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Good drinks: Blood orange margarita at Paggi House
The same swollen-sunset hue as the Paggi House itself, the blood orange margarita is served in a tall glass rimmed with fat crystals of salt. It’s a ruddy color out of the crayon box (the big one, with a built-in sharpener) for $8, only $4 at happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
The margarita’s salty with a sultry citrus bite, rimmed with slices of the namesake fruit, a ruby shade so saturated it looks synthetic. The drink is emblematic of the restaurant’s ability to take a classic and breathe new life into it with a taste of the unexpected, like venison with an espresso rub and vanilla-parsnip puree.
Paggi House is a graceful old homestead repurposed with a modern breezeway bar and an expansive wooden patio in front with plush lounge seating. Inside, it’s renovated to suit modern tastes with straight chairs in black leather and classic sensibilities with scuffed wood floors and thick mouldings.
The patio lounge was warm, but sheltered from the direct sun by a dappled tree canopy. It was still warm enough to melt herbed butter served with bread alongside a happy-hour menu (changed by now) that included dense, luscious Niman Ranch pork belly ($12/$6 at happy hour) and crispy fried halibut strips with spicy remoulade ($10/$5 at happy hour).
Nothing a second blood orange margarita couldn’t fix.
200 Lee Barton Drive. 473-3700, paggihouse.com.
(American-Statesman photo by Mike Sutter)
Comments
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By Jodi
September 11, 2009 7:12 AM | Link to this
You had me at “blood orange margarita” and I made plans with my friend to check out Paggi House for Happy Hour next week. Can’t believe I’ve never been there!
By joann
September 11, 2009 4:55 PM | Link to this
OMG…look at this drink!! GOTTA TRY IT!!