Tried & Tested

Bar check: El Nivel

19 Dec 2014 by Jenny Southan

BACKGROUND

Located above buzzy Mexican joint La Perla in London’s Covent Garden, sister establishment El Nivel opened in May.

It was launched by renowned tequila expert Tomas Estes and his son Jesse, who together also co-founded the Ocho Tequila brand. Tomas created the Pacifico Group of bars and restaurants in 1976.

Specialising in tequila and mezcal, which are made from the spiky agave plant, they claim El Nivel is the capital’s first “agaveria”.

Here, they craft grown-up cocktails in “an homage to the first licensed cantina in Mexico, which later became the hangout for Che Guevara and Fidel Castro”.

THE BAR

A narrow staircase to the left of La Perla was guarded by a girl with a clipboard who is in charge of reservations. I was ticked off the list and sent up to the bar to where another member of staff showed my guest and I to a table by the window.

Compared with La Perla downstairs, which was overflowing with people, El Nivel was quiet – almost empty, in fact, except for a small group sitting at the bar. I wondered why the two guys behind me were turned away, after being told it was fully booked.

The room was modest in size, seating about 30 people, with simple wooden floorboards, whitewashed walls and Latin American artwork. Being above street level in a historic London townhouse almost gives it the feeling of being in someone’s home, which I liked, but the problem seemed to be a lack of passing trade so it didn’t have much atmosphere the Thursday evening I visited. I also imagined it to be darker, moodier, with more personality.

My friend and I were served by Jesse. An “educator of distillates”, he was both charming and knowledgeable, advising us on our drink choices and talking us through the extensive mezcal selection (of which there are about 40 types).

THE DRINKS

The mezcal-based cocktails are probably the best thing about El Nivel, although the smokiness of the spirit, which comes from roasting the heart of the maguey plant (a type of agave) in underground pits, is a distinctive flavour not everyone will like at first. I am a fan though – and having it in a cocktail is a good way to ease yourself in.

I started with a pretty little Mezcal Fix, reasonably priced at £9. Made with Quiquiriqui mezcal from Oaxaca (there is mezcal bar in Hackney of the same name), it is mixed with roasted pineapple syrup, fresh lime, Cynar (a bitter Italian aperitif made from artichoke and botanicals) and saltwater spray.

A chunky decanter of water arrived on the table with it, encrusted with silver barnacles, which was a nice touch.

After, I had an excellent zesty tequila Margarita, as well as a shot of Montelobos sipping mezcal. Other options included the Fallen Angel for £12 (like a sweet Manhattan but made with Gran Centenario Anejo tequila), and the Perasecco for £10, which combines pear purée with Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal, prosecco and star anise.

THE FOOD

When you’re knocking back the hard stuff, it’s vital to have some sustenance alongside. El Nivel has a menu of Mexican tapas that are designed to be shared. My guest, JLR, and I ordered a selection. The Tostadas de Atun Luzia (£8) were a hit – piles of raw, cubed yellowfin tuna, avocado, toasted hazelnuts and smoked chili cream sauce on a pair of crispy corn tortillas.

The Asian-influenced guacamole “Yim Fun Ho” (£9) somehow didn’t quite work. For me, I like a classic guac, but this came with paper-thin Chinese pancakes, fresh strawberries, mango, jicama and pomegranate seeds. It wasn’t unpleasant, just different. A bit too sweet.

The Coctel de Marisco (£7) – a seafood cocktail in a bland tomato sauce – was a fail, as were the ginger and chili chicken tacos, which JLR said were dry.

I enjoyed the roasted broccoli, cauliflower and carrots with blue cheese dip, and a fresh, crispy salad, which sounded great on the menu (red mustard leaves, red chard, roasted beetroot, jicama and a hard goat cheese Cheddar with juniper green peppercorn vinaigrette) but was somehow rather uninspired when it arrived. Some of the ingredients seemed to be missing, substituted with slices of red pepper and cherry tomatoes.

VERDICT

If you are curious about mezcal, El Nivel is well worth visiting. The service is good and there is a huge amount of knowledge behind the operation. The bar is a great concept but in its current location, and with so much competition in the city, survival will be a challenge.

OPENING HOURS 5pm-12pm Tues-Sun.

PRICES £9-£13 for cocktails, £5-£21 for tapas.

CONTACT El Nivel, first floor, 28 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London; tel +44 (0)20 7240 7400; elnivel.co.uk

Jenny Southan

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