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Elevated Mai Tai at Inside Passage

After dinner at Rumba, we were seated in Inside Passage next door. We chose the bar since I hadn’t been seated there before, though at opening on Friday they were only moderately busy. Ray chose the excellent NA version of the Panorama Punch, served in a Seattle World’s Fair glass with replica disc and topped with sorbet. I earned some ire from the bartender for grabbing a straw to sample Ray’s drink.

Entering Inside Passage with Tiki with Ray

Last year I was so impressed by the Kiki’s Premier Mai Tai I swapped Rumba to Inside Passage on our Best Mai Tais in the World list. Prices at Inside Passage have crept past $20 for their signature cocktails, though the Premier Mai Tai’s ingredient list certainly justifies the $26 price: House barrel-aged Rivers Royale, Appleton Estate 15, Chairman’s Reserve 1931, Rhum JM Terroir Volcanique, Saint James 110, curaçao, creole shrubb, orgeat, and lime. Those are all elevated rums, and you’ll taste it in the still-excellent Mai Tai. The blend of sugar cane and molasses based rums means there’s a lot of rich flavor in the cocktail and it’s one you’ll want to sip and savor.

Kiki’s Premier Mai Tai

The music at Inside Passage was retro mood music, though neither of us thought the inclusion of the Beatles’ “Octopus’s Garden” was inappropriate given the presence of sea creature Kiki, the venue’s spotlight focal point and visual mascot.

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The Rumba Mai Tai is One of the Best on Planet Earth

Nothing really new to report, Mai Tai fans. We went to Rumba for dinner and to wait until Inside Passage opened, and so I had to check and see if the Mai Tai is still world-class. I’m pleased to report that the Mai Tai is still one of the best you can get on planet Earth.

Rumba’s Mai Tai rum blend features house barrel-aged Wray & Nephew Overproof from Jamaica and Rhum JM Gold agricole from Martinique, so this features some savory and funky notes to pair well with the sweet orgeat. For those concerned with the Rhum Agricole component it’s a very approachable Mai Tai with just a hint of grassiness.

For my meal I had a fantastic Poke Bowl that included mango, pickled onion, jicama, and Basmati rice. Ray’s Cuban Sandwich also continues to be well prepared, and our service during the visit was great.

We didn’t partake in any rums, but if you’re in town looking for the largest selection of rums then this is the place.

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Dr. Funk’s Rum Asylum Level II Complete

We had a great time at the quarterly Rum Asylum rum club meeting at Dr. Funk on Sunday. Dr. Funk has been building their momentum with these quarterly Sunday meetings, where each meeting includes a rum brand with tasting and education, plus recognition for rum club milestones.

The featured rum brand this time was Hamilton, with Ed Hamilton himself speaking to the assembled masses and walking us through a bunch of Hamilton rum expressions. Ed is always an entertaining speaker and it never hurts to have some of his greatest hits to taste, including the Breezeway blend and my favorite Jamaican Pot Still Blonde. We also got to try the new Café Carib coffee liqueur that was really delicious. A featured cocktail called the Crimson Castaway featured a triple berry shrub and was fantastic.

By completing Level II: Deleri-Rum, I received a Dr. Funk asylum pin as well as this very nice pith helmet. Yes, another funny hat for completing a rum list! Level II featured over sixty rums from Dr. Funk’s vast collection, including some rare rums that are truly special. My last one was completed a couple days before and was Cadenhead Trinidad 18 which was really great.

The next quarterly Rum Asylum meetup is June 28.

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Updated Rum Blend in Forbidden Island Mai Tai

Forbidden Island recently updated the rum blend in their Classic Mai Tai and I’m pleased to report that it is definitely an upgrade. There is more Jamaican rum in this blend and improved richness as well, a worthy cocktail for a still wonderful tiki bar and the best Mai Tai I’ve had here in a long time.

There’s also still a Top Shelf Mai Tai available for $5 more, though we spoke with several people who tried both and they all preferred the new Classic. And for those looking for something a little different the Viking Mai Tai features Svol Aquavit and is also very good.

