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Nestled nicely into Malaga's old digs, Péché has mildly redecorated with splashes of green and fancy, old fashioned wooden shelving behind the bar complete with sliding ladder. While patrons may come for the novelty of the less-potent, newly legalized absinthe, they will be pleasantly surprised by the menu.
Péché's drink menu consists of almost 50 cocktails and five different absinthes from all over Europe and will force you to break free of your conventional cocktail rut. Ladies still on a kick from Sex and the City can forgo their traditional cosmo for a Pink Lady, the very first cocktail made especially for women: gin, lemon juice, applejack, homemade grenadine, and an egg white comprise this unique cocktail. Other recommendations include the cheeky Goodbye Malaga — strawberries, basil leaves, balsamic syrup, cachaca, lime juice, and cointreau — which tasted like a refreshing mix of strawberry daiquiri and mojito. It may be wise to check out the menu beforehand and Google some of the ingredients of these libations, as they are unfamiliar to even the most adventurous alcoholics.
Of course, it wouldn't be a trip to an absinthe bar without trying some absinthe, no? While Péché has five to choose from, the bar suggest absinthe virgins try the Kubler, a Swiss variety that is lighter and sweeter with floral hints. For those unfamiliar with the "green fairy," absinthe tastes sort of like an upscale sweeter version of Jäger. So, if you don't like the taste of licorice, steer clear.
For those not wanting to try absinthe, Péché also offers a wide array of eats. Highlights include fried buffalo frog legs, moules and frites (steamed mussels in an absinthe tarragon cream with french fries), and coq au vin (braised chicken in red wine). The owner highly recommended the coq au vin, which comes on top of a bowl of fabulously creamy parmesan polenta. The chicken was tender, flavorful and incredibly delicious.
While vegetarians may have a much harder time dining straight off the menu at Péché, the kitchen is very accommodating, and the five cheese mac and cheese is a great choice with its panko and goat cheese crust. Péché is perfect for happy hour or dinner, although it may be a bit cumbersome for larger groups. Roughly translation into "sinned," Péché definitely gives the diner a feeling of decadence and luxury at a relatively low price.
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it's a common misconception that contemporary absinthe is in some way "less potent" than the absinthe of old. there is absolutely no evidence to support this position, and plenty to support the opposite. studies of the chemical compositions of several of the most popular victorian era absinthes have consistently shown their level of thujone (the active compound extracted from wormwood) to be well within the limits currently prescribed by law. and in fact, many of the recipes used to produce modern day absinthes have been lifted directly from the old absinthe distillers of france and switzerland to produce a nearly identical product.
furthermore, the intoxicating and "halucinogenic" properties attributed to wormwood are largely hype and mythology. most of the pleasurable effects of drinking absinthe come simply from good old fashioned alcohol...ALOT of it. by definition, all modern absinthes contain anywhere from 45-85% (usually ~68%). this can hardly be considered "less potent".
the absinthe of old is indeed back in circulation. and it's way better than that rot-gut crap you got in prague when you were 18. i promise.