As is the tradition, there was a special cocktail menu made in Adrián’s honor. Three Morrissey-themed offerings were available, and the music was a selection of Smiths/Morrissey covers. Quite well done. The two cocktails were a fine Grog, as well as an excellent Derby Daiquiri riff featuring Agricole.
Adrián seems to be a man about town, I keep bumping into him at events across the Bay Area and even at a vintage store in Sacramento! He definitely put us all to shame with his dapper outfit and completely crushed the gong.
I was in the city yesterday near the Cove so popped in to see if they could top the amazing Mai Tai I had at Trader Sam’s made with Appleton Reserve and Hamilton Pot Still Blonde.
As you can see from the photo, what was pulled was the Pot Still Gold, not the Blonde. In this respect, I can’t blame the barback who retrieved the bottle because I’ve done the same thing before at home and in stores since all the Hamilton rums have the same label and in this case the Gold doesn’t look “gold” at all. It’s exactly the same color as the Blonde (if anything, the Blonde is shade darker).
Of course the Smuggler’s Cove Mai Tai was excellent, but I would say there’s something about that Hamilton Pot Still Blonde that really amplifies the Mai Tai. I hadn’t really considered that rum for a Mai Tai blend but it has a little extra oomph in the cocktail. The Gold is no slouch but seems to be missing something. The Blonde has some additional aging and no coloring.
Sunday night at the Smuggler’s Cove was quite relaxing and was easy to strike up a conversation with bartender Steven Liles who entertained us with some stories.
I was pleased to try this Singapore Sling riff at Dr. Funk, which I found to be a wonderful blend of complex flavors. It is made with “wild roses, velvety honey, bright citrus, Cocchi Rosa aromatized sweet vermouth, Becherovka herbal bitters & gin.”
Ken Wongdejanan really crushed it on this one. The cocktail program at Dr. Funk continues to impress and seems to be extraordinarily strong across all cocktail styles.
Mai Tai Monday is from Dr. Funk, again. Honestly, I wasn’t planning to have the amazing Dr. Funk Mai Tai, but when a certain someone buys a round for the table in honor of birthday boy @vonschiltach, I’ll consider it a blessing. Mahalo!
Dr. Funk was quite busy on Saturday, as you’d expect on a weekend. But there was also a Sharks game and some temperate conditions, so the entire inside of the bar and the outside patio were all filled. There was even a private party all the way around the side the building. But, the staff at Dr. Funk were really working well and our service all evening was great and the cocktails were made perfectly. It was quite helpful that we had reservations (pro-tip!) and we also found the garage on 3rd street to be much easier to get into than the one we usually use on Market/San Pedro Square.
Was pleased to attend a special event last night at Trader Vic’s which was a fundraising effort for the people of Tonga who were affected by the recent volcanic eruption. Trader Vic’s organized a silent auction to raise money through the Fraternal Order of the Moai, and a series of guest bartenders each of whom did a riff on the Trader Vic’s cocktail the Tonga Punch. The event was held in the Cabin room and included a DJ, some small bites from Trader Vic’s, and some rum tasting from Zaya and Bacardi. There were Tongan dancers performing as well.
It is so great that Trader Vic’s continues to be a central point of gathering for the community, and that fellow tiki bars, bartenders, and artists are able to work together for a good cause. There were a lot of great items at the silent auction, including lots of tiki mugs, gift cards, glassware, and even some tikis and masks.
Mrs. Mai Tai and I arrived early, so I had Trader Vic’s Tonga Punch, a sweet cocktail that’s easy to drink with light rum. Marie’s King’s version used heavier rums from Trader Vic’s and Wray & Nephew, along with pomegranate grenadine. This one was the best of the evening that I tried. But I did also enjoy the Tonga Punch from Jeanie Grant, a version using a variety of exotic rums/rhums and allspice dram. The punch from Trader Vic’s alum Ismael Alejandro was fruity with an agricole base that was also very good. So cool to try all these recipe riffs.
It’s always nice when the drink menu provides guidance on the booziness of the cocktails. I was looking for something lower on the scale that I hadn’t tried yet at Dr. Funk and the Patron & Saints was recommended… or maybe prescribed. You know.
Patron & Saints is “a funky milk punch made with Jamaica’s Overproof Rum-Bar, Denizen, Southeast Asian pandan, rich Madagascar vanilla & citrus. Enjoy as a single serving or double serving.” Most definitely sweet and satisfying, heavy on vanilla and served over a big rock of ice.
Pleased to say that the Dr. Funk Mai Tai is still excellent. We can’t get enough of this flavorful Mai Tai that features two of our favorite Jamaican rums: Appleton 12 and Smith & Cross. The house-made Orgeat is quite excellent as well.
