Margaritalicious

Margaritas are one of the most popular cocktails in the United States. It can be straight up, shaken with ice, on the rocks, or frozen—the salt on the rim is optional. Although it is classically served with lime juice, new flavors such as mango, strawberry and others have made appearances.

The International Bar Association (not to be confused with the ones with the lawyers) lists the margarita as a cocktail consisting of 50 percent tequila mixed with 29 percent orange-flavored liqueur and 21 percent lime or lemon juice. The standard garnish is salt on the glass rim. Of course, there are many variations.

The brightness and sweetness in the drink comes from the limes. Bottled lime juice loses that brightness and vibrancy and becomes almost bitter. The flavor also depends on the type of limes used—thick-skinned Persian limes (the usual ones at the supermarket), key limes, etc.

1024 Schnucks Woodsmill Plaza, Town and Country

I've always heard great things about the restaurant so I decided to start here. Walking into Mike Duffy's, it smelled like moth balls and ammonia, so I wasn't feeling the festive ambiance a margarita drinker might be searching for.

The drink came in what seemed to be a water glass with the rim angled inward, making for an awkward vessel. The margarita tasted somewhat bitter and was lacking that fresh lime flavor. The margarita lacked sweetness, so maybe there was not enough triple sec added. There was a decent amount tequila and the amount of ice was restrained, so at least it was a drink and not a glass of ice.

The good: The drink had a decent amount of liquor and not too much ice.
The bad: It tasted bitter, with no fresh, bright flavors.

14870 Manchester Rd., Ballwin

How could you not crave a margarita walking into Señor Pique with its Mexican decor and festive atmosphere. For a celebration or an authentic Mexican meal, Señor Pique does a great job.

Unfortunately, the margarita was not as exciting. The drink was a little flat—maybe too much ice. The tequila and lime flavors didn't not come through, making for a not-so-exciting drink. The restaurant does have a mango-flavored margarita which was interesting, a little earthy and not as bright as a lime-flavored margarita.  

The good: The atmosphere and the food were great, as were the different flavors of margaritas
The bad: The drink just didn't have enough flavor.

14839 Clayton Rd., Chesterfield

Charro, its décor and menu are similar to many Mexican restaurants found in the Midwest. No impressively authentic details, but comfortable nonetheless.

The drink had a prominent, fresh and bright lime flavor with a backdrop of tequila. It was drinkable and very enjoyable. The lime flavor really came through, as did the tequila. The glass was a little smaller and had a little too much ice, but it was cheaper than the others.

The good: It was an awesome, bright lime flavor and the drink was really shiny.
The bad: The drink contained a little too much ice and was served in a smaller glass.

The winner: Charro had the most bright, flavorful, refreshing and delicious margaritas.