Avocado Margarita at Avo
Frozen drinks are one of the few balms we have to handle increasingly hotter summers. Thankfully they’re everywhere — from creamy bushwhackers to frozen margaritas and snow-cone-like concoctions. We at the Scene have undertaken the arduous task of seeking out the best in town and gleaning wisdom from those who make them.
Among the most intriguing is the avocado margarita at vegan restaurant AVO. The lush green beverage is made with Lunazul reposado tequila, orange liqueur, agave, lime, orange, cilantro and avocado, giving it a fresh flavor and a nice, thick consistency. It reads like a regular — albeit high-quality — marg, but the taste of avocado comes through toward the end of each sip to ground the drink with a uniquely nutty note. Bonus points for the salted rim.
Owner Annie Kim says the margarita precedes her — it was created by a previous owner, and Kim kept it on the menu when she took over AVO in 2017. It has since become a customer favorite — so much so that it required an upgrade in equipment. While the drink used to be made in a Vitamix, Kim has since invested in a margarita machine so AVO can keep up with demand. But the drinks still need to be prepared in two steps: First the avocado and cilantro are blended with tequila and agave, before being added to the rest of the ingredients. Ripe avocados are the key, says Kim.
Margaritas at Redheaded Stranger
Those looking for more variety could find it at East Nashville’s beloved Redheaded Stranger, which serves a handful of delicious frozen drinks alongside Tex-Mex fare. While flavors rotate from time to time, you’re likely to find the powerhouse lineup of sweet strawberry and floral hibiscus frozen margaritas alongside the Chill Bill — a frozen libation featuring lime, vodka, Aperol and orgeat — plus a rotating nonalcoholic lemonade flavor (which you could spike if you so desire). Insider tip: The different flavors can be swirled together.
“At Redhead, we don’t believe in weak drinks,” says Redheaded Stranger front-of-house manager Lynzi Prince.
The folks there also believe in adding unique touches to classic drinks. They make their own vanilla syrup to use in the strawberry margarita, for example, instead of using agave. They also prioritize consistency, taking care to make adjustments as needed. Prince says they emphasize balance so the drinks aren’t overpoweringly boozy or sweet.
Margaritas at Redheaded Stranger
As with most things in life, balance really is the key to a good frozen drink. Too runny and you’re left with icy syrup water; too thick and you’ll be chewing ice. Likewise, frozen drinks that rely on excessively sweet syrups often pale in comparison to those that use a well-thought-out combination of fresh ingredients that balances sweetness with citrus and maybe a nice bitter booze. Each step provides an opportunity for elevation, from the way drinks are blended to house-made syrups and a star ingredient.
Perhaps the most important thing to remember when sipping frozen cocktails is to drink plenty of water too — those deliciously sweet treats can sneak up on you and leave you with a gnarly hangover.
Plus we explore how cannabis-infused beverages are impacting local breweries and go bar-hopping by vibes
