Category: Mai Tai

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Orinda’s Boo Loo Lounge Keeps it Going

We had a very nice visit to Boo Loo Lounge, a small tiki bar located in the sleepy bedroom community of Orinda. Visiting on Friday evening was no problem since the BART station is a four minute walk away and we avoided rush hour traffic.

There have been some management changes at Boo Loo, but I’m pleased to report that the team remains committed to high quality cocktails and great hospitality. The venue’s small size next to the Orinda Theater means that there are ebbs and flows as guests come and go, but the team worked well to take drink orders and deliver them to the tables. We were treated to a great music mix from DJ Shy Hulud  that was a blend of exotic, psychedelic, and Latin tunes.

The cocktail menu at Boo Loo hasn’t changed, which means that their Saturn, Ruby Daiquiri, and Lady of Singapore are still great. Bartender Kriss knew me from The Kon-Tiki and suggested a Mai Tai made with a rare Nha Terra Grog rum from Portugal, and this had a really interesting flavor with white wine flavor notes.

Even better was Boo Loo’s standard Mai Tai that’s made with a blend of rums and just a bit of a grassy lean from the Rhum Agricole. It’s a really good Mai Tai, highly recommended, and Boo Loo continues to have a very nice rum selection if you’re looking for something new to try.

Mai Tai
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Cinco de Revenge of the Fifth

Killed two birds by making a Tequila-based Mai Tai that Trader Vic named the Pinky Gonzales and serving it in a Death Star mug.

Pinky Gonzales
1 oz Lime Juice
½ oz Cointreau
⅔ oz oz Orgeat
2 oz Tequila
Shake with crushed ice. No prison labor was involved.

This turned out quite light, thanks to Jimador tequila and the Cointreau that is lighter in body than Grand Marnier or Orange Curacao. Quite delicious and very, very close to a Margarita.

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Disneyland Trivia and Doc Parks at Dr. Funk

Two visits this week to San Jose’s leading tiki bar, first for trivia night on Monday and then on Traditional Tiki Tuesday for a guest DJ set at Dr. Funk.

Risky Quizness brought their trivia set up on Monday once again, coinciding nicely with Mai Tai Monday where Dr. Funk’s excellent Mai Tai is only $8. The theme this time was Disneyland, a topic close to our hearts. We’d done pretty terribly at Office and Friends trivia, but this time with our sons in tow we did a team up effort and “The Rebel Spies” came in 4th place overall, not too shabby.

Traditional Tiki Tuesday features a rotating set of DJs who play records from 7-11 pm, plus all day Happy Hour which means that the Mai Tai is only $12 (plus, you know, some other cocktails). The “5th Tuesday” DJ this year is Doc Parks, yes the Doc Parks of bartending and tiki bar fame – who used to be a professional DJ before he moved in the hospitality industry. We dug Parks’ set, including a couple songs from Las Vegas surf band The New Waves.

DJ Doc Parks

Our food and drinks this week were pretty much perfect, and Mrs. Mai Tai is now just one rum from finishing Level 1 of the Rum Asylum rum list.

$8 Mai Tai Monday
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The Tiki Talk Show

I was pleased to be a guest on the latest episode of The Tiki Talk Show, available on YouTube and on podcast platforms. We had a great discussion with Ellie and Ryley who have recently launched their podcast with a focus on newer tiki bars and what’s happening now rather than a focus on the past.

I think this is a great angle and with their discussions with bar owners such as Jason Alexander from Devil’s Reef this should turn out to be an interesting series and to document what’s happening in the industry. There is also a focus on an artist each episode as well, so I’m looking forward to seeing who will pop up on future shows.

In our session we talked about Mai Tai stuff and my own journey, but also industry trends of within the tiki bar genre. We also discussed rating criteria, cocktail ingredients and ratios, and a comparison of historical tiki bars with modern ones. Check it out on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.

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Smuggler’s Cove Killed It Again

Had a great visit to Smuggler’s Cove on Saturday, arriving at around 7:30 and able to enter right away ahead of a large group that got in line behind us. We were directed to go downstairs to the Boathouse to order but were told we could sit anywhere. That large (and increasingly obnoxious) group followed us into the Boathouse shortly thereafter, so we took our drinks upstairs where it was totally relaxing and quiet enough to have a great conversation.

The cocktail pairing was our usual, a Mai Tai for me and a Fluffy Banana for Mrs. Mai Tai, but the end results were no less impressive with rich and bold flavors that hit all the right notes. The ongoing cocktail quality at Smuggler’s Cove remains truly impressive thanks in part to the experienced bar staff such as Melissa Garcia who has been at the Cove since basically day one and remains a stellar mixologist who made our cocktails perfectly.

With Joe and Maggie
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Menu Changes at The Tonga Room

Our weekend in the city started with dinner at The Tonga Room, right at opening when the crowds are a little lighter and before the band plays on the boat. As always, we received very friendly service from the wait staff and were treated to a little cake since we were celebrating a birthday.

We noticed that while the cocktail menu that was introduced in Fall 2023 still remains in place, the prices for those cocktails were raised again to a very high $24 each. We do like the menu overall including the balanced Mai Tai that’s very approachable for the Tonga Room’s general audience, as well as the Tiki’Meister that’ll appeal to tiki craft cocktail fans. Mrs. Mai Tai loved the Banana Bread Old Fashioned with a mix of rum and bourbon. But these prices are really high and the idea that it serves as a sort of cover charge for the venue is harder to rationalize than it used to be.

The food menu has been revised since our last visit, sadly dropping the Salmon bowl and Poke Tostada that were among our favorites. The entree protein pairings didn’t really interest me, though Mrs. Mai Tai loved the Tiki Noodles with tofu. I stuck to a bunch of appetizers including some very tasty spring roll style Tonga Rolls, the Coconut Calamari, and some fabulous Kalua Pork Sliders.

We really enjoyed the meal, though value decisions remain more of a considerations than many restaurants. We love the vibe inside and everything is really great including the service, decor, and cocktails. But then the bill comes and it feels like it shouldn’t be that high. Something to consider.

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The Best Mai Tai on Pier 39

After the quick visit into Luau Lounge it was time for our lunch reservation at one of our favorite Pier 39 restaurants, Fog Harbor Fish House. This restaurant is located on the second level, so we had some great views of Fisherman’s Wharf and the San Francisco Bay. Our lunch was enjoyable including some seafood-oriented entrees and some tasty sourdough rolls as a starter, along with great service. The venue was busy but everything came out promptly and correctly, and noice wasn’t an issue.

When I looked at the cocktail list I was pleasantly surprised to see a Mai Tai that features Kuleana Hawaiian rum, lime, orgeat, and orange curaçao. Even better was the finished product that I was so glad I ordered, as this was a rich but still approachable cocktail that was very well balanced and had a great presentation including the float. This was a Mai Tai any bar would be proud to serve, and certainly was the best we’ve ever tried on the pier.