Spirit of Oaxaca

tequila was a spirit on the rise. Since then, it’s been buoyed by labels associated with celebs such as George Clooney and Kendall Jenner. More recently,, the historic Mexican towns created to promote tourism. Inside, the focal point is an enormous, papier-mâché skeleton suspended from the ceiling. Depictions of Oaxacan folk art animals are everywhere, many peering down onto the 150-seat space. (Outside are an equal number of seats.) The back bar will house what’s hoped to be 400 mezcals, as well as up-and-comer cousins, such as Sotol, Raicilla, and Bacanora. The uninitiated can sample specially priced tastes during happy hour, then gravitate to frozen mezcal margaritas (a first in St. Louis), made with fresh fruits. The food menu boasts popular Mexican standards, as well as such regional specialties as (baked chicken, , and mezcal-flavored chili sauce, wrapped in maguey leaves) and (cheese cooked in a and ignited using a high-proof mezcal). The Mendieta family also hopes to introduce more St. Louis diners to Mexico’s edible insects-specifically and -but plan to start that process slowly, by offering specialty cocktails in funky vessels rimmed with grasshopper and mezcal worm salt, respectively. Offering rimmed of mezcal wouldn’t be a bad conversation starter, either.