Thursday, September 23, 2010

Ashland, 6: Agave; Sesame

Ashland, Sept. 22—
FOR LUNCH TO ONE of Ashland's very best, Agave, a little taco restaurant at the north end of the business district. Fine margaritas, excellent tacos, tasty slaw. The pato taco is particularly fine, but alas, there was no duck in the kitchen. I made do with a sautéed fish taco, the meat firm and sparkling, the other ingredients nicely balanced. I particularly like the grated cabbage salad, with its carrot, cilantro, and discreet habañera pepper, generously dressed with lime juice. #alttext#Such food is much more to my taste than the pan-Asian, as Mac calls it, cuisine a block away, where we had dinner at Sesame. Since Mac likes it, it's got to be good; he knows such food. I played it safe, ordering the "Korean Ssâm," grilled hanger steak on a bead of butter lettuce, kim chi on the side (very similar to Agave's slaw, though not as limey), with a nice mustard sauce and an enormous heap of fried glass noodles on top. Very tasty: I'll order it every time. (Next time hold the noodles.)
Côtes du Rhône (E. Guigal), nv

Agave, 92 North Main St., Ashland; tel. (541) 488-1770
Sesame Asian Kitchen, 21 Winburn Way, Ashland; tel. (541) 482-0119

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