Wednesday, Feb. 22, is National Margarita Day. As with so many recipes, the provenance of the cocktail is a subject of debate, with one popular account holding that Mexican restaurateur Carlos “Danny” Herrera created the drink in 1938 for Marjorie King, a former Ziegfeld dancer who was allergic to many spirits, but not to tequila.
While a limited number of places around town are offering discounts on the cocktail, none quite captures the spirit of the holiday more than the “margrarita towers” popularized by Mad Dog & Beans Mexican Cantina. Each tower contains 100 ounces of tequila-fueled goodness and rises true to its name several feet above the bar. The cost per tower is $120. The towers are served to parties of four or more and are available at either of the restaurant’s two locations — in the Financial District at 83 Pearl Street, 212-269-1177, and in Midtown at 5 East 38th Street, 646-998-5722.
In the event you can’t make it to either location on Wednesday, it’s worth bearing in mind that the margarita towers are a standard menu feature at this cantina. They are there for the asking any time you feel a fiesta — or tribute — coming on.
