Lost cocktails of the Bali Hai, San Diego - Tiki Drinks and Food

A arriano Tiki Socialite San Diego Joined: Jun 13, 2006 Posts: 1603	A arriano Posted posted on Wed, Aug 21, 2013 7:51 AM Wow, over a month since I posted the last cocktail. Work, parties, other projects and Tiki Oasis got in the way. The Shark’s Tooth as it used to be served at Bali Hai is a difficult one to figure. First, cocktails called the Shark’s Tooth are made quite differently depending on the place serving them. The 1972 “Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide” lists three differently versions, each quite different from the other. The key to deciphering Bali Hai’s old version lies in one of the listed ingredients: sloe gin. I found three recipes for Shark’s Tooth cocktails using sloe gin, and all are very close to one another. The first two I found were from Cocktaildb.com: ¼ oz Lemon juice ¼ oz Sloe gin 1½ oz Gold rum ¼ oz Passion fruit syrup ¼ oz Sweet vermouth 1 dash Bitters AND ¼ oz Lemon juice ¼ oz Sloe gin 1½ oz Light rum ¼ oz Passion fruit syrup ¼ oz Dry vermouth Soda Water Both Cocktaildb.com recipes are very close to the one in the Trader Vic’s guide: ¼ oz Lemon juice ¼ oz Sloe gin 1½ oz Trader Vic’s Navy Grog and punch rum 1 dash Passion fruit nectar ¼ oz French vermouth Club soda OK, assuming these three recipes were akin to the old Bali Hai version, we would need to include vermouth, passion fruit, probably club soda, and possibly bitters. But one thing that kept nagging at me is that the Bali Hai menu doesn’t list passion fruit, and I can’t help but think that if they used it, they would have listed it. Passion fruit is just too exotic sounding not to list. On the other hand, the cocktail probably needs syrup of some kind to balance out the drink. Since sloe gin is already reddish, grenadine doesn’t seem necessary. After mulling all this over, this is what I came up with: ½ oz Fresh lime juice ¼ oz Sloe gin (Hiram Walker) 1 oz Light Cuban rum (Havana Club 3 anos) ½ oz Demerara rum (Lemon Hart) ¼ oz Simple syrup 1 dash Angostura bitters Club soda Shake all ingredients (except soda water) with crushed ice, and strain into a pilsner glass filled with crushed ice. Add a splash of soda water. This is a tasty cocktail, one I'd happily have again. Nicely balanced, with bite coming from the lime juice and sloe gin, a good rumminess from the demerara, and the simple syrup and soda water balancing it all out. You may notice I didn't add vermouth. Honestly, I didn't have any on hand, and I really don't think it needs it. But if you feel like experimenting, by all means try the drink with vermouth. Note: These days, the Bali Hai has twisted its Shark’s Tooth into something altogether different by adding pineapple juice and using only light rum. I've had it, and while it's fine, I don't think it's as good as the one I whipped up. "I am Lono!" -- Hale Ka'a Tiki Lounge [ Edited by: arriano 2013-08-21 07:57 ]

Wow, over a month since I posted the last cocktail. Work, parties, other projects and Tiki Oasis got in the way.

The Shark’s Tooth as it used to be served at Bali Hai is a difficult one to figure. First, cocktails called the Shark’s Tooth are made quite differently depending on the place serving them. The 1972 “Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide” lists three differently versions, each quite different from the other. The key to deciphering Bali Hai’s old version lies in one of the listed ingredients: sloe gin. I found three recipes for Shark’s Tooth cocktails using sloe gin, and all are very close to one another. The first two I found were from Cocktaildb.com:

¼ oz Lemon juice
¼ oz Sloe gin
1½ oz Gold rum
¼ oz Passion fruit syrup
¼ oz Sweet vermouth
1 dash Bitters

AND

¼ oz Lemon juice
¼ oz Sloe gin
1½ oz Light rum
¼ oz Passion fruit syrup
¼ oz Dry vermouth
Soda Water

Both Cocktaildb.com recipes are very close to the one in the Trader Vic’s guide:

¼ oz Lemon juice
¼ oz Sloe gin
1½ oz Trader Vic’s Navy Grog and punch rum
1 dash Passion fruit nectar
¼ oz French vermouth
Club soda

OK, assuming these three recipes were akin to the old Bali Hai version, we would need to include vermouth, passion fruit, probably club soda, and possibly bitters. But one thing that kept nagging at me is that the Bali Hai menu doesn’t list passion fruit, and I can’t help but think that if they used it, they would have listed it. Passion fruit is just too exotic sounding not to list. On the other hand, the cocktail probably needs syrup of some kind to balance out the drink. Since sloe gin is already reddish, grenadine doesn’t seem necessary. After mulling all this over, this is what I came up with:

½ oz Fresh lime juice
¼ oz Sloe gin (Hiram Walker)
1 oz Light Cuban rum (Havana Club 3 anos)
½ oz Demerara rum (Lemon Hart)
¼ oz Simple syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters
Club soda

Shake all ingredients (except soda water) with crushed ice, and strain into a pilsner glass filled with crushed ice. Add a splash of soda water.

This is a tasty cocktail, one I'd happily have again. Nicely balanced, with bite coming from the lime juice and sloe gin, a good rumminess from the demerara, and the simple syrup and soda water balancing it all out. You may notice I didn't add vermouth. Honestly, I didn't have any on hand, and I really don't think it needs it. But if you feel like experimenting, by all means try the drink with vermouth.

Note: These days, the Bali Hai has twisted its Shark’s Tooth into something altogether different by adding pineapple juice and using only light rum. I've had it, and while it's fine, I don't think it's as good as the one I whipped up.

"I am Lono!" -- Hale Ka'a Tiki Lounge

[ Edited by: arriano 2013-08-21 07:57 ]

Post #690849 by arriano on Wed, Aug 21, 2013 7:51 AM