Author: Kevin Crossman

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Mahalo John Peterson

A hearty thank you to John Peterson who is moving on from the GM role at Forbidden Island and starting a new chapter away from the hospitality industry.

John has really elevated the cocktail program at Forbidden Island over the past five years, not just with standard menu items but especially with specials or riffs or just when you ask them make something their way. I loved their Planters Punch implementation and also the bitters-forward Peynkiller.

I really appreciate how John has put themself out there in contests. We saw them at the 2019 World’s Best Mai Tai contest in Hawai’i and just recently at Mai Tai Day at Trader Vic’s. Always coming up with something interesting, but importantly to me while still keeping the cocktails true to their origins.

Like everyone in the industry, the last 2½ years haven’t been a constant party, but they always greeted me with a friendly smile and words of welcome. I’m in awe of hospitality staff like John who can remember a customer’s tastes and preferences.

Wishing John the best on the next path, where I’m sure their engaging spirit will be met with success and fulfillment.

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Kona Club Revisited

A relaxing Saturday afternoon on Oakland’s Piedmont Ave concluded with a visit to Kona Club. I had a round while Mrs. Mai Tai shopped nearby, and then she joined me for a second round. Service was much better than on some previous visits and we had a good experience with the cocktails. Music was a mix of mellow hip-hop and groovy dance music that was generally relaxing. But whoever put Poison’s “Talk Dirty to Me” on the playlist needs to reconsider their choice.

Kona Club Chi-Chi

Mrs Mai Tai had Kona Club’s signature cocktail, the Chi-Chi. There’s a noticeable amount of Macadamia Nut liqueur here, which I think is a plus for the cocktail. I also sampled their standard-issue and quite decent Paloma, but thought the Undertow cocktail was even better. It has white rum, coconut rum, lime, passionfruit puree, orgeat, and guava. Some ingredients I don’t normally like but I have to admit it worked well.

It is too bad that the music and other aspects of Kona Club aren’t more in line with what tikiphiles prefer. As such, Kona Club relies on the patronage of locals who come in for non-tropical cocktails, beer, or shots. Literally three others ordered whiskey pours during our visit.

Paloma
Undertow Cocktail
Kona Club’s Amazing Decor
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Small Hand Cocktails Mai Tai

Craft cocktail syrup company Small Hand Foods is entering the bottled cocktail market as Small Hand Cocktails and I gave their Mai Tai a try. The cocktail is made with Hamilton Rum, orange liqueur and of course Small Hand’s orgeat. The bottle is 25% ABV so this compares well to a freshly made cocktail.

Regular readers know that I’m not a fan of Small Hand’s orgeat, which to me has an unusually strong taste that doesn’t taste “almond-y”. Even though I know it is very popular with others and is used at cocktail programs in many bars.

Needless to say, you’ll have a better experience with this ready to drink Mai Tai if you’re a fan of their orgeat, but even I must admit this is a great bottled Mai Tai. The rum flavors do work so well with the rest of the ingredients and the mouthfeel is the same as with a freshly prepared scratch Mai Tai. Definitely worth seeking out.

This bottled Mai Tai compares well to other premium RTD Mai Tais, such as market leader On the Rocks. You could serve this to a cocktail enthusiast and they’d hardly notice the difference. These cocktails are available at Good Eggs and some Total Wine locations, plus discerning liquor stores. The 200ml bottle is around $11 and serves two-ish cocktails.

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Kuleana Rum Works Hōkūlei

The latest blended rum release for Kuleana Rum Works will appeal to those who love barrel notes in their rum. This rum combines distillate from six countries, including a unique aged version of Kuleana’s Hawaiian Rum Agricole. Issued at 46% ABV, this is reminiscent of quality Barbados rums but with a slightly lighter overall character. No added colors, flavors, or sweeteners.

As noted there is a complex and interesting set of seven rums in this bottle:

  • Base rums: Molasses rums from Panama, Nicaragua, Barbados, and Venezuela and aged 2-3, 3-8, 5-8, and 8 years respectively.

  • Body rums: Kuleana’s Hawaiian Rum Agricole made from sugar cane juice and aged 18 months in Cognac barrels, plus a 15 year molasses-based rum from Barbados.

