Can one town ever have too many Mexican restaurants? Fans of the cuisine, in all its myriad regional manifestations, would chorus a resounding “No!” But it’s always a challenge for an entrepreneur to add to the list in what might be deemed an oversaturated market. In New Paltz, the owner of the latest such establishment has come up with a novel approach: Mexican/Asian fusion. The food is great, and patrons so far are abuzz.
“We had to be a little different, because there are a lot of Mexican spots here,” says Kevin Arias, who just opened Agave New Paltz on July 10. “Most of the places I’ve worked were Mexican and Japanese, so I created a fusion of what I learned throughout the years.”
Located at 53 Main Street, in the space most recently occupied by Zaytune Mediterranean Café, Agave is the first new business founded by the 26-year-old Wallkill native. Arias got his earliest work experience as a dishwasher at the age of 13 and then went on to stints as a busboy and a waiter, eventually working his way up to bar management while pursuing his degree in Business Administration.
“I always knew I wanted to own my own restaurant. I would go to work to learn,” Arias says. Some of his places of employment were sushi bars, so he internalized the tastes of East Asia along with those of his own Latino background. Most recently, he partnered with his father in running Flores Family Restaurant in Schenectady, but “wanted my own, closer to me.”
One role that Arias didn’t play, in the course of his training, was actual cooking. He has a secret weapon in that department, though: “One of my best friends went to the Culinary Institute.” That friend, Steven Diaz, is now the head chef at Agave, and all it takes is one glance at the artful presentation of the dishes on the new eatery’s eclectic menu to see where he got his chops. If you’re primarily familiar with the Americanized style of Mexican cuisine, in which everything is swimming in a sea of red or green salsa, liquefied refried beans and a mat of gooey cheese (not that there’s anything wrong with craving such a meal sometimes), you’re in for some surprises at Agave. Everything we tried felt light on the palate – even the yucca fries.
Diaz’s menu is designed to be what you might call modular: It’s easy here to assemble a hearty meal from an array of appetizers and sides, and the entrées won’t weigh you down too much, either. In fact, we ordered our first course off the “Platos” section, at Arias’ suggestion: “Everyone starts with the Aguachile Ceviche.” This bowl of tiny garlic shrimp, chopped cucumber and avocado, marinated in lime juice and piqued with just a little serrano pepper, was the perfect dish for a hot summer evening. It’s served with light, crispy tortilla chips, which are “house-made every hour,” according to Arias.
Tacos, served on soft corn tortillas, are priced à la carte here and come with your choice of six different fillings, so you can design your own “flight” to sample. We tried the unusual offering of vegetarian cauliflower tacos, in which the cauliflower is prepared General Tso-style, betraying the Asian influence, and drizzled with a tantalizingly tangy valentina aïoli. We also shared an authentic tamale with a chicken filling, again prepared with a light touch. “We like serving smaller things so you can try different stuff,” Arias says. Not stuffing ourselves turned out to be an excellent idea, since that meant we’d left room for an exquisite dessert: the creamy fruit compote known as Tres Leches.
Arias and his associates, who also include his girlfriend, two sisters and a brother-in-law, have renovated the space beautifully, creating a sophisticated ambiance that should make Agave an appealing night spot for the 20-to-30-something crowd. The walls are painted in a very dark shade of teal; the front dining room is lined with comfortable banquettes along each side. On one wall is neon script reading, “Margarita se llama mi amor.” There is counter-style outdoor café seating on the front patio as well.
The rear room is dominated by a handsome bar, where the owner likes to experiment with crafting fanciful cocktails, infusing syrups with surprising ingredients. “I love to be behind the bar,” says Arias. “The cocktail scene has become like cooking.” We sampled two of his imaginative specialty drinks: the ultralight La Coquette, made with vodka, naranja liqueur, hibiscus and lemon, with dried rose petals floating on top; and the Spicy Guayaba Margarita, rimmed with chile salt. Both were yummy. Weekly drink specials are promised here in the near future as Agave hits its stride, as well as a regular selection of intriguing mocktails.
“We’re getting great feedback so far,” Arias says. “I’m proud of what I’ve created.”
Agave New Paltz is located at 53 Main Street (Route 299) in downtown Main Street, just steps from the intersection with Routes 208 and 32 North. Business hours are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and until 9 p.m. on Sunday. For more info, call (845) 419-2188 or visit www.facebook.com/agavenewpaltzny or www.instagram.com/agavenewpaltz.
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