Category: Mai Tai

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Primal Mai Tai Soap

Something a little different for Mai Tai Monday this week as we go back in time to 2002 and check out the cocktail bar by the artist Shag – a bar of soap! This was in a line-up that included a Dirty Martini and Cosmic Cosmopolitan but of course the one I picked up at Tiki Fest in Seattle was the Primal Mai Tai.

Shag himself provides the directions: “Transform your tub into a tiki temple with the Cocktail Bar so authentic it comes with tiny bubbles. Bask in the mystical Mai Tai mojo. Then tuck a paper umbrella behind your ear, and head for the nearest volcano.” In other words, use it as a special tropical treat in the tub. After 22 years, there’s a pleasant and mildly fragrant smell from this bar, though I did not take it for a proper “test drive” in the tub.

There’s also a “Simple Mai Tai” recipe on the back which I prepared as directed, and I even used some 2000s era Appleton V/X Jamaica rum to provide that true 2002 authenticity. This being a recipe prior to the Craft Cocktail Renaissance(™️), the recipe subs Grenadine in for the Orgeat and uses Bar Sugar rather than something richer.

Simple Mai Tai
1 oz Jamaican Rum
¼ oz Orange Curacao
1 tsp. Grenadine
1 tsp. Bar Sugar
Juice of ½ fresh Lime
Hand shake and pour over cracked ice. Garnish with lime peel and mint sprig.

I’m using high quality Liquid Alchemist Grenadine and this cocktail was not good. Simply using the proper Orgeat and using a Demerara Syrup rather than bar sugar really made this so much better. I guess we’ve learned a few things since 2002.

Got to hand it to Shag, though, the box and packaging are really nice and who wouldn’t have impulse bought one of these at Hot Topic back in 2002?

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Orinda’s Boo Loo Lounge Now Serving Bar Bites

Had a great time in downtown Orinda to revisit the Boo Loo Lounge for the first time in a couple months. The strong bar program is still going strong with a menu of a dozen or so cocktails. This little bar next to the Orinda Theater is now serving a selection of fryer style bar bites, similar to Forbidden Island in Alameda. Don’t expect these to be gourmet but may hit the spot if you’re trying to stay in the venue longer. There are several nearby restaurants if like us you want to work off your buzz with a full service dining option.

Coconut Shrimp with Mai Tai in mug brought by the author

The Mai Tai’s orange liqueur has been switched to the Hamilton Petite Canne Shrubb, a Rhum Agricole-based liqueur. Along with a rum base that includes Rhum Agricole I found this to lean too far in the grassy flavor profile. Regular readers may remember that Smuggler’s Cove briefly used this liqueur in their Mai Tais, with similar not great results. Feedback was provided, with DeKuyper suggested as an alternative in a similar cost range.

Thankfully, the Hurricane I had was truly fantastic, a wild blend of Fassionola, juices, and rum. This cocktail met the high expectations I’ve grown accustomed to at the Boo Loo Lounge. Similarly, Mrs. Mai Tai’s Lady of Singapore and Saturn were excellent.

Hurricane

The crowd was having a great time, as we were with our friends. Boo Loo Lounge is so small they’ll really benefit from sunny skies and the use of their patio seating out front. By layering on bar bites onto the small venue with modest staffing, I wonder if they’re biting off more than they can chew but there’s nothing wrong with trying something to see how it goes. I hear there are plans for something else new to whet the appetite of guests, coming soon – so stay tuned.

Patio waiting for sunny skies
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Midcentury Charm at West Seattle’s Three 9 Lounge

Three 9 Lounge is located in West Seattle and connected to West Seattle Bowl, offering an entrance off the street as well as from within the bowling alley. The lounge offers vintage decor and booth and lounge seating. The venue offers a variety of Polynesian inspired bar bites and a healthy number of classic and signature cocktails. The outside world is well camouflaged but this lounge does lean towards midcentury modern rather than classic dark tiki.

The Mai Tai is done a little differently, despite leading off the “Classics” menu, featuring aged rums, lime, almond, and a dash of coconut cream. The use of coconut cream is controversial, even in a small amount, though as a finished product thankfully this isn’t a Colada wannabe. The Mai Tai was pretty good, though weirdly not as bad as I expected given the use of coconut cream, but also not quite as good as I expected given the other ingredients and what I’ve heard about cocktails here.

I don’t hear tiki people talking much about Three 9 Lounge but I thought it was a nice destination and our service was pretty good even though it was Saturday night and fairly busy. The decor and seating do offer opportunities for a relaxing time with friends, and I’ll be happy to visit again the next time I’m in Seattle.

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Doc Parks 2024 Encore Tour at The Kon-Tiki

I’m late in posting about the amazing event held at Oakland’s Kon-Tiki that served as the first event of Doc Parks’ 2024 Encore Tour. The former Zombie Village and Wilfred’s Lounge GM took over the Kon-Tiki with a custom menu featuring some fabulous cocktails. The Kon-Tiki was packed and it was all hands on deck including guest bartender Julio Palacios.

