Mai Tai media week continues with another new video to watch this weekend.
Those looking for a deeper dive into the Mai Tai will likely enjoy the new episode of Tiki with Ray’s “My Favorite Mai Tai” video series. We sat down with Ray and Pete from Bamboo & Bitters to discuss the Mai Tai’s ingredients, lore, and personal preferences.
The Mai Tai is very special to many people, including myself of course. But those who are paying close attention should note in this video how many times I chose not to gatekeep the drink or specific ingredients. I know what I like in a Mai Tai, and I’ll talk about things you should be thinking about when making one at home or ordering one at a bar. But I pass no judgement if you prefer it this way or that way. It’s your Tai, not my Tai.
Thanks to Ray for driving a great discussion into this cocktail and to Pete for having us over at his amazing basement bar, The Fo’c’sle.
After experiencing a blackout during our visit last year, Ray and I tempted fate by returning the McMenamins Anderson School / North Short Lagoon complex in Bothell and having dinner and drinks upstairs in Nui Nui. The restaurant sits above the indoor swimming pool and there are Polynesian touches throughout the grounds. The plethora of Polynesian artwork here is staggering, there’s so much to look at.
Seating was basically open and we were treated to some friendly waitress sass from Natasha who remembered Ray from a visit years ago. Ray went with the “kiddie colada” sans booze, but I went in a different direction with the rum-forward Fashionably Tiki that’s a really nice Rum Old Fashioned style cocktail. Our meal with the Loco Moco and the Mai Thai Steak Salad featured large portions and was well-prepared.
I haven’t loved the Mai Tai at the McMenamins tiki bars, and haven’t really explored the cocktail menu in a lot of depth, so this is my caveat for people who prioritize cocktails with their decisions about whether or not to visit a tiki bar – the drinks may not be 1000% amazing. But given the unique qualities of the placemaking, decor, food, and service, I’d encourage tiki tourists to head north of Seattle to check out Nui Nui on their next trip to the area.
New Luck Toy is a 21+ Chinese restaurant and bar in West Seattle that isn’t really tiki aside from a couple stools, but does provide excellent cocktails and an immersive space that will appeal to fans of the genre. There’s a main dining room, a back room with the bar, plus a small karaoke lounge / waiting room near the main entrance. There’s also a really nice dragon mural on the back side of the building, too.
Tiki with Ray recommended this venue and once again he chose wisely as the place was busy on a Friday but we were able to find seats at the bar without difficulty. The configuration of seating is chairs on a raised platform, so you sit normally rather than the typical raised barstool arrangement. Our bartender was helpful at walking us through some of the menu items, and made a custom non-alcoholic drink for Ray, with the Chinese menu arrangement showing which ones are frozen and on tap. Several cocktails are served in tiki mugs and prices are very reasonable, around $13 or $14, and there are some beer and wine options including four beers on tap.
I was interested in both the Mai Tai and the frozen Singapore Sling and broke the tie by getting both. The Singapore Sling comes in a fish mug that is nice on the eyes and in the hand, with a very good cherry flavor that I found balanced and tasty. The Mai Tai is on tap and I had low expectations, expecting pineapple juice, but found this be a really good 1944 style Mai Tai. Though served in a large glass, the Mai Tai didn’t taste watered down at all, and there’s plenty of booze in there too.
Hanging out with Tiki with Ray
The vibe inside New Luck Toy was a delight with hanging lanterns and a shelf of tiki style mugs backing the bar. I heard good things about the Chinese-American food and definitely would consider returning in the future.
I’d been to Seattle many times but for various reasons never visited longtime tiki bar Hula Hula, in part due to its karaoke focus and rep for divey cocktails. But this trip I made a point to finally visit, walking up from my hotel to check it out at opening on a Friday.
The exterior of Hula Hula is a technicolor wonder, with nods to Hawai’i and tiki generally, a theme which continues inside. This isn’t a cohesive space designed by a master craftsman, but instead it’s hangout bar with lots of legit tikis and eye candy, some booths, and a couple rooms to relax in. I sat near the bar, overlooking the karaoke stage that gets going later in the evening, and I really enjoyed the vibe inside that include a ton of retro rock that included the B-52s and The Runaways. The restroom had a completely different exotica soundtrack and was so impressive I didn’t dare leave a stick on the wall.
Happy Hour is big here, which is why the bartender made sure I was aware the classic Mai Tai I ordered wasn’t included. I appreciated the effort and this was a pretty decent version of the drink – not a standout but definitely drinkable. During my hour visit the crowd grew and by the time I left it was fairly active inside as well as on the patio outside given that it was a nice warm afternoon.
