Category: Mai Tai

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The Beachcomber, Queensway

We landed in Heathrow early in the morning after a red eye flight and we were zonked the entire day. An afternoon nap seemed to refresh us and we headed to The Beachcomber for dinner. They have a large selection of Rhum Agricole and serve Thai food via the Horapha restaurant two doors down.

We had the place for ourselves for a little while and got to take in the space. Not high tiki by any means, the Beachcomber is certainly doing a lot of things right. The basement level shuts out the outside world and we enjoyed the tropical elements and big screen showing island travel footage. Music was a blend of mellow Blues (Etta James, Alicia Keyes). Great back bar full of rum and rhum.

The off-menu Mai Tai is made with Agricole and is very well balanced and light and refreshing. You can do a happy hour special with Thai Curry. We also enjoyed the Salamander Sling for two that’s a Singapore Sling riff with Hibiscus syrup (we asked for it to lean heavy on the syrup). Our food was pretty good and the staff was super friendly and prompt.

If you’re looking for tiki in London, be sure to check out The Beachcomber.

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1990s Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai Recipe

This recipe comes from a 1997 Honolulu Star-Bulletin article, and curiously doesn’t include any Pineapple Juice.

1990s Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai
5 oz Mai Tai Mix
1 oz White Rum
1 oz Myers’s Dark Rum
Fill glass with ice, add mix and rums

Mai Tai Mix
10 oz Orange Juice
4 oz Orange Curacao
2 oz Orgeat
2 oz Rock Candy Syrup
2 oz Sour Lemon
Combine all ingredients and add water to make 1 quart

This complex and large format Mai Tai Mix likely isn’t particularly approachable for the home bartender, though if a math wiz wants to scale this down for individual serving size we’ll gladly attribute your effort.

Update: our friend Cory Schoolland did the math and while the exact amounts for some of these are technically a bit higher or lower than indicated this is very close without having to measure in single milliliters.

Mai Tai Mix (single use)
1½ oz Orange Juice
⅔ oz Orange Curacao
⅓ oz Orgeat
⅓ oz Rock Candy Syrup
⅓ oz Sour Lemon Juice
1¾ oz Water

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Fernet Mai Tai Recipe

I saw this recipe online and thought I’d try it. After making this I’m glad I tried it I won’t be making it again. I’ve liked Fernet-Branca in some things but the herbal flavors didn’t work with traditional Mai Tai ingredients.

Always say yes to try something new at least once.



Fernet Mai Tai by @castawaygrotto
¾ oz Hamilton Gold Jamaican rum
¾ oz Hamilton Demerara rum
½ oz Fernet-Branca
1 oz. Lime
½ oz Orange curacao
½ oz Orgeat
¼ oz Rich rock candy syrup (2:1)
1 dash lemon bitters
Shake all ingredients with ice cubes until chilled. Pour unstrained into your mai tai glass and topping off with crushed ice. Garnish with mint, fresh flowers stolen from your neighbors garden.

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Logo Glassware at Dr. Funk in Downtown San Jose

When Dr. Funk opened in December 2021 they had a souvenir Mai Tai glass featuring artwork from B-Rex, similar to the B-Rex designed logo that is still featured on their cocktail napkins. That run of “1st edition” glasses sold out immediately and it seemed like Dr. Funk had forgotten that patrons so often want to take home something from the venue.

Well, this may not be the B-Rex second edition, but Dr. Funk is now selling glasses featuring the logo designed by @gennbunn. Each is $10, or $8 with a cocktail. Each features a heavy base.

These aren’t really anything unique or irresistable, but it is really nice to sip a Mai Tai with Dr. Funk himself providing inspiration for travels to Polynesia. Or just to take home as a souvenir of a night out on the town.

Get them now before they’re gone. Do more of this please, Dr. Funk.

The Mai Tai pictured was a special from Tuesday’s “Traditional Tiki Night” and featured Myrtle Bank Jamaican Rum and Cointreau as the orange liqueur. Just a little lighter than Dr. Funk’s always excellent Mai Tai but still really great in its own right. Dr. Funk is now doing these tiki nights every Tuesday, featuring a rotating set of DJs. Having a DJ is great, and adding drink specials is even better. Do more of this please, Dr. Funk.

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Amazing Craft Cocktails at California Gold in San Rafael

We had a great experience last time at California Gold so we made time for some after-dinner drinks last weekend. The place was busy but not too much so and we got a nice booth right by the front of the bar. Our service was informed and friendly, and very prompt.

The reputation for excellent craft cocktails at California Gold is stellar and our experience this time only reinforced that belief. We tried four cocktails and all were really outstanding. We also noticed they had an extensive spirits collection, including a Caroni rum for only $45 per pour.

Indian Defense – I liked this more than Mrs. Mai Tai. Beefeater, Calvados, Amontillado Sherry, and Saffron Honey. Very spirit forward for those who like that style of stirred cocktails.

Flying Cloud – this was our favorite, so delicate and balanced. Pisco, Dark Rum, Grenadine, Lime, Absinthe.

Coco de Agua – I really dug this wonderful blend of savory flavors and would definitely order again. Cacacha, Coconut-washed Apricot Brandy, Pineapple Gum, Lime, Aromatic Peach Bitters.

Polo Cup – We were asked whether we wanted Gin or Vodka and we made the only correct choice. Super light and refreshing, depth was pretty good for this elevated “Gin Highball.” Gin, Elderflower, Mint, Basil, Cucumber, Lemon, Soda.

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No Tai Mai Tai at Home

Was feeling like I wanted something tropical but without the booze, so I thought I’d try the “No Tai Mai Tai” that offer at Trader Vic’s. Since I have a bottle of the Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate this seemed like a good test.

When I’ve had this in the restaurants, the flavor unexpectedly leaned very heavy in the orange direction – so much that I thought orange juice was added. But having made it at home just with equal parts of lime juice and Mai Tai Concentrate I taste the same thing. This is really curious because when I make a Mai Tai with the Concentrate (albeit with a slightly higher proportion of citrus) it doesn’t taste so orange-forward.

In any case, this isn’t bad.

No Tai Mai Tai
1½ oz Lime Juice
1½ oz Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate
Shake with crushed ice and garnish with lime wedge and mint

Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate is available in their Online Store.

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Fremont Mai Tai at Home Tiki Bar

The OG name for the Ultimate Mai Tai and featured on a party menu from our friends Brenda and Glen’s place. Always honored when people want to put my Mai Tai on a menu and make it the right way.

Their home tiki bar has a namesake cocktail The Cannibal’s Eye that is absolutely fantastic too.