Post #546466 by MamboRama on Wed, Aug 4, 2010 11:23 AM

Visited Oxford this past weekend and hit Kukui - one seriously beautiful environment and congrats to all involved, absolutely top notch work. Praise stops there though as the drinks were awful. Yes, the plastic glass (is that even a phrase?) is well and truly in place, each filled with a variety of fruit juces poured straight from the carton, mmmmmmmm... I might do that at home sometimes but I don't charge £7 a pop.

My wife ordered a Mai Tai, as I guess many on here do to test the waters, seems that Kukui belive this should now be made without Orgeat, as their 'updated' (read 'cheaper to produce') menu confirmed. Wasn't actually a terrible drink, but certainly no Mai Tai. I'll refrain from commenting on the Voodoo Rum Punch, other than to say that I passionately believe that rum should feature as a primary ingredient/taste. Would only recommend for a look at the stunning interior.

We fared much better at Raoul's, noted as one of the UKs top cocktail bars - and on this experience certainly couldn't argue with that. Not a tiki bar but they serve a decent Mai Tai (with Orgeat!), a good Donn Beach Zombie (not the version I make at home but it contained plenty of rum, which you could actually taste) as well as a number of other rum/tiki friendly concoctions. Well worth a visit to this place, friendly and knowedgeable bar staff, happy to talk about what they are putting into your drink, for example I got a taste of the Angostura 5yo rum after enquiring casually (cough) as to what it was like. Great service, great drinks.

As on the Oxford trail here it is worth mentioning that I went to the Pitt-Rivers Museum and could have spent the whole weekend there - will try and post some typically fuzzy flash-free photos in the relevant area of TC.

Laters...