On our recent trip to Tequila we made the pilgrimage to La Capilla, a small corner bar that could be easily over looked except for it's the birthplace of one of Mexico's favorite drinks: The Batanga. Truth is the "streetside" view of the bar doesn't display a lot of curb appeal.
La Capilla in Tequila, Jalisco.
But what happens inside is completely charming.
The Batanga was created in 1961 by Don Javier Delgado Corona, now the octogenerian bar keeper at La Capilla. The Batanga is basically Mexico's version of the Cuba Libre - substitute Tequila for Rum. Here's a clip of Don Javier making his famous drink. And on our late Friday night excursion the master, while not tending bar, was the fixture of the establishment. While his family carries on tradition of mixing up Batangas, Don Javier sat quietly in corner chair, overseeing all and quietly accepting the well wishes of those who stopped by.
Here's his recipe:
