We’re going to take a trip you might not be expecting, so buckle in.
Not nearly as infamous as the $1 Mai Tai that Applebee’s ran as a special in 2019, the $6 Mucho Mai Tai nonetheless can be a compelling offering for suburban drinkers. So, Mrs. Mai Tai and found ourselves sampling cocktails and eating pretzel bites on a Wednesday evening.
The Mucho Mai Tai is part of a new “$6 Sips on the Beach” menu that Applebee’s says are “made with premium spirits and served in a signature Mucho glass.” In this case the “premium spirts” are Captain Morgan Spiced Rum and Tito’s Vodka. So, not really premium.
The Mucho Mai Tai cocktail features Captain Morgan Rum with pineapple, orange, and lime juices and finished with lemon-lime soda and a gummy pineapple. This was about as mediocre as you might expect from this particular Mai Tai snob, even at the $6 price point. I think the gummy sank to the bottom and I never did bother fishing it out. But at least I felt the booze.
There’s a happy ending to this story, thanks to Mrs. Mai Tai who ordered a Shark Bowl.
The Shark Bowl is a blue slushy drink with Captain Morgan, “tropical fruit flavors”, and a gummy shark garnish. I didn’t have high hopes for this, but I’m pleased to report it was actually pretty good for what it is. Not too sweet, and cool, pleasant, and refreshing. We even took one to go for our son and it traveled well.
Thus ends our report from the suburbs.
