Creamy soup with crab, corn and egg. 200 PHP
Paraiso Grill, Boracay PHILIPPINES
Meh, this soup was neither particularly good nor bad. It tasted fine, but it was definitely forgettable. I guess it was something to eat while we waited for everything else.
Pineapple Daquiri: rum, triple sec, lime juice, fresh pineapple. 180 PHP
Outdoor seating along the White Beach Path. The nautilus lamps are kinda cool.
Planter’s Punch: Bacardi light rhum, triple sec, lemon juice, pineapple juice, soda. 220,000 VND
Rex Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City VIETNAM
So this was probably the most we spent for cocktails while in Vietnam. We really wanted to check out the rooftop bar though (and get out of the scorching heat). The Rex hotel is historic and it was quite relaxing up on the roof so I really didn’t mind too much about spending a little more for drinks here. My Planter’s Punch tasted pretty weak and not as sweet and vibrantly colored as those you would find on a Caribbean island.
Gin and tonic. 240,000 VND
Salted peanuts.
Table centerpiece.
View from the Rex Hotel rooftop.
I initially thought that this margarita was lame and weak, but I actually got a good buzz off of it, lol! I was fooled because it tasted kind of bland, but it was a decent value overall. Glass $6.95
Casa Azteca, Milpitas CA
Chips and salsa. Complimentary
Made with premium 1800 Reposado, triple sec and sweet and sour, hand-shaken and served on-the-rocks with a side shot of Cointreau Noir. $8.29
El Torito, Burlingame CA
El Torito is a local chain so I was skeptical that they would make a decent margarita because most chains serve really bad cocktails. They’re usually way too sweet and have very little alcohol. I was pleasantly surprised that this margarita actually tasted good. And the extra Cointreau shot really sneaks up on you, lol! Yay!
Looking out towards SFO and the San Francisco Bay from Millbrae.
100% Agave Dos Manos, triple sec, fresh citrus juices. Pitcher $27
Velvet Cantina, San Francisco CA
I’ve been to Velvet Cantina several times now and I haven’t been all that impressed with their margaritas. They’re decent, but nothing special. They’re not cheap so I would expect more “wow”!
Chips and salsa. Complimentary
I do love their chips and salsa though. The chips are extra salty and their salsa is a bit different from most restaurants.
Agave “Blue Glow” plant (Asparagaceae), West Field Road.
Our traditional margarita made with Margaritaville Gold Tequila, Margaritaville Triple Sec, and our special margarita mix, served on the rocks. $8.95
Margaritaville, Las Vegas NV
Ugh, this was the weakest and smallest nine dollar margarita I have EVER had! The sad part is that I really didn’t expect anything better. What a waste!
Caesars Palace at night.
Gold tequila, triple sec and their own sour mix, muddled limes, shaken and served on the rocks in a pint glass. $6
El Chupacabra, Seattle WA
These margaritas were decent. I asked for “no salt” but that’s a minor mistake. There were really annoying “ladies” sitting at the bar though and they were bullying a table of kids sitting nearby. Lame! The ladies seemed liked regulars so I guess they were permitted by the bar staff to bully other guests… 😦
Pink and white bleeding-heart flowers (Lamprocapnos spectabilis, Papaveraceae), Ballard.
Sobieski orange vodka, triple sec, lime juice, cranberry juice. $10
Roy’s, Waikoloa HI
We ended up at Roy’s because another restaurant that we wanted to go to was closed. I wasn’t too excited for Roy’s because I’d already been to the San Francisco and Seattle branches, but we were with a group so I didn’t want to make a fuss. Everything was just ok. Our group was pretty vocal and readily drunk so we still had a blast, lol.
Orchid table decoration.
Pololu Valley sign.
Lilikoi Margarita: Invented in 1993, tangy passion fruit with tequila served on the rocks.
Bamboo Restaurant, Hawi HI
This was ok – a little too tart for my liking. It was cute that they’re served in coconut shell glasses though.
Bamboozle Iced Tea: Our version of the Long Island Tea, gin, vodka, dark rum, tequila and triple sec with pineapple and yes, lilikoi, finished with a splash of Coke.
Either this was super weak, or super well-made. It tasted great and went down easily – uh oh, that could be trouble!
Indian wooden statues, Akoni Pule Highway.
Duke’s Mai Tai: Hawaiian juices with two different types of rum and orange curacao. $9
Duke’s Waikiki, Honolulu HI
Duke’s is super touristy, but it’s still nice to sit outside on Waikiki beach and enjoy the sunset. The food is middle of the road and the drinks are weak and sugary, but that’s OK because you’re on vacation, lol! The mai tai had good flavor though.
Mango-Rita: Jose Cuervo Gold tequila, mango, lime and triple sec. $8.50
This was more on the lime side than on the mango side and it could have used another shot of tequila. Oh well.
Sunset from the back patio at Duke’s Waikiki.
Reposado tequila, Pama pomegranate liqueur, triple sec and lime on the rocks. $10
Eureka Restaurant & Lounge, San Francisco CA
I love the soft pink color of this margarita! It’s nicely made and tastes wonderful.
My neighborhood has began decorating its storefronts for the holidays. I like the simple window trims at Mill, 24th Street.
Such a pretty cooler and so yummy in my tummy! Happy hour $5
The Tropicale, Palm Springs CA
Young and old Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia, Asparagaceae), Joshua Tree National Park. The landscape and plantlife here are super cool!
Vittle Monster 