UNDER THE VOLCANO'S

STRAWBERRY BASIL MARGARITA

A A A Comments By Chris Boyd Thursday, May 10 2007

"Now those are some nice tits!" the customer to my right says, sounding like a pirate on Viagra. The rack he's complimenting belongs to our spunky barmaid, who laughs hysterically as she walks up to each customer, unbuttons her jean jacket and gives them a quick flash, nipples and all. It quickly becomes apparent that the staff at Under the Volcano (2349 Bissonnet, 713-526-5282) has a great collective sense of humor: Our bartender is wearing a pair of fake plastic novelty breasts, the kind you find at Mardi Gras or Joe Francis's house on a Tuesday night. Recalling both the pool party scene in Real Genius and a frat bar in Honolulu, the Volcano is best described as a tiki bar from hell. And as one might expect from a bar named after a novel about an alcoholic diplomat exiled in Mexico, the Volcano is a sight to behold. The decor is nothing short of fascinating: Ceramic crosses line the walls, bat skeletons sport papal tiaras, fanged tribal masks leer at patrons and a shrine surrounded by fake hula grass extols the virtues of the aforementioned novel. When the well-endowed barmaid makes her way over to me, I order a strawberry basil margarita, one of the bar's famous drinks. As she does her magic, she has to stand on her tiptoes to see over her own plastic cleavage.

Troy Fields

Location Info

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Under The Volcano

2349 Bissonnet
Houston, TX 77005

Category: Bars/Clubs

Region: Kirby-West U

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1 ounce tequila 1 ounce triple sec 2 crushed sweet basil leaves, fresh 1 ounce sliced strawberries 1 teaspoon white sugar 1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice 1 1/2 ounces simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, and strain into martini glass. Garnish with strawberry or lime wedge. Can also be blended -- if you're a wuss.

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