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Instagram Top Nine for 2024

I do still continue to love Instagram, where even the ads help me with my holiday shopping. Plus all the connecting and commenting on the things we love to share. Check out the fun at @UltimateMaiTai on Instagram.

So, here are the Top Nine Posts for 2024.

Kamala Mai Tai (476)
History of the Mai Tai (417)
Trader Vic’s Black Tai Event (345)
Trader Vic’s San Jose Airport Expanded Seating (295)
Congrats Smuggler’s Cove on 15 Years (294)
Farewell Kon-Tiki Oakland (292)
Mai Tai Named Official Cocktail of Oakland (277)
Best Mai Tai in New Orleans (267)
Ultimate Mai Tai Rum Blend Meme (259)

Top Nine says I had 35,200 likes on 253 posts, an average of 139 per post, and that I’m in the “top 1% of accounts with up to 10,000 followers” with 7% more likes per post than average. Thank you for the likes!

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The Reef Palm Springs Remains Relaxing

Mrs. Mai Tai and I spent the morning doing antique shopping and decided to visit The Reef nearby for lunch. We were pleased to see that the place fairly busy with groups and couples, all enjoying the tropical ambiance either indoors or for others out on the patio. The music was set to Jimmy Buffett Radio, which stuck me as just fine for daylight hours near the Caliente Tropics pool.

Our server Alex was prompt and friendly, and we enjoyed our lunch including a gigantic Caliente Burger for me. Mrs. Mai Tai’s tasty Singapore Sling was very well prepared and balanced, though my Mai Tai unfortunately was too limey and didn’t have particularly bold rums. This is in line with previous visits where cocktails can be hit or miss.

The lack of pretension is a plus for The Reef and we saw several hotel guests roll in and our for drinks to bring out to the pool, so this remains a great daytime option for those staying at the resort or even day guests. It is just a lot of fun being here and looking at all the decor elements and even the retro video montage on the TV by the bar. We also peeked into the bar at the adjoining Sancho’s restaurant and saw several folks doing some drinking in the cantina which has its own retro charm.

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Tonga Hut Palm Springs for the Holidays

We had a nice visit to Tonga Hut in downtown Palm Springs, decorated nicely for the holidays including some festive music and holiday cocktail list. We were able to get a table in the lounge portion of the venue and were able to admire activity within the space that continues to be a great option for tiki veterans and newbies alike.

The cocktail menu has something for everyone and our cocktails were pretty good. I went with the Mojave Punch, which remains one of my favorites from their original cocktail list and features hibiscus syrup. Mrs Mai Tai ordered the Chai Tai which has a delightful Chai syrup and is very well-balanced with a great color as part of the presentation. I also ordered some chicken skewers that were well prepared and were served with a tangy glaze sauce.

Our service was super prompt and friendly, including a great job dealing with a mixup on my order (mutual issue with me and the server). We also spotted the replica Tiki Bob mugs for sale and found that they had a few of these left, so I took one of them home.

Chai Tai
Mojave Punch
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BAH RUMBUG!!

Another banger from San Francisco mixologist Nathan Robinson, this is sort of a “Planters Grog” riff that includes some bold flavors and a little maple syrup to keep things warm and seasonal.

This is quite good, if you have the Liquid Alchemist Falernum like I do. If you don’t have Liquid Alchemist I’d suggest using your own Falernum at half an ounce in combination with a quarter ounce of Allspice Dram as this will more closely approximate the flavor. And if you use a little extra Maple Syrup I wouldn’t discourage you from doing so.

Bah Rumbug by Nathan Robinson
1 oz Lime Juice
1 oz Red Grapefruit Juice
¾ oz Bold Falernum (pref. Liquid Alchemist)
½ oz Maple Syrup
1½ oz Demerara Rum (pref. Hamilton 86)
1 oz Black Blended Jamaica Rum (pref. Coruba)
Shake with crushed ice and pour into tall Zombie or Pilsner glass. Garnish with mint, if you have it.

Mele Kalikimaka and Merry Christmas

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The Last Mai Tai: Kon-Tiki’s Mai Tai was Unbeaten

Twenty six hundred and one days ago a man walked into a bar in Oakland and ordered an off menu Mai Tai at a tiki bar during their soft open.

the first Mai Tai

Since then I’ve had probably hundreds of Mai Tai there. Thanks to a stellar rum collection, high quality ingredients, and a professional crew they’ve nearly aways very good, sometimes stellar or mind-blowing. It was the first bar to serve the Ultimate Mai Tai and it is the venue where I’ve had the best Mai Tai of my life.

It was the Kon-Tiki Oakland.

The Kon-Tiki closed last night but I had to have one final Mai Tai. The circumstances were terrible but the Mai Tai was nearly perfect, a rum forward concoction with sweet and savory notes.

Despite being a supposedly simple drink to make, there are plenty of bars (even good bars) that can’t make a Mai Tai that’s balanced or tasty or without weird flavors. But the Kon-Tiki never let me down and the Mai Tai was unbeaten.

Thank you to every bartender who’s ever shaken one up. Thank you to the Kon-Tiki for ever existing.

The Kon-Tiki Oakland
First Mai Tai: Nov. 8, 2017
Last Mai Tai: Dec. 21, 2024

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Last Visit to Kon-Tiki

I got word that yesterday was going to be the last night for the Kon-Tiki and made it up to Oakland to snag a table with the family at opening.

Kon-Tiki Closing Night Checklist

_ Complete the DIY cocktail checklist by having the Pantera Rosa (lovely fruity tequila cocktail) and the Ma Kua for two (a bold sharable drink)
_ Order a last Uma Uma for Mrs. Mai Tai, her favorite
_ Eat the legendary Kon-Tiki Burger for the last time, the best thing in the building that has 200 rums
_ Order a Mai Tai
_ One last toast with Christ
_ Order Kon-Tiki merch (a t-shirt)
_ Say thank you to the crew
_ Leave an extra generous tip
_ Enjoy Yacht Rock in a tiki bar
_ Say aloha to the Oakhana
_ Enjoy eclectic tunes from the DJ
_ Leave with my Expedition plaque
_ Take group photo with the family
_ One last photo of the neon sign
_ Fail at trying not to cry
_ Regret not visiting more often