Post #256813 by Sabina on Mon, Sep 25, 2006 6:16 PM

Drinks-

It all depends on the pacing of your evening, but if you're there for the first show and are going to be there for the 'happy hour' in bar, drinks are (or least have been!) 2 drink is on the house- order one and get a second one of the same a bit later.

So I usually start out with something relatively light to begin with- a derby daiquiri or a Mai Kai Special.

But this can also depend upon whether or not you're having appetizers in the bar, you might want something a bit stronger if you're going to nibble along with.

Then as we are seated and settle into whichever dinning room you'll be seated in for the evening, (perhaps appetizers now?) move on to a 'medium tropical drink', pay a little extra on a Mara-Amu (when the west winds blow) and you'll have a mug to take home as a remembrance of the evening. Other 'medium' drinks I, or friends have tried include the hidden pearl, the deep sea diver, or Cobra Kiss.

With dinner, get serious, share a huge black magic with a special friend, or perhaps a barrel o' rum, a zombie, a jet pilot, or a yeoman's grog (when I asked if they did a 'navy grog' I was asked if I was from the west coast, apparently at the Mai Kai, Yeomans' the way to go.)

Worthy of special mention is the 151 swizzle, at some point in the evening, later rather than earlier, I HIGHLY recommend it. (Then again, it's probably not to EVERYONE's taste, but damn, it sure is to mine!), Outstanding!

As dinner draws to a close, over desert, drinks seem to go one of two directions, light and cool, like the Gardenia Lei, or Mai Kai Blizzard, or turn towards warm and rounding out a fine meal, try a shrunken skull, hot butted rum, tahitian coffee, but most of all, I recommend after dinner fire rituals, such as the Kona Coffee Grog, (this is also the point when you can go all out and order the bananas (flambeed of course!), too!

I captured some of the AMAZING fire rituals back at Hukilau 2004 have a look in this album- http://www.sevenpleasures.org/gallery/Mai-Kai-2004-Hukilau

Or just enjoy these-

Kona Coffee Grog-

Bananas Bengali (Flambe)-

After the evening performance (the Islander Review!) has ended and you've moved on to take the night air and enjoy the Tikis in the the gardens, and spent WAY too much in the Mai Kai gift shop, wander back to the Molokai bar and have whichever one drink caught your attention on the menu, that you wish you had tried, but hadn't gotten to. Then another, and be sure to try their take on the mai-tai, then have friends ensure you make it back to the hotels ok, 'cause you're going to need some serious help.

Or just take a week in Ft. Lauderdale, going to the Mai Kai each night and barely making a dent in their drink menu, return and repeat!

Food to sustain you as you go about your journey through the libations menu? Try this dream FEAST-

Sashimi, egg rolls (cut into bite sized tidbits for sharing!), RIBS!, nams, or just give in and try the Mai Kai puupuu platter for many different nibbles! (My one regret- stone crab season starts AFTER Hukilau.) Meet new friends in the Molokai Bar and share a table for dinner. Try lots of different goodies and pass 'em around!

Before dinner, try the Lobster Bisque, yum!

Then you've hit the impossible choice, entrees. (Remember, we're dream feasting here, so budget wise, sky's the limit!)

You almost have to try something from the incredible ovens (and go over and peek at them!) Try the Indonesian Spiced Rack of Lamb, or the Asian BBQ Baby Back Ribs! Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!

A few classics that are some of my personal favourites? The Fresh Florida Grouper encrusted in Macadamia nuts, with Grand Marnier sauce. The Yellowfin Tuna, barely seared (VERY pink inside!) either Thai style with peanut sauce or with Seasame Seeds. The Bird's Nest Shrimp- served up in the deep fried crispy noodle nest- exactly the way it's supposed to be. (But then I'm a seafood goddess, and FL's got plenty of yummy!)

Go for the Roast Duck Mai-Kai, or the Peking Duck. Or the Lemongrass Pork Tenderloin- mmmmmmmm! (All this is reminding me, that I've barely scratched the entree menu, too!)

And again, after dinner, go traditional, the Bananas Bengali being flambeed tableside.

Basically, I've never had anything other than a fantastic dinning experience at the Mai Kai- and the food is only the beginning of what you're in for.

Those of you who have never been, your mouths should pretty much be watering by now. Those of us who KNOW- we're trying to figure out how to teleport and make time go faster so we can BE THERE ALREADY!!!

[ Edited by: Sabina 2006-09-25 18:18 ]

[ Edited by: Sabina 2006-09-25 18:21 ]