(City Weekend)
Updated: 2006-06-13 15:48

To help take the edge off the sweltering Beijing heat, one should know that Jimmy Buffet wasn't complaining about being hot when he sang, "Wasted away again in Margaritaville." So, for the hot, lonely, lovelorn, or stressed this summer there really is only one sure-fire summertime salve-margaritas. But where in Beijing can you get such a drink? It's not exactly green tea and Chivas, after all.

The search for Beijing's finest margaritas began last Cinco de Mayo, when, much to our disappointment, we were served a margarita that combined orange juice, hints of an alcohol tasting of baijiu, and a smattering of table salt on the glass' rim. Aye Carumba! A proper margarita, invented by Mexican bartenders to get the gringos from up north to drink the lower grades of tequila, is traditionally a mix of silver tequila, triple sec (or as an upgrade, cointreau), and lime and/or lemon juice, served in a bowl like glass with rock salt around the rim. It is not made with orange juice. It is not served in a high ball or Tom Collins glass. And it is never, ever supposed to be served with table salt. Never. It can be served frozen like a daiquiri or on the rocks but always icy cold.

These strict regulations of Margaritaville make finding a good margarita in Beijing very challenging. For example, Centro's tastes just fine, but lacks rock salt and margarita glasses. Lush presents theirs in proper glasses but lacks higher quality ingredients. In fact, only one location, Mexican Wave, satisfactorily meets all the criteria. Their expansive tequila selection, the default use of cointreau, and being the only place we found that actually uses rock salt, makes them the embassy of margarita-dom in Beijing. Wasting away has never tasted so good.