Classic Mai Tai
Hula Hula is akin to the Alibi in Portland, since both have a dive bar feel inside and a focus on karaoke in the evenings. So, if you’re a tiki bar snob then this isn’t the place to check out in the area, but if you’re looking for a fun place to bar hop on Capitol Hill then Hula Hula is definitely worth checking out.
Does the world need another book of tiki recipes? When they’re all killer recipes, yes, yes we absolutely do.
Coconuts & Carnage is a new Wonk Press paperback with recipes and commentary by Seattle’s Justin Wojslaw, formerly of The Diller Room and currently based at Rocco’s in Belltown. We sampled a variety of Justin’s cocktails a couple years ago and I made it a priority to check in for one of Justin’s bartending shifts during my trip last week.
The book contains 50 recipes and there aren’t too many exotic ingredients that’ll throw off the amateur bartender. Instead, the recipes rely on a set of common ingredient but put together in interesting ways with specific called spirits and liqueurs. The single non-alcoholic recipe features Pathfinder “amaro” in the Ray’s Escape, developed for Seattle’s tiki ambassador “Tiki with Ray” Wyland who’s been sober for the last couple years. This NA cocktail tastes delicious, as does an NA version of the El Siniestro that’s also in the book.
Black Orchid
There are a few “tribute” recipes including a Pearl Diver that uses Coco Lopez as the base for Gardenia Mix, but the vast majority of the drinks are Justin’s original creations that are truly outstanding. During my two visits to Rocco’s I sampled the Port Royal Punch, the creamy blue Cherry Blossom, and the Black Orchid which I consider to be Justin’s masterpiece. Each one of these was really great, and Justin’s skills as a bartender also came into play with a delicious custom Mai Tai made with Jamaican and Demerara rums, my favorites.
Each recipe includes a full page photo of the cocktail, along with some preparation details and some short backstory about the creation of the cocktail. This isn’t really a book you “read” but one which you review for inspiration or to try a cocktail with a specific ingredient. The book is moderately priced at $25, so fans of the cocktail genre or bartenders who are looking for a leg up for their next tiki bar party would be well-served to pick up this amazing collection of recipes.
After dinner at Rumba, we were seated in Inside Passagenext door. We chose the bar since I hadn’t been seated there before, though at opening on Friday they were only moderately busy. Ray chose the excellent NA version of the Panorama Punch, served in a Seattle World’s Fair glass with replica disc and topped with sorbet. I earned some ire from the bartender for grabbing a straw to sample Ray’s drink.
Entering Inside Passage with Tiki with Ray
Last year I was so impressed by the Kiki’s Premier Mai Tai I swapped Rumba to Inside Passage on our Best Mai Tais in the World list. Prices at Inside Passage have crept past $20 for their signature cocktails, though the Premier Mai Tai’s ingredient list certainly justifies the $26 price: House barrel-aged Rivers Royale, Appleton Estate 15, Chairman’s Reserve 1931, Rhum JM Terroir Volcanique, Saint James 110, curaçao, creole shrubb, orgeat, and lime. Those are all elevated rums, and you’ll taste it in the still-excellent Mai Tai. The blend of sugar cane and molasses based rums means there’s a lot of rich flavor in the cocktail and it’s one you’ll want to sip and savor.
Kiki’s Premier Mai Tai
The music at Inside Passage was retro mood music, though neither of us thought the inclusion of the Beatles’ “Octopus’s Garden” was inappropriate given the presence of sea creature Kiki, the venue’s spotlight focal point and visual mascot.
Nothing really new to report, Mai Tai fans. We went to Rumba for dinner and to wait until Inside Passage opened, and so I had to check and see if the Mai Tai is still world-class. I’m pleased to report that the Mai Tai is still one of the best you can get on planet Earth.
Rumba’s Mai Tai rum blend features house barrel-aged Wray & Nephew Overproof from Jamaica and Rhum JM Gold agricole from Martinique, so this features some savory and funky notes to pair well with the sweet orgeat. For those concerned with the Rhum Agricole component it’s a very approachable Mai Tai with just a hint of grassiness.
For my meal I had a fantastic Poke Bowl that included mango, pickled onion, jicama, and Basmati rice. Ray’s Cuban Sandwich also continues to be well prepared, and our service during the visit was great.
We didn’t partake in any rums, but if you’re in town looking for the largest selection of rums then this is the place.
