Mambo Italiano
Mambo Rosemary Margarita
Mambo Italiano’s bar sits above the regular dining seating in the front of the café. Up the stairs and to the left you find the quaint bar. A small yet cozy atmosphere — not the place to bring a large group, but the intimate setting promotes friendly conversation amid close friends.
The bartender, Breanna Fuqua, recommends Mambo’s Rosemary Margarita. One of Mambo’s hosts, Annie Dufner, seconds the recommendation since she had it during Mambo’s last Christmas party and enjoyed the drink. Intrigued by the combination of rosemary and margarita, I take the recommendation.
A superb margarita in an Italian café seems different; typically one would pair Mambo’s house-made Italian cuisine with a nice wine. Usually I am chowing down on nachos at a Mexican restaurant when I order a margarita. Or I’m on a budget using cheap tequila with an unremarkable, pre-made margarita mix at home.
But this margarita stands out above the rest. Everything about Mambo’s margarita is fresh: freshly muddled citrus, even their sour is house-made. A sprig of rosemary sits elegantly in the drink for a beautiful presentation. Their rosemary-infused El Jimador tequila presents a piney taste due to the rosemary, which pairs nicely with the citrus and sour.
It’s a perfect, refreshing drink to sip during the dog days of summer, but the unique tequila is so enjoyable that this margarita should be considered year-round. I’ll be ditching my pre-made mix and coming back for this margarita in the future.