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Alter Ego: San Jose’s Best Speakeasy

We’ve had two great experiences at Alter Ego recently so wanted to highlight the excellent cocktail and food program. Located in the back of Still OG on First Street, Alter Ego has a lounge feel and features a cuisine oriented cocktail program featuring Japanese flavors in many items, along with sometimes elaborate garnishes.

The food menu has been recently revamped to provide less expensive options with larger portions, though thankfully the deliciously seasoned Bread and Butter remains. I really enjoyed the amazing new Sizzling Cheeseburger which is simply made but served over a hot plate of melted cheese, while Mrs. Mai Tai enjoyed the Cold Soba Noodles.

The cocktails at Alter Ego are easily the best in the city, incorporating a variety of spirts and using a host of different and interesting ingredients. Easy Tiger will appeal to tiki fans with its two rums and rich walnut flavors and I also enjoyed the foamy Asteroid Blues served in a bubble glass with an astronaut figure. We both were super impressed by the Busters & Babs, a clarified cocktail for two that has delicious baking spice notes. Mrs Mai Tai enjoyed the melon flavors of Silk Road Project and she absolutely loved the Proxima Vida which pairs smoky Mezcal with actual smoke, which I also found the flavors to be complimentary and very approachable.

Busters & Babs

The vibe inside Alter Ego is refined, but our dealings with the staff are anything but pretentious. The team take their craft seriously but they’re accommodating and friendly. Music inside is a mix of dancy hip-hop but the volume’s perfect for conversations, with the dimly lit space that’s walled off from the outside world making it a true retreat. A reservation is usually required most nights, though there’s often room at opening. We think that Alter Ego is San Jose’s best speakeasy experience.

Asteroid Blues, Easy Tiger, and Silk Road Project

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The Crush of NVIDIA GTC

Wednesday night found us at Dr. Funk in downtown San Jose for dinner, cocktails, and a few more rums for my final push to complete level II of Dr. Funk’s Rum Asylum list.

We immediately sensed the energy of San Pedro Square with a crush of people filling every bar and restaurant in the area, due to the attendees of the NVIDIA GTC (GPU Technology Conference). Luckily, the crew found us a booth inside and Riley and I both had excellent cheeseburgers while we watched the decidedly uncommon crowd pack the patio and interior of San Jose’s best tiki bar. So many lanyards and backpacks and a couple people even doing laptop work with their Mai Tais. Shhh, don’t tell the office back home.

Foursquare Rums

I’m getting to the end of my Level II list, and most of the remaining rums are top shelf items, so I made a concerted effort to savor the pairing of excellent Barbados rums from Foursquare – the 2010 vintage and Isonomy. After Riley polished off a Dr. Funk Mai Tai we shared a really crisp and delicious daiquiri with the limited edition Ron Superior De Bacardi Y Cia from Mexico, supposedly more like the old Bacardis used to taste like.

The Dr. Funk crew have had quite a week, given the weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day revelry, corporate buy-outs, and a true crush of customers on our visit Wednesday. It was basically all hands on deck and we saw the crew really working well together. Our sever Michelle did an especially stellar job.

Just a few more rums to go ahead of Sunday’s quarterly Rum Asylum meeting.

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Kenneth’s Mai Tai at Dr. Funk

Dr. Funk has a special cocktail menu to celebrate the regional premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning Primary Trust, showing at the Lucie Stern theater in Palo Alto through March 29. The special menu featuring two cocktails also runs through the 29th, with ticket holders getting a $3 discount.

Primary Trust is humorous and emotional tale written by Eboni Booth and features a bookstore clerk named Kenneth who spends his nights at a local tiki bar. The plot turns when unemployment jolts Kenneth and requires him to face new life challenges.

For this menu, the team at Dr. Funk aren’t merely renaming existing menu items. We were drawn to Kenneth’s Mai Tai which features some funky rums that are different from Dr. Funk’s standard issue. Featuring The Funk, Coruba, and La Favorite Agricole, this Mai Tai is incredibly balanced and features just a touch of grassy and savory flavors that add complexity to the cocktail that you’ll definitely want to take your time with.

Kenneth’s Mai Tai