Category: Travel

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Rum Runner at Margaritaville Mall of America

While Mrs. Mai Tai spent some quality time with the retail stores, I took another opportunity to relax at Margaritaville. Having tried a Margarita the day before I thought it would be an opportune time to try a rum cocktail. I remembered seeing the Rum Runner on the menu the day before so I ordered it without ever looking at the menu.

The bartender seemed to be far from relaxed but made the cocktail. It was served over ice and incorporated the berry and banana flavors the cocktail is famous for, and it was actually pretty good. The rums used were not very assertive but at the same time this wasn’t too sweet either.

I looked at the menu finally and couldn’t find the Rum Runner in the Boat Drinks section. I finally spotted it in the Frozen drink section – which reminded me that this was a cocktail that was originally served blended. And then I saw that this cocktail is supposed to be made with Myers’s Jamaica Rum and Cruzan 134. So, rums that are quite a bit more assertive! I asked the Bartender for another served frozen according to the description.

Frozen Rum Runner

It’s always interesting to see a bartender in scramble mode, and this was most certainly the case here – looking here and there and up and down for the rums. I guess they don’t make them according to the menu, or this guy was a newbie. But soon enough a blended Rum Runner appeared.

The frozen version actually wasn’t quite a flavor bomb, though was more so after I mixed in the Cruzan 134 float. Frozen drinks often aren’t quite as sweet, the same as solid vs. melted ice cream. Nonetheless, it was quite reasonable and got the job done. I appreciated that the banana flavor came through quite nicely.

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Perfect Margarita at Margaritaville, Mall of America

That’s the cocktail name, not a description. The Perfect Margarita is as close to craft as they get at Margaritaville, the themed restaurant chain named from Jimmy Buffett’s most famous song. It is described as “Margaritaville Gold and Silver Tequilas, Margaritaville Triple Sec, Orange Curaçao and lime juice served on the rocks… for margarita aficionados only” though that lime juice is bottled and not fresh. I always order without salt and appreciated that at least this wasn’t blended.

Was this perfect? No, though it was a pretty nice break from the shopping and all the people in the mall. The tequilas used here are fairly mild, which is just fine by me.

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Prohibition Bar at Foshay Tower in Minneapolis

We wanted to visit the iconic Foshay Tower in downtown Minneapolis, but their 32nd floor observation deck is only open Fri-Sun. The 30th floor museum is open every day, though, and is worth a quick visit. We made do by visiting the Prohibition Bar on the 27th floor for some great cocktails and also some nice views through the windows.

My cocktail was the Sidecar (without a sugar rim), which is my usual go-to for places like this where ordering a daiquiri is sometimes refused like it was this time (though I sometimes wonder if the server thinks a blender is needed…). And Prohibition’s Sidecar was really great.

There was sort of a mix-up with the cocktail. The server asked if I wanted brandy or cognac and I asked for cognac. The actual spirit used was middle-tier rather than lower-tier from the list (I didn’t call a specific brand, neither did the server), so it was a little pricier than I expected. But, like I said, the cocktail was fantastic. We worked it out with the server in the end.

The trendy W Hotel has a great lobby bar on the first floor of this iconic building. It’s a really interesting building to check out in Minneapolis.

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The Fink – New Cocktail Bar in Downtown Napa

We were excited to try the new cocktail bar in downtown Napa from local raconteur Judd Finkelstein – aka “The Fink” where the venue gets its name. The bar is the same spot as the former Silo’s and is situated in the historic grain mill that now houses the upscale Napa River Inn. The venue takes inspiration from the nearby Napa River and is cohesively themed by Daniel Gallardo (Tiki Diablo) as a nautical trading post. It’s dark yet warm with a large bar, some two-top tables, several booths with portholes, and a lounge area. There is a stage with a piano that will house live music starting in a few weeks.

The Fink serves beer and wine, and Finklestein’s experience with Judd’s Hill Winery means you won’t be lacking for good options. But first and foremost this is a cockail bar and they’ve hired experienced bartenders from the area including Andrew Salazar (ex-Miminashi) to put together the cocktail program and execute it flawlessly.

There are currently 24 cocktails, with more to come. Presently there’s a twelve item House Cocktails section, with six each for the tiki-inspired “LA to the Bay” and classics-inspired “Gotham City.” New Orleans will be the next destination.

OG Mai Tai from The Fink’s Judd Finklestein

Our starting place was the OG Mai Tai, which features house-made Orgeat. This nutty cocktail includes two Jamaican rums and one from Martinique and is quite good. We loved two other exotics on the menu, the tangy Cobra’s Fang and the spicy Nui Nui. All of these would stand up to any cocktail you’d find at leading tiki bars in the country.

Cobra’s Fang and Nui Nui

We also tried the Casino Royale cocktail including Cognac, lemon, orange bitters, Maraschino Liqueur, and Champagne. It’s an elegant cocktail with a medium-bodied mouthfeel and a lingering finish.

