Get your tickets now for a special Mai Tai seminar and cocktail tasting at Napa’s leading cocktail bar, The Fink. The event starts at 2:30 pm on Sunday, May 3 and includes a seminar about the Mai Tai plus three variations on the cocktail including the Ultimate Mai Tai.
You can look forward to an informative and humorous presentation describing the hunt for the ultimate Mai Tai. You’ll enjoy delicious variations on this classic cocktail while discovering newly uncovered historical details, best and worst Mai Tais, and how to get the perfect Mai Tai at your local watering hole. Advice and lessons for the home bartender will be provided, plus plenty of eye candy and Q&A.
A gift from Mrs. Mai Tai, who knows I’m interested to try a Mai Tai in any format. This powdered drink mix isn’t intended to be boozy, but if you’re reading this you know I did the right thing by adding a little Jamaican rum into the glass.
Look, it isn’t amazing, but does it kind of taste like a Mai Tai? Well, close enough for the scenarios where you can buy a bottle of rum but not all the other Mai Tai ingredients. There is a little bit of a tangy flavor that reminds me of the pop of lime you get in a good Mai Tai.
If you’re into themed bars, Wizard & Wands offers a Harry Potter-inspired experience featuring good cocktails, immersive decor, and some special effects. The bar is located in San Francisco’s Marina District, and includes Drag Brunch events on the weekends. Our party decided to visit later on a Saturday afternoon for some cocktails and conversation. Patrons are even encouraged to dress in costume while visiting.
The entry area features some thematic elements and occasional light shows. There’s a nice dark tavern vibe in this area which is where our party of six was seated. There are a few themed cocktails including riffs on standards plus beer choices. I quite enjoyed the Love Potion with tequila/hibiscus and the Butterbeer flavored Wizard Brew was also very good. Some of the drinks come with special features, such as the smoke with Glen’s or the note that’s set on fire with Julie’s Espresso Elixir, though they don’t lean heavily on the drink gimmicks here.
Every so often there would a light show and some thematic music, including the ceiling tiles in the lower room which are screen-based. Mostly though we spent the afternoon in conversation with a variety of dance tracks (Charli XCX, Dua Lipa) playing in the background. Wizards & Wands also serves bar food, which our party also enjoyed.
Unlike some bars that change theming every quarter, Wizards & Wands is committed to this theme and so it is more immersive than most pop-ups. If this kind of theme is your thing or if you’re just in the Marina looking for a place to escape, Wizards & Wands is a great option.
This Dr Funk original features mezcal, rum, Aperol, coconut, pineapple, and fire! It’s still really great and the flame last night was quite impressive. Mrs Mai Tai let it burn all the way down, leaving a charred breadcrumb at the top of the drink, but still really good.
Meanwhile I ordered an off-menu Three Dots and a Dash that tasted fantastic and just like it should be with juices and spices. The team at Dr Funk really nailed this.
My second drink was the Mai Tai, still amazing and made with Jamaica rums. This one was even better than the Mai Tai I had here a couple months ago, bold and flavorful but still balanced, one of the best of the year so far.
We also talked to the crew about the upcoming Luau at Dr Funk, very traditional including music, food, and drinks. Get your tickets now.
After having the individual Scorpion at Trader Vic’s last week I thought I’d revisit this classic at home. This is a prime example of the Trader Vic’s recipe style, featuring both orange and lemon juice, a split base of spirits, and Vic’s signature sweetener, orgeat.
This sometimes comes out too tart, and I’ve long felt that the juicy cocktail needs bolder spirits. So, I did some modifications on the ratios by dropping the orange juice a little and bumping up the orgeat. This was originally made with a lightly aged “white” Puerto Rican rum, but I think that something with more flavor would be better. Look for something bolder like Denizen White, Planteray 3 Star, Hamilton Breezeway Blend, or Myers’s Platinum White. The brandy or cognac is often lost in this and as a richer spirit I want to taste it so I’ve doubled that from what Trader Vic called for.
Valencia Oranges are a little sweeter than Navel Oranges and would be recommended for this cocktail.
Now with four ounces of spirts, you can feel better about using this Trader Vic’s Scorpion Bowl and maybe even splitting it with someone special.
Scorpion by Trader Vic (modified) 1½ oz Orange Juice 1½ oz Lemon Juice ¾ oz Orgeat 2 oz Brandy or Cognac 2 oz Aged White Rum Flash blend with 8 oz crushed ice. Dirty dump and top with more crushed ice, garnishing with gardenia, orchid, or citrus wheels. Serve in Mai Tai glass or tiki mug.
Mai Tai media week continues with another new video to watch this weekend.
Those looking for a deeper dive into the Mai Tai will likely enjoy the new episode of Tiki with Ray’s “My Favorite Mai Tai” video series. We sat down with Ray and Pete from Bamboo & Bitters to discuss the Mai Tai’s ingredients, lore, and personal preferences.
The Mai Tai is very special to many people, including myself of course. But those who are paying close attention should note in this video how many times I chose not to gatekeep the drink or specific ingredients. I know what I like in a Mai Tai, and I’ll talk about things you should be thinking about when making one at home or ordering one at a bar. But I pass no judgement if you prefer it this way or that way. It’s your Tai, not my Tai.
Thanks to Ray for driving a great discussion into this cocktail and to Pete for having us over at his amazing basement bar, The Fo’c’sle.
Look who we found on the way to Zombie Village, the original Tiki Bob at the corner of Post and Taylor. He looks freshly painted and the current building occupant Honey Honey recently embraced Bob’s color scheme by changing from green to brown.
This was the original home of Tiki Bob’s, opened in 1955 when a disgruntled Trader Vic’s bartender opened his own place a block away from his former boss. This location closed in 1983. A second Tiki Bob’s location opened in the building that currently houses Pagan Idol during the 1960s.
