Tequila and dinner took on a more elevated pairing at Casa de Ocho in Venice, where Tequila Ocho hosted an intimate “Taste of Terroir” dinner with co-founder and Maestro Tequilero Carlos Camarena.
The evening was part of Tequila Ocho’s August and September takeover of 70 Windward Ave., transforming the Venice space into Casa de Ocho and bringing a taste of the brand’s Jalisco roots to Los Angeles. Rather than a traditional cocktail focused tequila event, the dinner centered around a series of courses designed to be enjoyed alongside different Tequila Ocho expressions.
Camarena, a fifth-generation agave farmer and third-generation tequilero, joined guests throughout the evening, offering insight into the tequila being poured and the different estates represented in the tasting.
The dinner began with kanpachi and guacamole paired with Terroir Select Rio Lerma 2026. The light, fresh opening course set the tone for an evening that moved between Mexican-inspired dishes and more unexpected pairings.
Huitlacoche ravioli with Tequila Ocho Reposado, Terroir Select El Nacimiento de Abuja 2025 Photo credit: The Knockturnal
Next came huitlacoche ravioli with Tequila Ocho Reposado, Terroir Select El Nacimiento de Abuja 2025. The combination brought together a familiar Italian preparation with huitlacoche, the earthy Mexican ingredient sometimes referred to as “corn smut,” while the reposado offered a different profile from the opening pour.
A chile relleno followed, paired with Tequila Ocho Single Estate Capulín 2025. The meal then shifted into a more classic European direction with veal Milanese alongside Tequila Ocho Añejo, Single Estate Mirandillas 2024.
The final course was perhaps the most playful — carajillo flan served with Tequila Ocho Añejo, Single Estate Las Raíces 2024. The dessert paired the familiar coffee and tequila combination of a carajillo with a creamy flan, bringing the dinner to a fitting close.
What made the evening stand out was the decision to treat tequila as part of the meal rather than simply something to sip before or after dinner. Each course came with its own pour, giving guests the opportunity to experience tequila alongside everything from raw fish and guacamole to ravioli, chile relleno and dessert.
Co-founder and Maestro Tequilero Carlos Camarena poses with Tequila Ocho Photo credit: The Knockturnal
It also reflected the broader shift in how tequila is being consumed. While the spirit will always have a place in margaritas and celebratory shots, a growing number of restaurants and bars are approaching tequila more like wine — with attention paid to production, aging, agave and the places where the plants are grown.
That approach is central to Tequila Ocho, which was founded by Camarena and the late tequila advocate Tomas Estes around the concept of single-estate tequila. Rather than treating tequila as a spirit that should taste exactly the same from one production to the next, the brand identifies the individual fields where its agave is grown and uses those harvests to create its expressions.
Photo credit: Tequila Ocho
And the setting was just as important. Casa de Ocho gives the brand a temporary foothold in Venice, bringing an idea rooted in the red soil and agave fields of the Jalisco Highlands into one of Los Angeles’ most recognizable neighborhoods.
Through August and September, the space will continue hosting events that explore tequila, food and Mexican culture.
