Traveling the Bay Area and beyond to find the best Mai Tai in the world! Tiki, cocktails, and adventures by Kevin Crossman
Apparently blood oranges are in season, so I played around with them. First up is this Mai Tai made with white spirits and topped with some blood orange juice. Seems perfect for Halloween.
2 oz Probitas White Rum
¾ oz Cointreau
½ oz Orgeat
1 oz Lemon juice
Float ½ oz Blood Orange Juice
Very tasty.
I’ve already got too much glassware but had to get this one from a new two glass set by Brian Rechenmacher. Disney fans will see the connection. The set is available in either purple (pictured) or green. Check it out on B-Rex’s website.
This Collins glass is not as tall as a Zombie glass so this was an interesting size and perfect for a tall Mai Tai made with funky Hampden Estate rum.
Tiki Bar number 13 for me in 2020 is Oakland’s Kona Club. This dive/tiki bar on Piedmont Avenue is known for their incredible interior by Bamboo Ben and also for having a dive bar sensibility when it comes to cocktails and liquor. They just reopened this weekend from 4-8 pm for takeout cocktails so I took a drive to check it out.
You don’t get to go inside, as Kona Club has cleverly converted their exterior window to a walk-up window for to-go orders. A small set of cocktails are available, long with some beer selections. The requisite food component is a slice of pizza and a small side salad to complete the “meal.” Nothing to write home about but it’s also only $2. The team is looking to update the food option as they go, so check their Instagram for updates. Cocktails are available as a single for $10 or a double for $20.
The Madadamia Nut Chi-Chi is blended fresh and survived the trip home in good shape. The Mai Tai is the same as what Kona Club normally serves, which is to say it’s an Island Style with light rum (they used Myers’s Light Jamaican rum last time I was there). On a hot Sunday afternoon it wasn’t the greatest Mai Tai I’ve ever had but it was plenty cool and definitely refreshing.
Especially if you’re a local, support the business and give Kona Club a try.
With Trad’r Sam open again in San Francisco, we traveled up to check out their offerings. I was assured they’d be open on Saturday between 2:00-3:00 but at 3:30 there was nobody there and no sign of activity. Mrs. Mai Tai was not happy. I get that this is a family-run business and that Saturday night is the priority, not Saturday afternoon. Well, tikiphiles, I tried.
So, we headed down the Peninsula to our favorite Mexican restaurant, La Fiesta in Mountain View. This place is a few blocks off downtown but is totally worth seeking out. They’ve converted half their parking lot into outdoor seating and the tables are spaced out really well. We love the Grandma’s Special sauce that is added to various menu items. It is unbelievably good.
For our Margaritas, Julie had the Margarita Rosalina (the Grandma in “Grandma’s Special”) with reposado tequila, cranberry juice, lime, triple sec, and sweet and sour. I had the Veracruz with silver tequila, blue curaçao, triple sec, lime, and sweet and sour. Both were excellent.
We we got home I made a couple more blue margaritas.
Ultimate Blue Margarita
¾ oz Lime Juice
¾ oz Blue Curacao
¼ oz Blood Orange Cordial
1½ oz el Jimador Blanco Tequila
Shake with ice and serve over cubed ice.
Picked up this vintage bottle at a local liquor store, to pair with the more recent Appleton 12 Rare Blend and Appleton 12 Rare Casks releases in my collection. This bottle has a Campari label so would have been from sometime after 2012.
I don’t believe in holding rum without trying it so I cracked it open. Tastes like Appleton 12, wouldn’t you believe it? My favorite rum. So easy to drink, without added sugar. And great in cocktails. Appleton 12 remains my recommended one-rum Mai Tai.
Gotta give kudos to Trader Vic’s for coming on with a very strong merchandise game this year. Mason jars are a thing now for to-go cocktails, or just because you like them. And so now Trader Vic’s has these new beauties with the TV logo.
You can order from the Trader Vic’s website and locals can get them to-go from Trader Vic’s Emeryville.
Happy Mai Tai Friday.
Another neighborhood delivery
This was the choice of the recipient, who definitely needs a stiff drink. I’m not a pumpkin spice hater.
Pumpkin Spice Mai Tai
1 oz Lime Juice
½ oz Orgeat
½ oz Orange Curacao
¼ oz Demerara Syrup
1 oz Captain Morgan Jack’o’Blast Pumpkin Spiced Rum
1 oz Aged Jamaican Rum