Time for tequila! Mention tequila to some of your friends and chances are, their eyes will light up at the thought of enjoying this fine alcoholic liquor. That was the case when we recently got a few pals together on a Friday night to check out El Vitral’s new tequila-tasting and food-pairing series. Talk about great tastes that taste great together. Whether you’re a tequila connoisseur or novice, this is a fun way to learn how tequila makes its journey from a quirky-looking agave plant to your taste buds. During the 90-minute soiree, we focused on the blanco or silver tequila. There were three shots: Alma, Centenario Plata and Casa Noble. Beverage director Harrison Elkins, who conducts the course, encouraged us to sip our tequila while executive chef Norma Martinez entertained us with a variety of mouth watering appetizers that were out of this world. We also heard from General Manager Carlos Mijes, who’s the king of tequila trivia. For example, did you know that John Paul DeJoria, the co-founder of Paul Mitchell hair products, is also the founding owner of Patron Tequila? Not to be outdone were the excellent food pairings, which included ceviche de camerones (shrimp), the sopa de tortilla tomato broth and the beer-battered mahi mahi taco de dorado. In case you’re curious, El Vitral has more than 250 tequilas and their top-of-the-line margarita is $300! We tried the house margarita with fresh lime juice and plan to revisit this concoction during their daily happy hour, when it’s only $4. The new tequila tasting and food pairing series costs $30-$45 per person. It kicks off April 21 and will be held the third Thursday of every month. El Vitral is located at 815 J St., next to Petco Park. For more information, visit www.elvitralrestaurant.com. Boat adventures on a budget If you crave an adventure on the waterfront but don’t want to spend a bundle, here’s an idea: rent a kayak or go for a ride on a water taxi. The water taxi is a fun way to get around San Diego Bay but not many locals take advantage of this cool experience. One of our favorite things to do is ride the water taxi when the outdoor Symphony Pops Concerts are in full swing. The boat is able to get within close range of the side of the stage. You can also call the water taxi for a pick-up at Joe’s Crab Shack and catch the tunes on your way out. A one-way ticket is $7 per person. One tip: make sure you make a reservation in advance at (619) 235-TAXI. Now that spring is here, the taxi fills up quickly.
