The margarita is such a basic drink. If you’re ordering this you’re either new to the drinking game or don’t know what to order and this is your last resort. That’s what happened to me. I was at Bodega Tavern & Kitchen in Mcallen, TX and I couldn’t decide on one of their craft cocktails (because I’ll be honest, the waitress took the drink menu before I even got a chance to order.) I asked the waitress what she recommended and she gave me a few suggestions but none called my attention.
I am someone who is always down to try different drinks (ask all my friends, I never say no to drinks) so when she finally suggested a margarita with mezcal instead of my good ol’ friend tequila, I was intrigued. For those who are thinking, “what the fuck is mezcal?!” it’s quite different from tequila, although they are both made from agave, mezcal has a very rich smokey flavor but to get an in-depth explanation please check out this article where it breaks down the difference between tequila and mezcal.
I’ve had mezcal in Bodega’s craft cocktail, Chingadera, which… I actually didn’t like. It was strong, like I-cant-drink-this strong. Chingadera is a drink that you sip on while you grow chest hair. It was also created to enhance the flavors of the mezcal but I’m not a sipping kind of gal. The easier it is to swallow the more fun I have… because of CHUGGING mañosas!
So what’s so special about this margarita? I like when things are balanced so my drinks have to be a mix 
of sweet and tart. A good marg is hard to find because it’s either too sweet or too tart but this had a different take on the usual marg. Instead of the usual sweet and sour mix taste after every sip, I’d get a smokey taste and it was a nice surprise. On the rocks is always the way to go with any drink and also, I don’t think Bodega serves anything frozen (stay classy borrachxs!)
TIP: Dress it with salt, not lucas because it helps with the smokey flavor.
Another reason I recommend salt on the rim instead of the lucas (which is what I had) is because I didn’t really the lucas they used. Plus, a lot of the times, I tend to use what’s on the rim to help balance out the sweetness but this marg was perfect on its own.
I’ve discovered many margaritas since I started drinking. There’s the traditional margarita, different flavors such as watermelon, peach, etc. and now there is this margarita. Although the Wanna Wanna margarita is still my favorite, this one doesn’t fall too far behind.
What’s your favorite margarita?