The Saint

Dozens of vintage portraits of matadors adorn the walls of this Capitol Hill restaurant and tequila bar, and rightly so. There's no bull to The Saint Social Club's menu or service.

Nearly every item you can order here — from the citrus-marinated ceviche to the extra-aged premium tequilas — is as authentically Mexican as you're likely to find this far north of Jalisco.

Recommended is the Puerco Pibil, a slow-roasted shredded pork —  a neat balance of sweet and savory; the Camarones Diablo, with its devilishly spicy grilled shrimp cooling off in a tomato chipotle sauce; or the deliciously tender and lightly sweet Mole Con Pollo.

Sunday brunch is every bit as good. Try the Chilaquiles, a tortilla-chip casserole topped with shredded meat and eggs, or the hotcakes topped with strawberry tequila crema, almonds and agave-nectar whipped cream. You can wash it all down with the Parasol, a smooth mix of ginger, lemon, simple syrup and Sauza Hornitas Reposado.

You'll enjoy The Saint even if you stick to chips and salsa. The Saint makes everything in-house — the guacamole, the corn tortillas, everything — and the kitchen takes pride in laboring over their marinades, meats sauces for several days before they even reach your table.

All that being said, The Saint's slogan is "tequila salvation" — and you may find no better place in Seattle to enjoy a glass of the aged liquor. The Saint stocks more than 75 varieties of tequila — nearly 30 kinds of reposado alone — and the bartender is always happy to take a moment to find the one that suits your tastes.

- by Geoff Carter, Seattle Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)