Reviews

My lady, her two kids, my younger daughter, and I went on a summer road trip to the Colorado Springs and Denver area in Colorado. On the drive through Kansas, we stopped at a town called Salina to stay overnight and went to look for someplace fun to eat. We found a restaurant called Daimaru Steakhouse and Sushi Bar. It was not your standard steakhouse nor sushi place. It had a blend of traditional American styling (including TVs so it was like a sports bar) with some Asian flair. Interestingly enough they had a unique Margarita on their menu called the Bangkok Margarita, so of course I had to try it.

The menu listed the ingredients as Jose Cuervo Tequila, house spicy sour mix, and lemongrass simple syrup. Because it was Jose Cuervo I didn’t expect much from it since the most common Cuervo varieties are not true Tequilas (i.e. mixtos) but one never knows if the listed Tequila is substituted at times. The good news is that the Margarita was flavorful, with just a slight hint of spicy flavor. It was simple, tasty, and easy to drink. Plus it had sliced jalapeños! It was honestly nothing special but it was a nice surprise in the dead middle of Kansas at steakhouse and sushi bar of all places! I give the Bangkok Margarita a 7.5. If you are in Salina, Kansas I would recommend stopping by Daimaru if you like sushi and an interesting Margarita.

Because I was out of town for my birthday, when I got back home I got a belated birthday Margarita outing. A new establishment called Oaxaca Margarita Bar had recently been opened and I was eager to try it out.

On this night I sampled a few different Margaritas. The first was their House Margarita. It had a nice flavor, although not robust. There was a slightly bitter finish which I’m guessing may have been due to not using the best quality tequila. Overall it was a nice drink but not a standout. It rated a 7 for me.

Next I tried their Sangria Margarita. It had a really nice flavor which I attribute to incorporating the flavor of sangria with a good quality margarita. In my opinion, all Sangrias should taste like this! I rate the Sangria Margarita from Oaxaca a 7.5, given that it is a flavored Margarita and therefore a unique flavor.

Next I tried their Margarita Amor. This Margarita was good and had a nice tequila flavor. There is some fruitiness to it, which normally I find can be hit or miss depending on the quality of the Margarita, but in this one it was appreciable but not overwhelming. I rate it a 7.5

Finally I sampled Oaxaca’s Grand Margarita. They list the ingredients as fresh lime juice, orange juice, premium blanco tequila, orange liquor, and triple sec. Unfortunately the salt on the rim had fallen to the bottom and the first taste was really salty. I was more careful with my second sip and the flavor was pretty good, although a little bitter on the finish. This might be due to the particular triple sec they used. The overall flavor could have been a bit more robust, so I give this final Margarita a 7.

While on a trip to the Phoenix area for business our last day was set aside for some fun. Which worked out really well because it was my birthday!

After a morning of hiking on the Spur Cross Ranch Trail, it was time to get an early lunch. We were recommended to try out The Grotto Cafe in Cave Creek, AZ. They had a signature Margarita called the Red Truck Margarita so of course I had to try it, even though it was still technically morning. Hey, it’s my birthday, remember!

The Red Truck Margarita did not disappoint as it was full flavored and delicious. It was a bit on the sweet side and did not have much tequila flavor, but otherwise it was very good. I give it an 8.

While on a business trip to Phoenix, my lady and I joined a group of friends for an evening out. We stopped at a very unique dining experience, the Culinary Dropout restaurant, which offered an interesting variety of cocktails, including the “Cali & Tay” Skinny Margarita. When read out loud, the phrase sounds like the Spanish word “caliente”, which means spicy or hot. The ingredients listed are Corazon blanco tequila, serrano spiced agave, fresh lime, and a chili dusted rim. I wasn’t sure what to expect given the spicy nature of the drink. I’ve had mixed experiences with spicy Margaritas and I was hoping for the best.

