Some said the Margarita would go the way of the Fuzzy Navel. But according to mixologists, it continues to be one of the most frequently ordered libations. First introduced in Mexico in the 1930s, the marg is a staple on drink menus at Annapolis watering holes and cantinas, and rivals draft beer in popularity. The basic recipe—tequila, Triple Sec and lime juice—has undergone numerous permutations in the last 70-plus years, and its future evolution seems assured.
Have it your way: with silver or gold tequila (and maybe an extra shot floating on top), Cointreau or Triple Sec, lemon or lime juice (fresh squeezed preferred), rim salted or not;Â straight up, on the rocks, or whirled in a blender with ice, slushie-style. Next time the spirit moves you, head to where aficionados gather in Naptown to toast each other. Prices range from $6-$10. Salud!
El Toro Bravo
50 West St.
410-267-5949
[no website]
Besides serving some of the area’s best authentic Mexican dishes, the margs are generous and lip-smacking good. The drinks are half price, as are appetizers, during Happy Hour, Monday through Thursday, 3-6pm—Reason enough to skip lunch and have an early supper. Venga!
Jalapenos’s
Forest Plaza
85 Forest Dr.
410-216-7580
Don’t let the strip mall location put you off. Long a draw for its Spanish and Mexican cuisine and tapas selection, Jalapeno’s serves scratch margaritas that are only $5 (as are appetizers) during the daily Happy Hour. Reservations are strongly recommended at dinner.
Latin Quarter
169 West St.
410-280-0176
In three floors of dining rooms and a rooftop bar, Latin Quarter serves California-style Mexican (lighter than Americanized Mexican or Tex-Mex), and exceptionally smooth, delicate margaritas enhanced with fresh-squeezed lime juice. Here’s a drink to be sipped and savored—with your meal, at the rooftop bar or during the daily Happy Hour, 3 to 6pm.
Mexican Café
975 Bay Ridge Rd.
410-626-1520
The margaritas here have a well-earned reputation for the punch they pack. Try an Agaverita (agave nectar replaces the Triple Sec) or El Grande, if you dare, but please have a designated driver lined up or call a taxi. Note: the popular local cantina is open on Bay Ridge Road through September 2010, moving to 609 Melvin Ave. in West Annapolis later this fall.
Paladar
19105 Town Centre Blvd.
410-897-1022
This recent addition to the Annapolis dining scene opened mid-September 2010 in Annapolis Town Centre, less than a 10-minute drive from City Dock. Paladar features the cocktails and cuisine of Central and South America, Cuba, and the Caribbean. Along with the traditional specimen, the bar whips up a variety of specialty margs flavored with guava, guanabana (soursop), coconut-pineapple, strawberry or pomegranate-ginger.
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