An Easy Match – Pairing Mexican Food With Beer

By Mathew Powers

The vibrancy of a Mexican restaurant-with its lively music, colorful decor, and sizzling skillets-beg for a fun, refreshing drink.

Often that drink is Dos Equis Ambar, 84% of which is consumed fresh from the tap. Cozymel’s Mexican Grill, located in Wheaton, IL, a suburb of Chicago, not only serves its patrons Dos Equis Ambar, but is making it the featured beer for October.

“A lot of beers pair well with Mexican food, but there is just something about the feeling of drinking a good Mexican beer while eating Mexican food. Our motto is ‘The guest experience is everything,’ and this fits in with this theme that it’s the overall experience that matters. Maybe people picture themselves on their favorite beach at a resort in Mexico or maybe they remember their favorite cantina, and it enhances their experience. Dos Equis Amber (Ambar) has been described as first-world flavor from a third-world beer and is considered an autumnal beer, so patrons can expect a rich, full-bodied beer to drink with their favorite dish.”
– Russell Birk, Owner at Mayor Partners, LLC., which owns Cozymel’s

Mexican Selections from Cozymel's Mexican Grill

Mexican Selections from Cozymel’s Mexican Grill

Photo Courtesy of Cozymel’s Mexican Grill

Dos Equis Ambar is great in fall, and compliments an array of dishes. Birk discussed a few of his favorites.

“Dos Equis Ambar pairs well with most of our dishes, but especially those that have rich sauces, such as brisket enchiladas. All of our meats are smoked overnight and prepared fresh daily, but our Pork Rostisado is world class and would go great with a Dos Equis!”

Cozymel's Dining Area

Cozymel’s Dining Area

Photo Courtesy of Cozymel’s Mexican Grill

The increased popularity of Dos Equis Ambar (has grown 250% since 2009) matches that of a growing love affair with Mexican food by those living north of the Rio Grande. At Cozymel’s, they try to remain traditional.

Birk continues:

“While Mexican food has certainly evolved over the last 10 – 20 years, we have stayed true to our roots and have not followed most of the trends. It’s not because we are not aware of them or do not think highly of them; we do! One trend that we have always practiced and that we have seen more frequently in the last few years is a focus on ‘fresh kitchens’ or restaurants that prepare their food daily instead of pre-prepared sauces and a lot of frozen food. It definitely resonates with our guests and guests of all restaurants. From time to time, we feature dishes with a more modern culinary flare, but customers just like our fajitas, freshly prepared seafood dishes, slow smoked meats, and tacos from our taqueria.”

Delicious Churros and Ice Cream, Cozymel's Mexican Grill

Delicious Churros and Ice Cream

Photo Courtesy of Cozymel’s Mexican Grill

Traditional and Dos Equis Ambar go hand-in-hand. Dos Equis Ambar arrived on the scene in 1897, and it is a German lager-style beer, with hundreds of years of history. Thus, Ambar and Cozymel’s, with its adherence to traditional dishes, make for a perfect match.

Cozymel's Outside Dining Area

Cozymel’s Outside Dining Area

Photo Courtesy of Cozymel’s Mexican Grill

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