I will say that the Cali & Tay Margarita was tasty, albeit the flavor was just slightly subdued. The spice was well balanced except for the first taste with the spicy rim which was a bit overwhelming. For a spicy Margarita, I give this drink an 8.

I’ve always said that a Margarita for breakfast is really not all that much different than a mimosa or a Bloody Mary. Am I right or am I right – right? The Early Bird Breakfast Pub, which is a well-known breakfast/brunch hotspot among the locals of Springfield, MO, offers a nice selection of cocktails, including a “Breakfast Margarita”, which I think should become a standard offering at any breakfast restaurant if you ask me.

Made with Lunazul Reposado Tequila, triple sec, fresh lime juice, and orange marmalade, the unique combination of ingredients really work well. The sweetness of the marmalade gives it a differentiation from any Margarita I’ve ever tried before and the orange flavor is very nice. Even given that it is not a standard Margarita, I give the Breakfast Margarita from Early Bird an 8.

I’ve been to Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina many times, going as far back as when I was a kid to my recollection. There are at least two in the metro area near me, however the location in Collinsville, IL is a large building that resembles a Spanish mission so it is a unique setting. This is one reason I can remember the building from way back. That being said while it is a good restaurant, it does not particularly stand out from your average Mexican restaurant. The same can normally be said of their Margaritas.

I ordered a normal Margarita and the good news was that the drink was HUGE! Otherwise, while it had a good flavor, the drink I had on this day was nothing special. Pretty much a run-of-the-mill Margarita that you get at most Mexican restaurants. And unfortunately, salt had made its way to the bottom of the glass so the end of the drink was overly salty. I give the Margarita i had on this day a 6.5 because of the salt on the bottom, otherwise it may have received a 7.

I had heard that the Margaritas at the Ritz Carlton Lobby Lounge were very good. So when i had the opportunity to sample one I jumped at it. I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed. The Margarita I had on this evening was smooth, well balanced, and had a really excellent flavor overall. My only nitpick would be that I would have liked just a little more zest in the flavor, perhaps a little more lime juice would have helped. I give it an 8.5

It’s Cinco de Mayo so of course I want to find a good Margarita!

El Gordito Mexican Restaurant presents itself at your run of the mill Mexican joint. So I wasn’t expecting much, yet their Margaritas are especially tasty. Now given the flavor they are almost certainly made with a mix. However for a mix the Margaritas are well balanced and very flavorful. I would say that the drinks I had on this day were lacking a little on the tequila flavor. This could be because the sweet and tart flavors were masking the tequila somewhat, or maybe because it was Cinco the restaurant was skimping a bit on the tequila. Regardless, the drink was otherwise very enjoyable. I give the Margaritas at El Gordita’s on this particular Cinco de Mayo an 8.

Peel Wood Fired Pizzas has one of the best Margaritas in the St. Louis area. They have 3 locations currently and I’ve tried their Margaritas at two of them. On this day I was at their Edwardsville, IL location.

I find it comforting to experience a good consistency between different locations of the same establishment when it comes to their drinks. The Margarita I had on this day was virtually the same excellent drink I’ve had at their O’Fallon, IL location that I frequent. At both locations I can describe their Margarita as having excellent balance, great flavor that goes down easy but has a hearty feel as well. It definitely deserves the rating of 9 that I give it on this day.

On this evening I found myself taking my lady out to a French bistro called Brassiere by Niche. We sat at the bar and had a wonderful conversation with the bartender Matt who explained the details of some of the drinks on the menu. Of course I had to try a Margarita from such an excellent bartender.

Matt offered to make the Margarita with Exotico Tequila. I trusted his suggestion. The first Margarita he served had a good flavor, being well balanced albeit it was a little on the tart side for me. I ordered a second and asked him to add a little more sweetness and no salt on the rim. He did as requested and this time the drink was excellent. This experience serves to reinforce the idea that the quality of a Margarita, and almost any cocktail, is largely dependent on the knowledge and skill of the bartender. On this night I give the second Margarita that Matt made a 9.