A margarita is tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice, served with a salted rim; the salt is there to balance the sourness rather than to season the drink. An espresso martini is vodka, coffee liqueur and fresh espresso, shaken hard so the coffee oils form the foam on top. A highball is simply a spirit lengthened with a carbonated mixer over ice, which makes it the lightest and most sessionable of the three.
Margarita
Tequila, orange liqueur, lime. The balance is the whole drink: too little lime and it is cloying, too much and it is sour. The salted rim is a balancing ingredient, not decoration — it suppresses bitterness and makes the lime read as brighter.
Espresso martini
Vodka, coffee liqueur, fresh espresso. It has to be shaken hard and served immediately, because the foam is made of coffee oils and it collapses within a few minutes. A flat espresso martini has been sitting.
Highball
A spirit and a mixer over plenty of ice. More ice, not less — a full glass melts more slowly than a half-empty one and the drink stays cold rather than watering down.
What they cost here
In Happy Hour, Classic Margarita $9, Espresso Martini $9, Tropical Chaos $9, Highballs $5, House Lager $4, On Tap $5.50 and Wine $6.50. That runs 1–5pm daily and again from 9pm until close.
Where to eat it
The Aroma Bistro & Bar is at 32760 Simon Ave, Abbotsford, BC. The kitchen is on from 11:30 every day — Monday to Thursday until 11pm, Friday and Saturday until 1am, Sunday until 10pm. Happy Hour runs 1–5pm daily and again from 9pm until close.
Walk in, call (604) 743-3131, or book a table. The full board is on the menu page.
Common questions
Why does a margarita have a salted rim?
Salt suppresses bitterness and makes the lime taste brighter, balancing the sourness of the drink. It is a balancing ingredient rather than decoration.
Why does my espresso martini have no foam?
Either it was not shaken hard enough or it sat too long before being drunk. The foam is made of coffee oils and collapses within a few minutes.
