Post #498781 by Formikahini on Sun, Dec 13, 2009 12:04 AM

Capt'n Skully and I had the pleasure of hearing this fellow 2 Sundays ago; he played Quiet Village, and although he was too deaf to hear me, I contributed bird calls and monkey shrieks. The neighboring tables heard me, at least.

Does that count as performing at Donn's?

We loved almost everything about DTB-Kona. We had a WONderful [but no, not cheap] dinner there for our first night on the island, and it did not disappoint. Great service, and good enough cocktails at Happy Hour beforehand. The HH Mai Tai is $5.50 ($4.50?) and decent enough. We ended up eating several of our meals that week at the bar, as we stayed at the Royal Kona for the 1st 3 days of our trip and - well - had a hard time doing anything else but enjoying being in that beautiful hotel! That PRIMO ocean view at the bar and swimming pool was hard to beat.

Beachbum Berry had recommended the Pele Mai Tai which was great, but I wasn't smitten with the Garrett's Mai Tai. Garrett himself could not make it for us, as he was on a different island on his honeymoon, compliments of the hotel - for having won, with his drink, the Mai Tai contest sponsored by the hotel and judged by Beachbum Berry! Maybe its not having been made for us by its creator was the problem? I don't know. Its twist was that it was more a martini: shaken, strained, and served in a martini glass. Perhaps it's that for me, the crushed ice is an integral part of the Mai Tai's texture and even flavor. Certainly of the temperature; my Garrett's warmed too quickly for my taste.

Did I complain? I WAS IN FREAKIN' HAWAII HAVING DRINKS AT DON THE BEACHCOMBER, FER CRYIN' OUT LOUD!
No. Everything was perfect!

Except one thing.

They did not sell DTB barrel mugs!!
There were 2 taunting us at the bar the whole time, but when we tried to buy some, we were told there were none - that the minimum order for them is 1000 (or was it 500?), and they didn't want to have to store all the to-be-sold ones.
WTF?
Orders can't be smaller??
We were bitterly disappointed.

Not that it curbed our spending in ANY way that week...
HOO-boy......