It’s always a pleasure talk with Tiki with Ray off or on camera. This conversation was on camera for Ray’s YouTube show, and he asked me the provocative question – can the Mai Tai evolve again?
The Mai Tai evolved around a decade after it arrived in Hawai’i, so it seems like a possibility that it could evolve again? Ray put out some theories and I reacted with some opinions. Be sure to check out the video on YouTube.
Not entirely a coincidence that we chose this restaurant on the waterfront of Sparks Marina Park Lake, since this was located very close to our hotel. But I was all too happy to take Mrs. Mai Tais suggestion for Sparks Water Bar for dinner on Saturday.
The lake is obviously man-made, and there are some nice beach styled houses near the marina, including some with some impressive backyard tikis. The two-story restaurant was busy on Saturday, so it seems like the place to be. Food is a mix of this and that American fare, along with the extensive Gar Woods cocktail menu.
1944 Old Way Mai Tai
So, a “Trader Vic’s Mai Tai” (the one made with Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate) and a “1944 Old Way Mai Tai” were there for a little comparison testing. Unlike our visit to sister property America’s Bar in Truckee, the mint was in great shape for the garnish. The 1944 comes with the Menehune spear, and did taste a bit better – just a little more rich. Both were well-done and authentic.
Mrs. Mai Tai tried one of Gar Woods’ “Woody” cocktails, a blended Daiquiri style drink which she plussed with some Prickly Pear puree and a float of Myers’s and Captain Morgan rums. I thought it was pretty good for this style of drink and certainly the pear flavor did come through. She didn’t love the Pomegranate Martini though, but I thought it was a pretty good Cosmo riff.
Can’t say enough good things about the food here. My Teriyaki Salmon Salad was delightful, with the teriyaki glaze perfectly grilled to a crisp. There were lots of things in the salad besides lettuce, and I really enjoyed this. The Scallops that Mrs. Mai Tai had were pricey but she said were excellent.
Local TikisTrader Vic’s Mai TaiTeriyaki Salmon Salad
To celebrate, I took a run at doing a Pumpkin Spice Mai Tai. In the past I’ve used the Captain Morgan Jack-O-Blast Rum as an accent rum in a standard 1944 Mai Tai. That rum isn’t being produced anymore, so I decided to try this a different way by making a pumpkin spice simple syrup.
Pumpkin Spice Mai Tai 1 oz Lime Juice ½ oz Orgeat ½ oz Pumpkin Spice Syrup ½ oz Orange Curacao 2 oz Aged/Gold Rum Shake with ice and garnish with a burnt cinnamon stick and a couple cherries.
The rum here should be flavorful but not overpowering. I used Appleton Reserve 8 but your favorite moderately aged or “gold” rum will do fine.
Pumpkin Spice Simple Syrup ¾ cup Sugar ¾ cup Water ⅓ cup Canned Pumpkin Puree 1 tsp Pumpkin Spice
Heat water until just before boiling, take off heat and stir in the sugar. Once dissolved, add the pumpkin puree and spice, stirring for several minutes until the liquid has a consistent orange color. Add a little light rum and then bottle and refrigerate.
With this recipe the syrup does not hit you over the head with the pumpkin spice flavor, so you can add more spice if it suits you. I think it’s better when you just get a hint of the pumpkin flavor in the cocktail.
This original cocktail was developed by Tonga Tim Harnett of Tiki Underground bar in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. It was featured last week on Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour on YouTube, named in honor of Spike’s girlfriend Larissa – otherwise known as the Murderqueen. Check out the video on YouTube, and then check out the amazing surf/horror single “Theme from The Murderqueen” that Spike put out a couple years ago on Hi-Tide Recordings.
The Murderqueen Cocktail by Tim Harnett 1½ oz Pink Grapefruit Juice ½ oz Solerno Blood Orange Cordial ¼ oz Orgeat ¼ oz Passion Fruit syrup ½ oz Raspberry syrup 1 oz Plantation OFTD Overproof Rum 1 oz Rum Bar Overproof Rum 4 heavy dashes Peychauds Bitters Shake with ice and garnish with three dark cherries
I subbed Liber for the Blood Orange Cordial, and Chambord liqueur for the raspberry syrup. I used Latitude 29 Orgeat and Small Hand Foods Passion Fruit Syrup.
Despite the grapefruit juice and heavy rums, this cocktail is actually pretty easy to drink. It has a real nice set of flavors and seems timely for Halloween season.
Look at this amazing cocktail that won the cocktail competition at Mai Tai Day and is now on the menu at Trader Vic’s Emeryville for the month of September. Created by Marisa Miller, the cocktail is a blend of flavors including orange and coconut and features Kō Hana Rum. Garnished with toasted coconut and a sliced passionfruit, so cool and tasty. Mrs. Mai Tai had the Vic and Dotty. She’s a sucker for cherries.
Lunch was great on Sunday and Mrs Mai Tai has been getting me into the Cheese Bings: “Nutmeg seasoned béchamel with Gruyére cheese & smoked ham, rolled in a crepe. Finished in a crispy panko crust.” So good. I enjoyed the salmon sliders as well. Mrs. Mai Tai’s Kapiki Pepe salad was quite picturesque and tasty.
Cheese Bings
Very relaxed at Trader Vic’s on a Sunday at opening, though the dining room was pretty full by the time we left.
This was dinner that Mrs Mai Tai made the other night, which I ate while isolating in my office since the weekend with COVID again. Only a mild case, thankfully.
So, having the option for a Trader Vic’s canned Mai Tai was pretty nice. Add this to the reasons to get these and gave them on hand at home. Plus a reminder that among the canned Mai Tais in this price tier, the Trader Vic’s is the best we’ve tried so far. Available at BevMo and online.
Recorded July 1, 2022 at Tiki Kon, we’ve combined the professionally recorded audio with the slides so that you can experience it at home. There are a couple bonus slides during the Q&A.
Everyone is familiar with the iconic Hawaiian Mai Tai that features pineapple juice and a dark rum float. This version of the Mai Tai is quite different from the original 1944 Mai Tai created at Trader Vic’s. When did the Mai Tai in Hawaii become the “Hawaiian Mai Tai?” It wasn’t in 1953 when Trader Vic brought the Mai Tai to Hawaii and is later than you might think. Learn more about this iconic cocktail and how it evolved over the years based on contemporaneous reports and published recipes.
