A Disappointing Visit to Mai-Kai - Tiki Drinks and Food

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Thu, Mar 11, 2010 12:51 AM I have noticed also that, as expert mixology, and especially complex rum cocktails, are being re-created by a new generation of young bartenders at hip metropolitan venues (thanks to the groundbreaking work of Beachbum Berry), and the press is giving this phenomenon ample attention (as I pointed out before, mixology has become THE current ambassador of Tiki culture), unfortunately several classic Tiki venues have difficulties stepping up to the plate -to whatever degree. I would have never expected that the kind of gourmet cocktail consciousness that was awakened by the likes of the bum and Ted Haigh would go beyond our well established personal home bar and internet forum specialists interest. I always assumed that this time consuming, exotic ingredient requiring craftsmanship would just be too impractical out in the real bar and restaurant world. But luckily I have been proven wrong. Within a few years, exotic cocktail ingredients that were hard to come by or extinct have been recreated and made available, and new cocktailians like Martin Cate and Marcus Tello are leading a new generation of mixologists (please note: another term that had gone extinct before published in the Book of Tiki :) ) to a shining new future. (There's even already a backlash for that term: When asking Rivera's bar wizard Julian Cox "Do you consider yourself a bartender or a mixologist? " his reply was "I consider myself a bartender first and foremost. I love the art mixology but I think at times the term mixologist can be a bit pretentious." :D ) Not long ago I witnessed New York mixologist Brian Miller guest-bartending at the Edison to a packed bar, and while very hard at work, he nevertheless took the time to list all the ingredients of the concoction to the eagerly listening bar groupies. General public gourmet cocktail awareness will most likely be a fad that fades eventually, but while it lasts, existing Tiki Bars have to recognize it as an opportunity to drum up new business, and not only rely on the fact (understandably so) that they have been doing a certain amount of this all along.

I have noticed also that, as expert mixology, and especially complex rum cocktails, are being re-created by a new generation of young bartenders at hip metropolitan venues (thanks to the groundbreaking work of Beachbum Berry), and the press is giving this phenomenon ample attention (as I pointed out before, mixology has become THE current ambassador of Tiki culture), unfortunately several classic Tiki venues have difficulties stepping up to the plate -to whatever degree.

I would have never expected that the kind of gourmet cocktail consciousness that was awakened by the likes of the bum and Ted Haigh would go beyond our well established personal home bar and internet forum specialists interest. I always assumed that this time consuming, exotic ingredient requiring craftsmanship would just be too impractical out in the real bar and restaurant world. But luckily I have been proven wrong. Within a few years, exotic cocktail ingredients that were hard to come by or extinct have been recreated and made available, and new cocktailians like Martin Cate and Marcus Tello are leading a new generation of mixologists (please note: another term that had gone extinct before published in the Book of Tiki :) ) to a shining new future. (There's even already a backlash for that term: When asking Rivera's bar wizard Julian Cox "Do you consider yourself a bartender or a mixologist? " his reply was "I consider myself a bartender first and foremost. I love the art mixology but I think at times the term mixologist can be a bit pretentious." :D )

Not long ago I witnessed New York mixologist Brian Miller guest-bartending at the Edison to a packed bar, and while very hard at work, he nevertheless took the time to list all the ingredients of the concoction to the eagerly listening bar groupies.
General public gourmet cocktail awareness will most likely be a fad that fades eventually, but while it lasts, existing Tiki Bars have to recognize it as an opportunity to drum up new business, and not only rely on the fact (understandably so) that they have been doing a certain amount of this all along.

Post #516464 by bigbrotiki on Thu, Mar 11, 2010 12:51 AM