It All Still Looks Civilized at 8 PM

Allison

Keats and Amy

Eric

Ben

True confession - when I heard that some folks I know from high school were opening a tequila bar, my reaction was pretty much "Meh." Most of us have some kind of liquor we've had a bad experience with, and for me, it's tequila. And hey, when I knew Pat and Dylan, they weren't exactly the connoisseurs of fine liquors. OE and Mad Dog were more like it.

Barrio Chino is really something else though. The little plate they serve you with your tequila shot, with it's little glass of spicy tomato juice and refreshing slices of jicama, is so appetizing that I felt compelled to indulge in a little sip. Still, I was happy I had gone for the Coconut Mojito, and Allison was over the moon about her fancy non-alcoholic limeade. All week she's been trying to get bartenders to serve her up a creative n/a and until Barrio Chino, soda with a salted plum at the little Japanese bar was the closest she had come. Since that tasted like Alka Seltzer, the creativity points didn't really add up to much.

The food is outstanding, and rivals Carta de Oaxaca in Seattle, which is saying something, I think. I could eat that ceviche every night, and even though we were going out later for a dinner I knew would be fantastic, I couldn't resist stealing little pieces of steak from Ben's plate. Points for decor, too - I love all the lanterns, the gold wall and the big communal table.

But of course, the best thing was the company. They laughed at me a little for all the photos I was taking, but check out those portraits! I think my persistence paid off.