This winter season, the specialty cocktails offered on the happy hour menu of Spotted Donkey Cantina in north Scottsdale will have you feeling like it's a lot warmer, as the chic southwest Mexican restaurant presents sweet, brightly colored drinks more suited for the beach than for cold months.
Happy hour's offered here daily from 3-6 p.m., with $5 frozen margaritas and $2 off specialty cocktails.
Escape a little with these drinks, which are almost too pretty to sip. Almost.
Sonoran Sunset, $7 during happy hour
This twist on a tequila sunrise is sweet and fruity and more citrusy, since it's made with a blood orange puree.
The ingredients: 1 3/4 ounce Reposado tequila, splash lime juice, splash simple syrup, blood orange juice to fill, lime twist and orange slice to garnish
How to make it: Layer blood orange juice on bottom of glass. Mix tequila, lime juice and simple syrup and pour over ice. Fill with more orange juice. Garnish with a lime twist and orange slice.
Ruby Red, $9 during happy hour
This martini's the perfect mix of sweet and sour, with the fresh pink grapefruit juice balancing the orange and pineapple flavors.
The ingredients: 3 ounces Absolut Ruby Red, 1/4 ounce Triple Sec, fresh orange juice, fresh pink grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, cherry, orange twist
How to make it: Line the rim of a martini glass with sugar. Shake all ingredients and strain. Garnish with a cherry and orange twist.
The Turquoise, $5 during happy hour, and Traditional frozen, $5 during happy hour
If you're not a traditional margarita type of person, try The Turquoise, which has blue Curacao that makes the drink a little sweeter.
The ingredients (The Turquoise): 1 1/2 ounce Reposado tequila, 1/2 ounce blue Curacao, fresh squeezed lime, lime wedge
How to make it: Line the rim of a glass with salt. Shake all the ingredients and pour over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.
The ingredients (Traditional frozen): 1 3/4 ounce Reposado tequila, 1/2 ounce Triple Sec, fresh lime juice, lime wedge
How to make it: Line the rim of a glass with salt. Blend and pour. Garnish with a lime wedge.
