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Orinda’s Boo Loo Lounge Keeps it Going

We had a very nice visit to Boo Loo Lounge, a small tiki bar located in the sleepy bedroom community of Orinda. Visiting on Friday evening was no problem since the BART station is a four minute walk away and we avoided rush hour traffic.

There have been some management changes at Boo Loo, but I’m pleased to report that the team remains committed to high quality cocktails and great hospitality. The venue’s small size next to the Orinda Theater means that there are ebbs and flows as guests come and go, but the team worked well to take drink orders and deliver them to the tables. We were treated to a great music mix from DJ Shy Hulud  that was a blend of exotic, psychedelic, and Latin tunes.

The cocktail menu at Boo Loo hasn’t changed, which means that their Saturn, Ruby Daiquiri, and Lady of Singapore are still great. Bartender Kriss knew me from The Kon-Tiki and suggested a Mai Tai made with a rare Nha Terra Grog rum from Portugal, and this had a really interesting flavor with white wine flavor notes.

Even better was Boo Loo’s standard Mai Tai that’s made with a blend of rums and just a bit of a grassy lean from the Rhum Agricole. It’s a really good Mai Tai, highly recommended, and Boo Loo continues to have a very nice rum selection if you’re looking for something new to try.

Mai Tai
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Classic Cocktail: Tequila Sunrise at The Trident

Mrs. Mai Tai and friends went to a Taylor Swift tribute show, which left the husbands with some free time and Sam suggested having lunch at The Trident in Sausalito. The venue was founded by the Kington Trio in 1966 and there are still many groovy elements inside, it really is a time capsule with the curved lines, vast wood features, and murals on the wall and the ceiling.

For cocktail fans The Trident is notable as the birthplace of the modern Tequila Sunrise cocktail, developed in 1972 by bartender Robert “Bobby” Lozoff and served to the Rolling Stones. The band was so enamored by the cocktail that they brought it with them on the road, eventually naming it the Cocaine and Tequila Sunrise Tour. Lozoff died last week, making our visit all the more poignant.

The Trident’s Tequila Sunrise features Herradura Silver Tequila, Orange Juice, Grenadine, and Creme de Cassis. It is about as easy to drink as it looks, but it worked great for us just after noon on a Sunday. I do have to say it was not bad at all, even if you have to bring your own bump if you want an authentic version.

After a short wait in the bar we were seated outside for a beautiful almost windless day on the bay, enjoying lunch with friends that included a couple hungry seagulls. The Trident lived up to the hype, and is totally worth checking out.

Paper Airplane
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Cinco de Revenge of the Fifth

Killed two birds by making a Tequila-based Mai Tai that Trader Vic named the Pinky Gonzales and serving it in a Death Star mug.

Pinky Gonzales
1 oz Lime Juice
½ oz Cointreau
⅔ oz oz Orgeat
2 oz Tequila
Shake with crushed ice. No prison labor was involved.

This turned out quite light, thanks to Jimador tequila and the Cointreau that is lighter in body than Grand Marnier or Orange Curacao. Quite delicious and very, very close to a Margarita.

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Classic Cocktail: Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista Cafe

We did a family trip to San Francisco and decided to check out the Buena Vista Cafe for Irish Coffee and a snack. The location opened over 100 years ago but is most famous for being the location where Irish Coffee was introduced to America in 1952. Popular syndicated writer Stan Delaplane had one at the airport in Shannon Ireland and upon his return worked with replicate it with Buena Vista owner Jack Koeppler. Delaplane’s column became a key channel for making the drink a viral hit. Delaplane would later publish a Mai Tai recipe sans pineapple juice in 1961.

The cafe was so busy they sat the four of us at a large table with another couple and one single, with everyone eager to try the drink for themselves and some also ordering breakfast and brunch specialties. A short distance away a bartender was making a dozen Irish Coffees in assembly line style, not unlike how they make Mai Tais at Trader Vic’s. The bartender is skilled and can whip out a batch in no time.

The Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista is made by pouring hot water into the glass to prepare it. Then the water is dumped and hot coffee is poured in. Then two sugar cubes are dropped in and quickly stirred, resulting in some coffee spilling out. Next, a jigger of Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey is added, then topped with lightly whipped cream. I’d had a few Irish Coffees before but they pale to the Buena Vista’s, it was just that good. I really enjoyed the hot beverage and it had just the right balance of sweetness and enough whiskey to taste.

There are historical nods throughout the venue, including a plaque outside the building, so take the time to look around if you visit. There’s a gift shop next door and we enjoyed talking with the staff and seeing them work so efficiently.

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Disneyland Trivia and Doc Parks at Dr. Funk

Two visits this week to San Jose’s leading tiki bar, first for trivia night on Monday and then on Traditional Tiki Tuesday for a guest DJ set at Dr. Funk.

Risky Quizness brought their trivia set up on Monday once again, coinciding nicely with Mai Tai Monday where Dr. Funk’s excellent Mai Tai is only $8. The theme this time was Disneyland, a topic close to our hearts. We’d done pretty terribly at Office and Friends trivia, but this time with our sons in tow we did a team up effort and “The Rebel Spies” came in 4th place overall, not too shabby.

Traditional Tiki Tuesday features a rotating set of DJs who play records from 7-11 pm, plus all day Happy Hour which means that the Mai Tai is only $12 (plus, you know, some other cocktails). The “5th Tuesday” DJ this year is Doc Parks, yes the Doc Parks of bartending and tiki bar fame – who used to be a professional DJ before he moved in the hospitality industry. We dug Parks’ set, including a couple songs from Las Vegas surf band The New Waves.

DJ Doc Parks

Our food and drinks this week were pretty much perfect, and Mrs. Mai Tai is now just one rum from finishing Level 1 of the Rum Asylum rum list.

$8 Mai Tai Monday
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The Tiki Talk Show

I was pleased to be a guest on the latest episode of The Tiki Talk Show, available on YouTube and on podcast platforms. We had a great discussion with Ellie and Ryley who have recently launched their podcast with a focus on newer tiki bars and what’s happening now rather than a focus on the past.

I think this is a great angle and with their discussions with bar owners such as Jason Alexander from Devil’s Reef this should turn out to be an interesting series and to document what’s happening in the industry. There is also a focus on an artist each episode as well, so I’m looking forward to seeing who will pop up on future shows.

In our session we talked about Mai Tai stuff and my own journey, but also industry trends of within the tiki bar genre. We also discussed rating criteria, cocktail ingredients and ratios, and a comparison of historical tiki bars with modern ones. Check it out on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.

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Is Zombie Village Making a Comeback?

After a round of cocktails at Smuggler’s Cove we Lyfted over to Zombie Village for more cocktails and to soak in the atmosphere Saturday night. In some past visits over the last couple years the venue hasn’t been that busy even on Saturdays, but we were pleasantly surprised to see that the space was very well attended this week including a large group that seemed to be holding some sort of convention over in the ice cave area. This was Maggie’s first visit and the huge tikis and special effects do continue to amaze guests.

The cocktail menu continues to have a nice selection of cocktails, almost all of which are from the venue’s launch in 2018 (thank you Doc Parks and crew!). We started with our two favorites: a Disco Banana for me and a Coco Pandan for Mrs. Mai Tai. Both were well-prepared, especially the Disco Banana that was frozen and had a great texture. I followed that up with a delicious and fassionola-forward Village Punch that still uses a fragrant gardenia as a garnish.

There were still a few of the amazing Woody Miller mugs for sale, one of which Joe snapped up to take home. There was a great energy and cool music at Zombie Village during our visit, and it was also so nice to see Carlos Jimenez (ex-Kon-Tiki) behind the bar as a new Villager. Things are looking up for this wonderful tropical oasis in San Francisco.