#35 | El Tato, Munich, Germany
Last Visit: July 2024
There is a new high-quality cocktail bar in Munich that has managed to fill a major shortcoming in the Bavarian capital right from the start: South American cocktails and cuisine were previously unheard of in Munich, at least at this level and in combination.
El Tato sees itself as a small but excellent gastrobar in the Gärtnerplatz district that certainly doesn't need to hide from the greats of the Munich bar scene.
The bar was opened by the former manager of the Ory Bar at the Mandarin Oriental, Chris Schmidt-Sanchez, and his wife Ginni Schmidt-Sánchez. Thanks to the former, we could expect a lot in terms of drinks, more about our experiences at Ory Bar can be found here. At least concerning the old Ory Bar, because the menu concept has now been completely changed with a new team. Meanwhile, the division of labor at El Tato is clear: while he is responsible for the cocktail menu and his own signature cocktails, his wife creates the changing, seasonal food menu and manages the kitchen.
El Tato, like many other bars, benefits from Munich's regulation of pavement cafés, which have shaped the cityscape since Covid and provide additional outdoor seating during the season. This is also very necessary, as the bar itself is quite small and only offers space for a few small tables in addition to the bar stools.
However, the bar is beautifully furnished and immediately manages to offer its visitors a unique South American flair. This is also due to the great materials and furnishings from the Menagé (article here), and the Gamsei that preceded it, which also shaped the Munich bar scene in their own way. Whether it's the wood-paneled back bar, the new colored cloths on the ceiling or the palm trees on the open panoramic windows, the interior has been creatively expanded while still retaining the elegant charm of its predecessors.
The best thing about it is the fact that the design of the interior puts you in close contact with the bar manager, and you are never far away from the counter to enjoy watching the hustle and bustle.
There were two of us, we were greeted warmly by the waiter and right away offered a seat in the outdoor area and immediately handed the cocktail menu. Right from the start, the menu is dominated by the signature drinks, each beautifully presented graphically and with a double page. This is not unusual in bars, but here it is quite elaborate and has its own style, with several high-end photos for each drink (see examples below).
This shows both the culinary home of the cocktail and the lead spirit, as well as information on the contents and flavors. The menu therefore also makes it easy for cocktail novices to try the signature drinks. In my opinion, this fits particularly well into a concept like this, which can also attract those with a more culinary interest and less experience with higher-quality cocktails. As you progress, you will find classic and well-known drinks, but always with a reference to South and Central America (including the Caribbean). Of course, there are also suitable beers and non-alcoholic drinks.
The food menu comes on a large chalk board and is explained in detail by the waiter. There are several starters, as well as main courses and dessert, not a giant selection, rather focused and all the fresher and more seasonal for it. The dishes invite you to try them out, and so we ordered a selection of starters with yuca frita & esquites and also the ceviche advertised as “the chef's favorite dish”. The dishes arrived very quickly and were delicious without exception, South American cuisine at its best and highly recommended if you are (incomprehensibly) only interested in this half of the experience.
We ordered our first cocktails to accompany our meal. My companion opted for a “Brazilian Colada” from the “Clasicos” menu, while the “El Principio” Signature appealed to me.
Brazilian Colada
| Cachaça
| Pineapple
| Lime
| Coconut & Cashew
| Tonka Bean
El Principio
| Bruxo Mezcal X
| Corn
| Ancho Chile
| Epazote
| Ghost Lime
| Passionfruit
| Carbonized
The cocktails were prepared very promptly and mixed personally by the bar manager. The Colada was fruity, fresh, and creamy, yet without cream, and the tonka bean added that certain something. Overall, of course, in the "easy Colada" territory, but definitely a nice twist, especially when you consider that it is categorized as a "classic" (and yet modified several times).
The "El Principio" hit my taste buds exactly, with its smoky base aroma but also refreshing and unusual character. As far as the corn is concerned, the interesting Nixta (corn) liqueur is used, in addition sweet corn with passion fruit puree is clarified with agar agar. Epazote is added through a tincture from Dr. Sours. An ideal starter that couldn't be better suited for this bar.
Uchuva
| Acholado Pisco
| Physalis Cordial
| Riesling Vermouth
| Dry Tonic Water
Que Vaina
| Brugal Rum 1888
| Tamarind
| Amontillado Sherry
| Cigar
After dinner, we treated ourselves to a second round of cocktails. My companion opted for another Clasicos and chose the “Uchuva”. It wasn't quite as appealing as the first one, as the aroma was really light and “lemonade-ish”. I picked from the signature menu again and was immediately impressed by the “Que Vaina”: an ideal after-dinner drink, which, with its intense & complex flavors (rum, tamarind, amontillado sherry, cigar) invites you to sip in a flavorful, yet relaxed way and thus provides long-lasting pleasure. For the sake of completeness: Tamarind comes into de drink via the Distilleria Quaglia Tamarindo [which I can only highly recommend - note from Robin /rds]. The cigar again in the form of a tincture, which is flambéed, then only very briefly extinguished with high proof rum and then filtered out so that no harmful substances can escape, which would happen if you leave it in there for several minutes.
All in all, a wonderful, relaxing summer evening at a high culinary level in a gastrobar that more than understands craft in all its forms.
An absolute recommendation, not least because of the friendly and attentive staff. I will definitely visit “El Tato” again and am very happy about the new “star of the south” (for our non-German readers: The nickname of football club Bayern Munich) in Munich's bar scene.
/ck