You probably know that I enjoy all beverages – cocktails, wine, and beer. I’ve been a fan of Alto Bajo, a bright, airy restaurant specializing in regional Mexican cuisine and located in the newish Hi Lo Hotel – and I’ve written about it previously as a great hidden brunch gem that takes reservations. I also really like its bar which specializes in tequila and mezcal, also as a hidden gem for classy drinks in a chic atmosphere that is suitable for a nice party of friends or coworkers where you can actually hear each other talk and fit comfortably in the lounge. So when I heard they were hosting beer dinner pairing their modern Mexican food with the beers of an award winning brewery, I was in for the Firestone Walker and Alto Bajo Beer Dinner! If you are vegetarian or vegan, you should also know that Alto Bajo offered a vegan alternative for all the courses – I didn’t utilize it, but appreciated that they thoughtfully wanted to include non-meat eaters.
Since I last wrote about it, there was a change of chefs, and now Chef Bryant Kryck leads the kitchen. Some favorites of mine still remain, like the Mayan Sikil Pak at lunch and dinner. Chef Bryant has also increased the protein options. So although my favorite brunch omelette of theirs no longer stars huitlacoche with corn, local mushrooms and poblano cream sauce, now you can choose from fillings for your omelette (or burrito, or rice bowl, or chilaquiles, or other taqueria options) with smoked chicken thigh tinga, brisket barbacoa, pork shoulder carnitas, smoked truffled mushrooms, or red chili shrimp. I’ve been curious about the new menu, and got to sample some of it at this beer pairing dinner, while also seeing some of favorites still remain on the menu.
The Firestone Walker and Alto Bajo Beer Dinner started off with a casual reception with Firestone Walker Pivo Pils, a German Pilsener, with Alto Bajo’s housemade chips and salsa roja and salsa verde at a central table where each person could help themselves. I am not ashamed to admit I went back twice. The chips and salsas are just as addictive as they were previously.
The first Course was a pairing of Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion #10 American IPA with Pivo Pils braised beef short rib sope. This is not normally on the menu – Alto Bajo did this special dish utilizing beef short rib braised in Firestone Walker’s beer just for this event – and I appreciated that they thoughtfully did something one-off to both highlight the Luponic Distortion while also utilizing another Firestone Walker beer too as a thoughtful partnership.
Second Course, a pairing of Vegan Chile and mushroom empanadas with the malty, hoppy but caramel-y Firestone Walker DBA Double Barrel Ale English Pale Ale was also an excellent pairing. I mean, who doesn’t love empanadas, crispy on the outside and gooey pocket of umami on the inside? I think special for this dinner, the mushrooms were also reduced in mezcal! You could recreate this sorta by ordering Alto Bajo’s Entomatadas, which are cheese stuffed tortillas plus your choice of protein, on their lunch and dinner menus.
Third Course pairing of Ahi tuna ceviche with Firestone Walker Krieky Bones, a wild ale fermented with sour cherries was the most odd pairing for me – I wasn’t quite sure how the contrast or compliment of flavors was supposed to work. But the beer was damn good.
Fourth Course, a pairing of Conchinita pibil (Yucatan style pork) with Firestone Walker Helldorado 2017, a blond barley wine ale that was quite boozy, and tasted better as it warmed up to room temperature! The cochinita pibil here was a humongous portion – and I had it the next day with fried eggs and it was still just as good. You can get this cochinita pibil regular off the Alto Bajo dinner menu, but the surprise sleeper hit were the beans here! Chef Bryant’s refried beans have a secret trick to them that includes miso, and you can upgrade them with truffle oil (eh) or foie gras butter (YES). The refried beans and these upgrades are on all the menus all day everyday at Alto Bajo and you should give them a try, you will not be sorry. They were my biggest surprise of the night.
Finally, the last course as I struggled to take some bites even though the last course was already boxed up on the table for me… a dessert of Guava and cream cheese sweet corn tamale with Firestone Walker UnderCurrants, a Wild Ale fermented with black cherries. I wasn’t a huge fan of the tamale here which was too thick for my taste and did not have a good ratio of tamale and filling, but the incredible beer, my favorite of the night, more then made up for it. This seemed to be a one off dessert anyway, as usually the dessert menu offers chocolate cake with cajeta brulee as a play on flan, or whole grain churros with raspberry jam and marionberry compote!
There is talk of more Alto Bajo beverage and food pairing dinners coming soon, including wine and with mezcal. If there is a mezcal one you bet I will want to be there! I also would love to see a margarita pairing dinner heh heh. Follow Alto Bajo on Facebook or on Instagram to stay in the loop of future special events. You will also that every third Wednesday that Alto Bajo hosts a Latin Music night with food and drink specials.
If you could choose a beverage pairing dinner, what kind of cuisine, and what of beverage, would you like to see?
I LOVE the ceviche at Alto Bajo, plus the beer collaboration that I tasted while I was there was spectacular, it had a little bit of heat from some chiles.