Doc Parks

Music was provided by DJ Woody Miller who opened the venue with a mellow set of tunes that gradually increased the tempo in advance of Oakland surf band The Greasy Gills who started their tight and groovy set a little after 6:30. The three-piece band played energetically and pulled in a number of fans who crowded the makeshift dance floor in the center of the Kon-Tiki space.

The star of the show for us were the cocktails provided. I started with the Banana Afterlife, recently featured on the Make & Drink YouTube show, including three rums, juices, banana liqueur, and Doc’s signature Passionola. This isn’t actually that banana-forward but is another killer cocktail from the good doctor, featuring an incredible lantern garnish from the Kon-Tigo Tiki Bar. Meanwhile, Mrs. Mai Tai was enthusiastic about the Unicorn Tears, a milk punch with coconut and ube that are two of her favorite flavors.

Mister, Might I…

Mister, Might I… was a great variant of our favorite cocktail including Denizen Merchant’s Reserve and Tanduay Gold as a base, with a touch of Passionola and a Worthy Park 109 float that was doctored with spices and liqueurs. In a brilliant stoke, this Mai Tai was served with a side of pineapple juice for you to choose your own adventure. Do you add it to the drink? Or do you take it as a shot? I love this idea and this will be on my year-end Mai Tai list for sure.

The Gong Show was my final cocktail and included seven rums (yes, seven), plus cinnamon, black tea, spices, lime, and grapefruit. And served on fire, because of course it was. Totally amazing cocktail and such a great night at The Kon-Tiki.

I’ve been fortunate to check out a couple of these Doc Parks tour stops and if you have the opportunity be sure to take it if you’re a fan of amazing cocktails.

Unicorn Tears and Banana Afterlife
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My Tie, Youse Tai

Had the pleasure of being hosted by Stephen Curran  at his home bar called the Rocking Jellyfish Lounge in Gig Harbor. It’s a nicely appointed space with a double sided seating bar and some lounge seating. Stephen has traveled to Papua New Guinea and so there’s plenty of authentic and inspired-by PNG artwork. He did a presentation about his travels to Papua New Guinea at the Seattle Tiki Fest a couple weeks ago and it was a truly interesting and compelling presentation. Be sure to catch his seminars if they pop up in the future.

Stephen made me his house Mai Tai which was very good, but then presented a new version he is trying made the Ferrand Dry Curacao Yuzu, Latitude 29 orgeat, along with Appleton 15 and Appleton 21 rums. This was an extravagant and indulgent Mai Tai due to the premium rums, but the combo of curacaos from yuzu and orange really made this cocktail shine. It was absolutely fantastic and one of the best of the year so far.

The name of the cocktail should be resonate with those familiar with Joe Pesci’s 1990s filmography.

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Devil’s Reef Remains one of the Best Tiki Bars in America

Last year I was scheduled to do a Tiki with Ray Live interview at Devil’s Reef in Tacoma. That event was cancelled when I got COVID, so I made sure to visit on my recent trip. We arrived at opening on a Friday.

The venue remains largely the same as my last visit several years back. This is a dark immersive space, with nautical elements combined with tiki and horror. There’s a large bar along with several large booths and tables in the rear. Dark mood lighting and exotic mood music are in full effect. It is very relaxing inside and you’ll totally forget the rain or whatever is happening outside in downtown Tacoma.

Fun times in Tacoma

The bar program is led by co-owner Jason Alexander, and incredibly leans on just a few Planteray rum expressions for nearly every cocktail. We were considering our order when Jason popped in unexpectedly, as he wasn’t scheduled for that shift. We caught up for a bit and when I asked about the relatively new Ferrand Dry Curacao Yuzu he immediately whipped up an incredible Yuzu Daiquiri that totally blew me away.

After Jason departed we were left in the capable hands of Gamaliel Giron who prepped great cocktails for our party. I thought that the Devil’s Reef’s Officer’s Mai Tai was fine but it didn’t blow me away. This cocktail isn’t beloved by Jason Alexander and I guess they’ve bowed to pressure to include it on the menu, but I give a wide berth considering how fantastic all the original cocktails I’ve had here are. I truly loved the Special Dry Planter’s Punch featuring Jamaica rum, falernum, and grenadine.

We didn’t try the food but we’ve heard good things, and there’s a set of non-alcoholic cocktail options on the menu as well. The Friday crowd was going pretty good by the time that we left around 7:00, so its great to see that one of the best tiki bars in America is still doing everything right. This place is a gem and to paraphrase the old Herb Caen line about Trader Vic’s (“the best restaurant in San Francisco is in Oakland”) we agree that the best tiki bar in Seattle is Devil’s Reef in Tacoma.

Yuzi Daiquiri
Officer’s Mai Tai
Dry Planter’s Punch
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Mai Tai Monday at Trader Vic’s Emeryville

This was the fantastic Original Mai Tai that I had at Trader Vic’s Emeryville  a couple weeks back.

Did you know that 2024 is the 80th anniversary of the creation of the Mai Tai, and the 90th of the Trader Vic’s restaurant franchise? The 90th anniversary logo on the Mai Tai glass looks really sharp.

Look for a lot of discussion about this into the spring and of course for the annual Mai Tai Day celebration in late August.