I took two cocktails home with me from my visit at Trader Vic’s Emeryville, both of which were new to me. I chose these from the Coconut Concoctions section of the menu, hoping one of them would be a hit for Mrs. Mai Tai and where we’ve had great experiences with to-go Bahias and Chi-Chis. Both were prepared without ice and refrigerated for the afternoon before being lightly shaken and served over ice.
Sunset Swimmer – with Tequila, spiced coconut, and pineapple. Definitely something more than just a Pina Colada with Tequila, there are some very specific spices and flavors that can be hit or miss. I really liked it, but Mrs. Mai Tai thought it tasted weird. I felt that the combo of pineapple and spices worked very well.
Sea Dreams – Strawberry forward, with coconut, passionfruit, and “two types of rum”, both of us felt this seemed flat with very little coconut flavor. It felt like maybe there was an ingredient missing.