Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for the fifth of May) is this Friday! Often people think the day represents Mexico’s Independence Day, but, according to History.com, it’s “an observance of the Mexican Army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867).”
Whether or not people know the true reason behind the holiday’s observance, the day is often celebrated by enjoying margaritas. The drink, which has tequila as its main ingredient, is well known, yet every establishment’s proprietary blend tastes different.
Along with two of my trusted peers from The Coronado Times, we went on a quest to find the best margarita in the Village. While there are obviously plenty of restaurants on “island” that serve margaritas, we decided to stick with those that are Mexican themed: Miguel’s Cocina, Costa Azul, and Candelas on the Bay. (We tried to go to Taco Bell too, but apparently they don’t serve margaritas. What a pity!)
My amigas and I, who I shall refer to as judges Uno, Dos, and Tres, have all had our fair share of margaritas over the years. While it would have indeed been fun for us to each order our own margaritas, at each establishment we instead chose to only order a single margarita for all three of us to share. (It’s a marathon, not a sprint!) That way, of course, we could ensure that we were able to remain impartial as we evaluated individual margaritas without having our judgment tainted by the cumulative effects of each drink. Also we could safely ride our bicycles from location to location without worrying about biking under the influence. (Yes, that’s against the law in California just like driving under the influence is. Now you know that. You’re welcome.)
Miguel’s Cocina
Our first stop was Miguel’s Cocina, located at 1351 Orange Avenue. Miguel’s offers happy hour prices Sunday-Friday from 3:00-6:00pm.
We ordered Miguel’s Ultimate Margarita: The house specialty, with Cuervo Traditional Reposado, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, fresh citrus juices.
Miguel’s Ultimate Margarita costs $11, but because we went during happy hour, our margarita cost $9.
The Three Amigas’ Review of Miguel’s Ultimate Margarita:
Uno: “This takes me back to Mexican getaways! It’s very authentic, and reminds me of laying by the pool in Mexico.”
Dos: “Oooh! That’s tasty! I can definitely taste the fresh citrus. It’s not too strong, and not too tequila-y.”
Tres: “This is what a margarita should taste like! It’s so smooth. I like how it didn’t give me a shiver when I took my first sip.”
All three of us gave Miguel’s Ultimate Margarita rave reviews, and said we would definitely return to try another margarita on a future visit to Miguel’s. It should be noted that the Brigantine, which is located next door to Miguel’s, serves the same margaritas as Miguel’s, but some of the names of the margaritas are different. (For example, Miguel’s Ultimate Margarita is the same as the Brig Hand-Shaken.) Brigantine offers happy hour prices on Mondays from 4:00-11:00pm and Tuesday-Sunday from 4:00-6:00pm and 9:30-11:00pm.
Costa Azul
Our next stop was Costa Azul, located at 1031 Orange Avenue. Costa Azul offers happy hour prices 3:00-6:30pm every day except Saturdays.
We ordered the 16 ounce Costa Rita: A larger margarita made with Sauza Tequila and house-made sweet and sour mix. Served on the rocks or frozen with salt.
The Costa Rita costs $9.50, but because we went during happy hour, ours cost $7.95.
The Three Amigas’ Review of Costa Azul’s Costa Rita:
Uno: “Look at the coloring. There’s a lot of separation in it. I’m going to stir it. My taste buds just got punched in the gut. I feel like it would give me a hangover.”
Dos: “The presentation isn’t very exciting. It’s very tart, and gives me a pucker face.”
Tres: “It’s really sour! If I was out with my husband, I would totally pawn this off on him. I wonder what is in the house-made sweet and sour mix.”
Dos: “Maybe we should dump all the salt on the rim into it, and add the lime.”
Uno and Tres: “Good call! That tastes much better!”
Dos: “No more pucker face, although I’d be content with just one of these. It’s much stronger than Miguel’s.”
Uno: “Even though it’s better with the salt and lime, the next time I would probably explore a different drink rather than ordering this again. The Adios Mother sounds good.”
Dos: “I would order the Escalade. It doesn’t have the sweet and sour mix.”
Candelas on the Bay
Our next stop was Candelas on the Bay, located at 1201 1st Street, #115. Candelas offers happy hour prices every day from 11:00am – close.
We ordered the Mezcal Margarita: Mezcal / Lime Juice / Agave Nectar. The Mezcal Margarita costs $9.
The Three Amigas’ Review of Candelas on the Bay’s Mezcal Margarita:
Uno: “I’d drink this like water! It’s very fresh, and now it’s making me wonder why the other margaritas we tried were so yellow. This is like the adult version of lemonade!”
Dos: “This is smooth and fresh. It’s my favorite because it’s more pleasing visually, and I love the taste.”
Tres: “It’s so light in color. I like how it has a smoky flavor.”
Dos: “The smoky flavor is from the Mezcal.”
Tres: “I’m loving how it tastes naturally sweet rather than artificially sweet. I can totally tell how the agave nectar makes such a difference all around. I feel like I could drink more than one of these without getting an upset stomach.”
Uno: ” . . . or a hangover!”
Tres: “This is fewer ounces than the first two margaritas we tried today, but it doesn’t make a difference in whether I would choose to order it again. I love it!”
Conclusion
Between Miguel’s, Costa Azul, and Candelas alone, there are 28 margaritas from which to choose! While it’s comforting ordering a drink with which you are already familiar, it’s also fun to try something new from time to time. One added perk of each of the three restaurants we tried is that they all served us complimentary chips and salsa. Gracias!
I don’t normally order a drink to share with friends, but I enjoyed the way we shared each margarita. Sometimes when I’m feeling brave, and I order something I’ve never tried before, I find myself feeling disappointed when it’s not as good as I imagined. Sharing a drink with a friend is the perfect way to try a new drink without the pressure of having to enjoy each sip.
If you find yourself out this Cinco de Mayo, perhaps you’ll try one of the margaritas we tried. If so, The Coronado Times welcomes your feedback! What’s your favorite margarita in Coronado? Choosing to stay at home? Share your most trusted margarita recipe with us!