Casino Royale

The Fink serves small bites and has some great merchandise options (with more coming) including a membership pin. We loved the swizzle stick that pays homage to Finklestein’s eyewear. We had a great time at The Fink and it is truly worth seeking out or making a special trip for.

OG Mai Tai
Swizzle Stick
Grain Silo Behind the Fink’s Back Exit
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Tiki Dreams: From Far-Away Fantasy to Pop-Culture Phenomenon / Napa Valley Museum Yountville

We enjoyed a trip up to the Napa Valley Museum Yountville to view the exhibition running now through through December 31, 2023. The collection is curated by Baby Doe & Otto von Stroheim of Tiki Oasis and it tells a chronological story of tiki in popular culture with an emphasis on venues from the Bay Area. Those venues include Trader Vic’s of course, but also The Lanai, Tiki Bob’s, and more. Each named venue features a nice chronology and plenty of historical details and artifacts.

The collection includes some large tikis, a tiki mug collection, and plenty of artwork. There’s an incredible tiki by Crazy Al (unfortunately not attributed in the museum) that has nods to the different carving styles from across the Pacific. And there’s a custom-built bar built by Woody Miler and used for events.

Overall, the exhibit is well worth the drive and modest entrance fee. We went first thing on Saturday and avoided the typical weekend traffic jams. A California Road Trip exhibit downstairs will also scratch the itch for fans of midcentury kitsch.

The exhibit also features a gift shop with a great selection of items from Trader Vic’s, McBiff, Heidiline, Tiki and Stitch, and more. The great looking event mug by Woody Miller that pays tribute to the Barney West tiki outside Trader Vic’s is only available at the ~monthly ticketed special event receptions: June 17, July 15, August 19, September 16, October 7, December 2. Check the website for event details and ticket links.

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Revisiting Solvang’s High Roller Tiki Lounge

This was our first true visit to High Roller Tiki Lounge at its present location in Danish-themed Solvang. We visited the original location years ago and tried to come in 2021 but Friday evening traffic meant we missed closing time by five minutes. We arrived at around 4:00 pm on Thursday, so we had plenty of time before they closed at 6:00.

The venue doesn’t have a full liquor license, and on my last visit all the “cocktails” were made with wine. This time some were offered with a rice-based liqueur that’s blended with rum and other spirits and issued at a lower ABV. But the High Roller team uses double the amount so these drinks are plenty boozy. I ordered the Mai Tai with “rum” and really enjoyed it. It leans sweet, which was all right by me, and I think is a good option for tiki newbies in wine-focused Solvang.

Even better was the Mermaid Bowl that Mrs. Mai Tai and I shared. This drink is a hoot, complete with a mermaid you can take home, tropical fruity flavors, and tons of bursting boba inside. And, like I said earlier, plenty boozy.

Michael Cobb from High Roller Tiki

The lounge space was quite relaxing, with a nice mix of traditional tiki elements and vintage touches throughout. We talked to Michael Cobb a bit and he showed us the expanded seating space across the little courtyard that they use on the weekends when they’re busy and when they have live music. This nicely appointed space has a traditional table and booth layout but the blacked-out windows means that traditional tiki bar fans will feel right at home. Even better, High Roller stays open later on the weekend.

Mai Tai
Mermaid Bowl
Second Room Open Weekends
High Roller’s Main Lounge Space
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Formosa Cafe – Iconic Hollywood Chinese Restaurant

This iconic Chinese restaurant has been on our radar ever since it was remodeled and relaunched as a brand a few years back. We made a reservation for opening last Saturday.

There are nods to classic and even newer Hollywood stars with the photos lining the ceiling, with a large bar right as your enter and a second one in the back room. We were seated in the section that’s an actual Red Trolley Car dating to 1904. So unique!

The Formosa is leaning into their merchandise program, offering stickers, glassware, shirts, and more. We took advantage of the bundle of a cocktail and a Dragon Mug, quite the deal for just $30. I had the Mai Tai, which is made with light and black Bacardi rum, and a bit of pineapple juice. The pineapple ratio was modest, so this was actually a pretty good Mai Tai. There’s a Tia Mia on the menu, which is a Mai Tai with Mezcal and spiced rum, so I ordered one using only Appleton Signature rum and found it to be closer to a true Mai Tai though I think I preferred the one with pineapple juice.

We loved the Passion and Paradox cocktail that includes Rye and Blood Orange Liqueur and Mrs. Mai Tai liked the Nay Nay Rosé Martini.

The food at Formosa leans expensive and is decadent. We loved the Walnut Shrimp, XLB Soup Dumplings, and Pot Stickers. We took a chance on the Chinese BBQ Pork which is basically an entire pork loin and served with foldable bao buns. This actually gave less meat than you might think, unless you love crispy pork skin.

The interior of the Formosa Cafe is total eye candy and everyone needs to visit this iconic location at least once. We had great service and loved the ambiance of the entire restaurant.