Mexico and California and took machine technology classes. He worked as an engineer in research and development for 14 years in California, making things like warheads for the F16 and the Navy, parts for McDonnell Douglas and the first stainless steel water pump for cars. This nose for detail and how things work has served him well in the restaurant business. Why change careers? "I was not thinking good, I guess," he laughs.

He came to Seattle to visit his sister and got the feel for the city. "It seemed a better place to raise kids. We had twin girls and they were nearly four years old. We liked the trees and the green," Julian recalls. Once they moved, he worked at Las Margaritas with a friend, eventually taking over the restaurant. Along with a standard menu, the restaurant was fairly typical Mexican-bright colors, welcoming atmosphere.

In 2009, Julian, his sister and brother opened Agave in the Issaquah Highlands. "It was completely different. We had standard dishes if people wanted them, but also offered garlic spinach, sweet potato fries, salads. People would walk in, look at the menu and leave because it wasn't 'Mexican.' They didn't realize these were popular items in Mexico. The first six months were a challenge. In the seventh month, we had waiting lists on Friday nights. Part of the change was that instead of handing a menu to someone, we described it in detail to them. Word of mouth brought more people in. I remember the first time we actually paid all the bills and had money left over. I didn't even know what to do with it. I gave some to my mom and put the rest away." Ultimately, the brothers chose to split up the restaurants and run their own programs. Julian owns the Redmond and Kent locations.

What they were doing in 2009 is common now: most chicken, pork, beef on the menu is sustainable and free range. They use organic vegetables and eggs when possible, and their black beans are organic. Food is fresh and natural; no preservatives, trans fat or lard. "People are health conscious and want to eat better." Their menu offers many options with flavors from Mexico, Central America and South America (grilled chimichurri fish), and items like empanadas popular in Honduras and Guatemala. "Incorporating these flavors sets us apart," says Julian. The Kent location came with a Woodstone wood fired oven, and they're using it mainly for meat-dishes like grilled chicken tinga (photo above).

They offer a very complete tequila bar with over 140 tequilas at both Kent and Redmond. "There are many good tequilas; it just comes down to personal taste," explains Julian. "We offer tequila, mezcal, sotol and racilla. We have our own specialty cocktail list and offer tequila flights and daily specials, like Tequila Tuesdays." They also offer brunch at both Redmond and Kent with unique items like Mexican Chocolate French Toast, vegetarian breakfast tacos and carnitas biscuits. "It's a competitive business, you need to be creative and improve yourself. We have good chefs who create 20-30 new dishes every six months to a year, and we go through them to choose which to put on the menu. We want to cater to as many people as possible, so we have gluten-free items, vegetarian dishes and dishes that can be made vegan."

Redmond has been an Agave since 2011; Kent opened in mid-June 2015. At the end of June, they still hadn't put up an 'open' sign or turned on the beer signs. "We wanted time to settle in and get everything right, but we've been really busy. We feel very welcome in Kent. People have thanked us for coming, saying they needed this. The Landlord has been good to work with, as has the Chamber of Commerce. We had an event for the Chamber and 50-60 people showed up. We're near the Regional Justice Center and we see the judges and juries come in. I'm going to start working on the judges to let the prisoners come over once a week for a meal," Julian jokes. "Just an hour and a half."

Julian is proud of the unique nature of Kent's design. "All the items came from or near my home town in Jalisco. It looks like Mexico." Tequila barrels adorn the walls of the bar, there are metal designs and one wall painted to look like tile that shows how tequila is made from agave. There are two outdoor patios: one is uncovered with tables situated beneath umbrellas. The other is covered and includes an outside bar counter that allows patrons to look into the bar. The bar's glass wall rolls up so it's all one large space. There's a two-sided fireplace to be enjoyed inside or out.

Agave is successful for many reasons. The owners/operators live here and are part of the community. They hand select menu items to ensure there are options for everyone, and are on-site to give that personal touch. Good food and beverage puts them over the top.

Agave Redmond
17158 Redmond Way
Redmond, WA 98052
425-881-8252

Agave Kent (at left)
504 Ramsay Way, Ste 107
Kent, WA 98032
253-277-2053

www.agaverest.com

Connie Adams/July 2015