  • Accent rum: Molasses-based rum from Trinidad, aged 18 years.

I can’t say that the Hawaiian Rum Agricole hits me over the head, and honestly I’d love to try some of that just by itself. But overall, Hōkūlei is a really great sipping rum with great spice and oak notes.

In a Mai Tai, Hōkūlei doesn’t really punch through in the assertive way that Kuleana’s Hawaiian Rum Agricole does, though there’s plenty of general rummy flavor. On the other hand, this rum shines in a Daiquiri where you can taste those same spice and oak flavors alongside the brightness of the lime and sugar.

Hōkūlei retails for around $70-80 and is just coming to market this year. You can order from Kuleana’s website as well.

Additional info: Kuleana Huihui and Nanea / Kuleana Hawaiian Rum Agricole

The bottle was provided by Kuleana but this is not a sponsored post.

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Recipe: Blue Hawaii (Modified)

Went out to dinner last night in the Bay Area suburbs. Lazy Dog Restaurant has a “Blue Hawaiian” on the menu that’s pretty close to Harry Yee’s original blue cocktail. Pineapple, Sweet & Sour, Rum, Vodka – and OJ. It came out really green but the taste was just fine.

At home I made one with a modified recipe that was even better.

Blue Hawaii (Modified)
½ oz Lemon Juice
2 oz Pineapple Juice
½ oz Simple Syrup
½ oz Blue Curacao
1½ oz White Rum Blend
Shake with crushed ice.

My white rum blend is made from almost empty bottles of Denizen 3, Wray & Nephew Overproof, Myers’s White, and Three Rolls Estate. So a bit more flavorful than your standard Puerto Rican White. And way better than Vodka.

I used Giffard Blue Curacao. For this drink, I think adding another half ounce of Blue Curacao for a float would look nicer and add a bit more sweetness to the cocktail.

Note that Harry Lee celebrated his 104th birthday this week. You can read an essay about Yee from Hawaiian journalist Rick Carrol, circa late 1990s, on this website.

“Blue Hawaiian” from Lazy Dog
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Kunia Cooler at Trader Vic’s Emeryville

Look at this amazing cocktail that won the cocktail competition at Mai Tai Day and is now on the menu at Trader Vic’s Emeryville for the month of September. Created by Marisa Miller, the cocktail is a blend of flavors including orange and coconut and features Kō Hana Rum. Garnished with toasted coconut and a sliced passionfruit, so cool and tasty. Mrs. Mai Tai had the Vic and Dotty. She’s a sucker for cherries.

Lunch was great on Sunday and Mrs Mai Tai has been getting me into the Cheese Bings: “Nutmeg seasoned béchamel with Gruyére cheese & smoked ham, rolled in a crepe. Finished in a crispy panko crust.” So good. I enjoyed the salmon sliders as well. Mrs. Mai Tai’s Kapiki Pepe salad was quite picturesque and tasty.

Cheese Bings

Very relaxed at Trader Vic’s on a Sunday at opening, though the dining room was pretty full by the time we left.

Vic and Dotty
Kapiki Pepe salad
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Forbidden Island Parking Lot Sale

Fun times yesterday at the annual Parking Lot Sale at Forbidden Island. The scope of this year’s event held Saturday and Sunday was a bit more modest, with about half the vendors of pre-COVID events. We attended Sunday which everyone agrees was more relaxed than Saturday. There were some great Hawaiian and exotica tunes being played by DJ Otto.

The sale featured a nice set of vendors in any case and we had a nice time socializing with friends and familiar faces. Forbidden Island had a limited cocktail menu for those who had reservations, but there was still plenty to choose from. I had the delicious Port Light. Parking Lot Sale shoppers (those without reservations) could get walk-up cocktails at the Ku Bar out on the patio and find seating in exterior barrel top tables.

We’d be remiss by not mentioning some amazing fashion accessories pictured. First, Mrs. Mai Tai’s bright pineapple earrings. And Brenda’s seasonally appropriate and jealousy-inducing toad handbag from Windy Willow.

It is always appreciated that Forbidden Island is open during the afternoon on the weekends. A great time to go for the patio, or indoors for the traditional tiki bar experience.