The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai
Traveling the Bay Area and beyond to find the best Mai Tai in the world! Tiki, cocktails, and adventures by Kevin Crossman
Fab Mai Tai at Trader Vic’s Emeryville with Hamilton New York Blend, just to switch things up a little. So nice sitting at the bar again after so long, too.
The rum collection at Trader Vic’s seems to larger and more diverse than I remember. Things that make you go hmmmm.
Reopening today is San Francisco’s Smuggler’s Cove, available to serve guests like they always have since 2009. No more cans or to-go soup, just fine cocktails and a vast selection of rums to taste.
We had the pleasure of visiting the Cove last week for a soft-reopen and it was so nice to be able to relax inside an immersive tiki bar while sipping on the finest cocktails in the city.
Mrs Mai Tai’s new favorite cocktail is Dr. Barca’s Fluffy Banana. So flavorful and light, perfect even for those who say they don’t like banana in a cocktail.
Meanwhile, I had the Smuggler’s Cove Mai Tai, which I’m pleased to say still ranks in the top 3 of all time.
There’s a new cocktail called the Pratique Punch, which is a great way to celebrate the reopening. There’s also a special rum flight which we’ll cover in detail in the next post but will put a quick plug in here too.
The Smuggler’s Cove staff couldn’t have been nicer and even with being benched for over a year due to COVID most certainly have come back strong. Note that The Cove doesn’t offer reservations and that entry will be by first-come basis, so if you’re planning to visit it’ll help to get there early before opening.
Mrs. Mai Tai and I finally made it to Palmetto in Oakland, after some drinks next door at The Kon-Tiki Room. The neon and art-deco style of Palmetto is best experienced indoors, and the fine food seems like the stuff that might not travel so well for a 30 minute drive back home. We’re finally doing indoor dining, so it was time.
The food here is fantastic. Truly savory, and we both loved the scallops that were available as a starter. The shrimp cocktail was also very good. For the main course, I had the chicken and Julie had the yellowtail, both were excellent. Note that the menu changes frequently, so some things may be different on your visit. The quality of the flavors were truly gourmet, justifying the mid-tier pricing. There is a focus on steaks here too, if that’s your thing, including Prime Rib on Wednesdays.
Palmetto also has an active cocktail program (and wine and beer). Julie had the Girl Goes Walking, featuring Cachaca as the main spirit, paired with Armaretto, Tamarind, Grapefruit, Lemon, and Bitters. Quite delightful.
Located across the street from the Fox Theater in Uptown, Palmetto is a great Oakland destination and an upscale treat to pair with drinks next door at the Kon-Tiki Room.
Next door to Palmetto and from the same team behind The Kon-Tiki and Palmetto is The Kon-Tiki Room. The soft-open was last night and once again those of us in the Bay Area are spoiled by yet another awesome tiki bar.
Though it shares a kitchen with Palmetto and there is a door in between the two establishments, The Kon-Tiki Room is really it’s own standalone destination. The nondescript door awaits your entrance and inside there’s a nautical themed bar with bright colors to pair well with Palmetto’s art-deco vibe. But whereas Palmetto is bright and shiny, The Kon-Tiki Room is dark and mysterious. There are several little nooks and a large bar running through the space.
The nautical design from artist Woody Miller is inspired by ports of yore, with dramatic scenes of barrels, cargo, and some skeletons. Not really “pirate themed” per se but definitely a little bit of that. There’s a medium sized tiki in the back of the bar.
Small bar bites are available but cocktails are the focus here. We tried several and they ranged from good (Singapore Sling) to great (frozen Disco Banana, Cou-Cou Comber). The Mai Tai features Agricole rhum and is excellent. Not grassy at all, but the savory elements shine in this cocktail.
Hours will mirror Palmetto’s (closed Sun-Mon).
We said goodbye to our friend today.
My favorite photo of Alex, when we visited Whitechapel in October 2019. Look at him checking out the bar, trying to experience the bar and the way it operated. He was always looking to learn something new and take something home.
Rest In Peace, brother
Sometimes it is good to challenge your assumptions and revisit spirits and cocktails that you haven’t loved (or enjoyed at all) in the past.
Such was the case when I made two Martinis. While I preferred the Gin Martini over the one with Vodka, neither was enjoyable. Glad I tried it but won’t be coming back anytime soon.
