Flashy new martinis, margaritas at Z'Tejas

The XO Raspberry 'Tini at Z'Tejas. (Credit: Megan Finnerty/Metromix)

While the Valley is home to some of the best Mexican and Southwestern restaurants in the country, it's still hard to get an excellent “house” margarita.

Many places, even gourmet houses, use syrups, sweet-and-sour-laden mixes, or packaged, preservative-filled liquids shot from guns. And many are high-priced, sometimes up to $13.50, for the all-natural juice varieties with the best flavor.

But Z'Tejas is an exception. Their margarita mix, a blend of lemon and lime juices, sugar and water, can be had in the house margarita for $6.25.

It's this kind of respect for their guests—and their drinks—that inspires optimism when trying the latest line of cocktails and margaritas introduced this month.

A newcomer, the XO Raspberry 'Tini, seems designed specifically with the Scottsdale drinker in mind, highlighting Chambord raspberry liqueur and giving customers yet another way to enjoy their favorite cocktail flavoring.

Scottsdale goes through the most Chambord of any Z'Tejas location in the country, and Z'Tejas is among the top handful of chains that sell the most of it, even though it only has 10 locations nationally.

In fact, many of the drinks on Z'Tejas' menu are flavored with Chambord, making them sweet and pink. Bartenders say both men and women order them with roughly the same frequency, which is why they use so much of the liqueur.

“This is Scottsdale, land of the metrosexual. They're not embarrassed,” said bartender Kelly Hayes.

“Some other guys try to whisper it, or they just say they want the three-limit margarita. So we just tease them and ask louder, you want the Chambord one? The pink one?” Hayes said, laughing.

But back to the XO martini. It's a mix of Patrón XO Café, a coffee-flavored tequila, Chambord and half and half, creating a rich, creamy dessert cocktail, like a slightly wild Western take on the espresso martini.

Hayes said the bartenders' favorite new margarita is the Cazadores Spicy Cucumber 'Rita, made with Cazadores Blanco tequila, Cointreau, a house-made jalapeño-mint syrup, margarita mix and muddled cucumber slices. It's a sweet but refreshing drink, where the jalapeño adds a tang, but not spice, and the cucumber neutralizes the sourness of the lime.

The flashiest new drink is the 20th Anniversary 'Rita, made from a puree of blueberries, red raspberries, strawberries and blackberries, margarita mix and topped with a Grand Marnier float. Served in a glass rimmed with pink raspberry sugar, the margarita is sweet, festive and very pretty.

One of the most sophisticated additions to the menu is the Hibiscus 'Rita, made from Gran Centenario Rosangel tequila and Grand Marnier, and a house-made syrup brewed from hibiscus tea. Hibiscus is a light, sweet flavor popular throughout Central and South America, and it succeeds beautifully here, imparting to the drink a slightly floral, fruity flavor and a pretty mauve color.

Also good to know: Z'Tejas serves margaritas in the “Little Larry” size, a drink about two-thirds the size of, and $1 less than, a traditional one. It's become popular in Arizona in particular, with designated drivers and others looking to limit their consumption.

Details: Z'Tejas has locations Valley-wide, and at Scottsdale Fashion Square at the corner of Camelback and Scottsdale roads, 480-946-4171, ztejas.com.