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A recent poll by Jose Cuervo, Ireland’s number one tequila brand, reveals that Dubliners are embracing a summer state of mind. Forget traditional dinners and heavy coats—it’s all about light al fresco dining, rooftop bars, and refreshing cocktails this season, as the people of Dublin shared the thing that makes them go “aaaaaah, summer is here”.
Topping the list of summer highlights for Dubliners are “picnics, tacos and picky bit dinners” with 57% of respondents choosing this as the signal that summertime is upon us. Lighter clothing came a close second with 51% of respondents saying you know Irish summer has officially arrived when it’s ‘no coat weather.’ Unsurprisingly, two of our favourite things, “Rooftop bar views” (47%) and “Cocktail Hour with Friends” (44%) followed closely behind, and of course, “Beach Days” remain a classic summer favourite with 40% of the vote.
Sarah Harvey, brand manager for Jose Cuervo in Ireland, notes, “It was no surprise that the top five summer highlights included picnicking, visiting our local beaches and spending time in one of the many amazing beer gardens and roof top terraces we have across Ireland, soaking up the sun and enjoying a refreshing cocktail, with friends. The Paloma is a refreshing citrus-infused long drink that’s hugely popular in its native Mexico. It pairs beautifully with vibrant Mexican cuisine, seafood, charcuterie, or Asian dishes.”
The Poll was released today, on World Paloma Day, a celebration of the trending summer cocktail made with tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit soda. It seems this refreshing tipple is poised to knock the G&T off its pedestal as the go-to summer long drink, and we can definitely see why. To find out if this Tequila spritz lives up to the hype, we popped into three Dublin spots to try out their takes on a Jose Cuervo Paloma, and to see how this summery pink drink pairs with different cuisines.
Mexican Fiesta
First we headed to El Silencio FFF tucked away on Clarendon Market and home to some of the most tempting Mexican street food in the city. We dug in to the Cochinita Pilbil, corn tacos with melting braised pork, avocado puree and pickled pink onion, and crispy Prawn Tostadas with chipotle aioli.
This was a perfect taco Tuesday feast made even better served with El Silencio’s take on a Paloma: Jose Cuervo Tradicionale Silver, San Pellegrino Pompelmo soda, salt and zingy grapefruit bitters and lime with a fiery Tajin rim for extra kick. This was predictably perfect with Mexican flavours, and their unique take, not too sweet and pleasingly zingy, could convert margarita lovers to the Paloma for sure.
Asian Fusion
Yamamori Izakaya is one of our favourite funky Asian spots in town on Dame Street, serving up sushi and a fabulous “japas” (japanese tapas) menu that calls for an equally fun cocktail pairing. Izakaya’s Paloma blends Jose Cuervo Reposado, fresh lime and grapefruit juice, Fever Tree pink grapefruit soda and agave syrup for a stunning take on the sip of the summer.
The Paloma’s fresh pink grapefruit tanginess perfectly complemented the umami flavours of the array of delicious dishes we tried: Padron Peppers Tempura, Ebi Chilli (spicy fried king prawns in a rich and fiery onion sauce) and Volcano Spicy Salmon rolls. While Sake is the traditional go-to pairing for this Asian fare, we found Izakaya’s Paloma to be a must-try match here.
Mediterranean Delights
Nolita’s stylish sun-drenched terrace is the ideal setting for sipping Palomas alongside bangingly fresh, Mediterranean-inspired fare with an Italian accent – summer perfection. We popped in to pair their equally stylish Paloma, made with Jose Cuervo Especial Silver, 3Cents Grapefruit Soda, fresh lime and a fabulous garnish of a torched grapefruit slice, with some Italian classics.
Nolita’s Paloma was a tad sweeter than the others, but this meant it paired deliciously with more-ish Fritto Misto including king prawns and calamari, a fabulous Antipasti Board and crispy Arancini, cutting through the addictive saltiness with sweet citrus zing.
All in all, the versatility of the Paloma was undeniable, pairing delightfully with Asian, Italian and Mexican dishes, and particularly well with prawn dishes in each spot. We highly recommend you see for yourself and shake up your usual go-to summer drink.
So, whether you’re indulging at one of our top picks for a Paloma pairing with some fantastic food, enjoying a picnic in the park or sipping cocktails on a rooftop bar, this spritzy little pink number is guaranteed to make you say “Aaaaah, summer is here!”.For further information, connect with Jose Cuervo on Instagram @JoseCuervoIRL and Facebook @Jose Cuervo Ireland.
