LMA:

Stick to the basics... gin and tonnix, scotch & eh water and the like.

Ya can't get decent Maggies outside of the Southwest.

Black pepper in salsa....black pepper???

Phillistines.

Try Mixtec(Adams Morgan, Columbia Rd NW) or Alero(on Connecticut Ave.) If you want to travel to Alexandria there are a couple of places-- Taqueria Poblano being one. For your corrupted taste, you'll have to embellish with the pepper sauces.

We were at Alero. The people were very nice, but it was a pale culinary echo of what I can get at home. Even the pricier places back home that focus on drinks and let the food slip a bit do better than this.

What does a girl need to do to acquire a hangover in this town?

Drink bottom-of-the-barrel rot-gut. Anything at $5/gallon. PBR in mass quantity.

Oh, yeah, it's DC. They probably don't have anything for less than $15/gallon...

(as a side point, I can make a vicious margarita)

Oh, I don't do that.

AG

When you come home I should take you to El Cholo's in La Habra.

Absolutely the best, authentic Mexican food to be had in So. Cal plus margaritas by the pitcher.

MMMMmmmmm!

Them's fighting words; you're on!

Funny, I thought they were a bit sweet too. And I knew it was the sugar that caused my hangover the next day. I wasn't sick... I was just "fragile". Had a blast - thanks again.

RG

You're right, there is very little good Mexican food here, but there IS excellent Salvadorean throughout Northern Virginia, and a few places in DC that make passable tamales (there's one on D St. downtown whose name is currently escaping me) and actually decent margaritas.

I'll take Alero off my list. The place always had a problem with it being a crap shoot depending on who was working the kitchen. They never seemed to be able to standardize the recipes as much as other restaurants. Regulars sometimes didn't recognize the food when another chef came in.

Bartenders can accomodate requests, by the way...And follow your directions. Be nice and watch them, though. You don't want any "surprises"...Hands and glassses must be visible at all times.

There would have been a lot of us to take advantage of, all at once--a mini-GOP army.

If you want good Mexican food go to New Mexico. The absolute best. And Margaritas are sooo California. Have a Dos XX or Corona.

New Mexico is a completely different style, though also good. Chipotle is the best.