Category: Tiki Bar

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Banana Hammock at Kon-Tiki Oakland

There are a million cocktails made a million different ways with this name, the only constant being banana, of course, but sometimes real banana and sometimes banana liqueur and occasionally both. We don’t need another variant of this cocktail, do we?

Yes, friends. Yes we do.

I’m pleased to tell you the Banana Hammock I was appreciative to try at The Kon-Tiki is legit awesome. Damon did a great job suggesting and making this and it was rich and complex, very approachable but not overly sweet. It has bourbon and rum and banana and cinnamon and it’s fantastic and hopefully will be coming soon to an official menu update at downtown Oakland’s still very essential tiki bar. Ask nicely and maybe they’ll make it for you.

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New Cocktails at The Kon-Tiki

The Kon-Tiki recently jettisoned the Sci-Fi themed menu it introduced last year in lieu of a smaller menu before they transition to a forthcoming major revision. The new menu brings back the $44 Samaroli Mai Tai, includes classics like the Mai Tai and Saturn, continues to include stalwarts like the Uma Uma and Kon-Tiki Grog, and adds some new cocktails.

I tried a couple of the new ones and am pleased to report that the cocktail quality that Kon-Tiki is known for is continuing.

Red Lantern

Red Lantern: Japanese Whiskey, Passionfruit, Pomegranate, Lemon
This Port Light riff leans dry and tart, but is quite flavorful and is a great change of pace for those looking for a spirit besides rum. The Japanese Whiskey does not overpower the cocktail and this is overall pretty good.

Pongo Pongo

Pongo Pongo: Pisco, Don’s Mix, Lime
Even better is this lovely blend featuring Pisco, the South American brandy. The combo of grapefruit and cinnamon in the Don’s mix pairs very well.

The Kon-Tiki put it out there a few weeks back that they were struggling with utility costs and decline in a downtown workforce, but there’s been a noticeable uptick in patrons the last few times I’ve come in. Let’s support our friends while we still can, and with these wonderful new cocktails there’s always a great excuse to visit.

Halloween decor at The Kon-Tiki

 

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$10 Mai Tai with 10 Rums on 10/10

Our friends at the Kon-Tiki continue to surprise and delight, offering a low-key but still noteworthy drink special last night to celebrate the Mai Tai being named the official cocktail of the city. The October 10th Mai Tai was the brainchild of GM and bartender Carlos Jimenez, who used 10 rums for this special Mai Tai. Even better, priced at just $10.

The Mai Tai leaned on sugar-cane juice rums as the predominant note, but had layers of flavor that worked great in this format. I compared this to the Kon-Tiki’s standard issue Mai Tai that uses heavier and longer aged rums and found that while I prefer the standard this one-off Mai Tai was still really great and of course was a killer value as well.

Plenty of people got the memo as the room was quite busy for most of the evening.

Standard Mai Tai
Carlos showing off fire skills
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Beetlejuice Theme at Dr. Funk San Jose

We had a great time at Dr. Funk which is totally themed to the movie Beetlejuice for Halloween. There’s a ton of great looking themed decor but a spooky leaning soundtrack that plays whenever there isn’t a DJ.

There’s a special cocktail menu too. I tried two and thought they were good but not mind-blowing. I had a better experience with Dr. Funk’s still-awesome Mai Tai which remains on $8 on Mai Tai Mondays and $12 for happy hour and on Tuesdays.

@ultimatemaitai

Lots of fun at Dr Funk in downtown San Jose with some elaborate Beetlejuice theming and music, plus drink specials #tikibar #sanjose

♬ Banana Boat (Day-O) – Harry Belafonte
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Got Mai Tai?

Had to head out to Oakland to celebrate the Mai Tai becoming the official cocktail of the city, popping into a bustling Kon-Tiki in mid-evening. The crew has decorated the venue for Halloween using a variety of retro looking decorations including some nice pumpkin lanterns hanging over the bar. There was quite the crowd too, with lively music that made Tuesday seem like a Friday.

I’ve been pretty transparent about trying to get Kon-Tiki to the top of my Best Mai Tai of 2024 list, but for months it has been stuck at number 2, a fab Mai Tai with Hamilton Pot Still Blonde, and couldn’t beat the excellent Mai Tai I had at The Sinking Ship at Tiki-Ko. I’ve tried a number of exotic rums in Mai Tais at The Kon-Tiki over the past few months, including their upscale $44 Samaroli Mai Tai. But none of them could do it and as much as I want Kon-Tiki at number one for sentimental reasons I’ve also got to keep it real and base the ranking on merit.

As I scanned the shelves I saw an old favorite that I had wasn’t really considering all this time but at the moment made perfect sense. So, I asked Carlos to make an Appleton 12 Jamaica rum Mai Tai and it was absolutely fantastic. So much bold flavor even from a 43% ABV rum that still presented the orange and almond flavors the Mai Tai is famous for, not overly limey and perfectly balanced. It’s my new number one of the year, all the more appropriate given the occasion.

There’s no need to keep continually trying to top the Mai Tai at Kon-Tiki for now, so we closed the evening with the Pop Star cocktail, delightfully blending juices, watermelon, Aperol, and hibiscus. So delicious, and quite the treat.

Pop Star
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Oakland Resolution Officially Designates the Mai Tai as the Official Cocktail of the City

History was made today, October 1st 2024, when Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan put forth a resolution to designate the Mai Tai as Oakland’s official city cocktail. The measure appeared to be non-controversial and passed unanimously, including two absent members, after two citizens spoke tangentially about the topic during public comment.

A memo from Kaplan stated the rationale by saying “Oakland is a thriving, diverse, and creative community that deserves recognition as the Birthplace of the Mai Tai. As the Oakland City Council Member At-large, I wish to honor its creation, and the history of innovation and hospitality in Oakland, and designate it the cocktail of the City of Oakland.” The ceremonial item passed through the Rules Committee on September 19.

Kaplan was involved with the 2009 effort led by Michael Thanos from Conga Lounge/Forbidden Island to officially designate the cocktail. That measure didn’t pass but Kaplan was able to declare August 30, 2009 as Mai Tai Day in the City of Oakland, a date that was subsequently picked up by Trader Vic’s and other tiki bars as a day to celebrate the cocktail.

The Mai Tai was created at the original Trader Vic’s location at 65th and San Pablo Ave in the summer of 1944. That location closed in 1972, replaced by the restaurant group’s current flagship location in Emeryville. Oakland currently has two tiki bars that pay homage to the city being the birthplace of the cocktail. The Kon-Tiki on 14th and Webster currently features a standard Mai Tai as well as a $44 version with rare Caribbean rum. The Kona Club on Piedmont Ave recently added a 1944 Mai Tai to their cocktail menu that also includes the venue’s long-standing Kona Mai Tai.