Aku Aku Orlando , Orlando, FL (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

A AceExplorer Grand Member (8 years) Deep in the Jacksonville Flori-duh jungle. Joined: Apr 03, 2008 Posts: 2566	A AceExplorer Posted posted on Thu, Feb 19, 2015 6:14 AM On 2015-02-19 05:01, Tiki_Koro wrote: Sorry for not following your unwritten protocol for posting on this forum. I didn't know I had to prove anything before offering a comment. If these forums are unfriendly to new members, then I'll stay off them and continue to merely observe. I've been lurking on this forum for years now and only just signed up to post because, yes, I had a disappointing time at Aku Aku,... I think this is a good opportunity to touch on tiki cocktail experiences in general at the bars we visit. We should expect that we will meet a range of bartenders and will experience a range of bar owners and what they put forth as their vision of a bar experience. Who nails it by approaching 100%? Not many. My point is that Aku Aku is not unusual in the world of bars - their staff changes, their product list is adjusted, and they engage in creativity because each is a unique expression of their ownership, capitalization, passion, and vision. There are rough experiences to be had even at the Mai-Kai where you can order a classic drink and receive less than you expected. My expectation is that as a "lurker for many years" you would have shown some of this insight and knowledge and taken it into account before you made your single-sentence post. The Aku Aku is a bar which is part of a larger trend which we here on Tiki Central hold dear and which we are trying to support and encourage. This is all very important to us, and it's why many of us are here. We have the hope and belief that Aku Aku will continue to grow and expand and improve. That's why I called you out, I wanted you to know that when I visit Aku Aku I don't expect perfection and I do so fully knowing what I should expect. I hope you can come to that point as well. This type of approach will open up many new bars and experiences to you in a more realistic and positive manner. Some bars will definitely be found to be duds, but in my experience that is definitely not so with the Aku Aku. It has many merits which are worth defending. And unlike a number of other "tiki" places, it has a passionate, creative, committed and experienced ownership team which take the time to attend tiki events and to get actively involved in those events. They continue to demonstrate a desire to improve their products and experience. So welcome to posting on Tiki Central, and please get to know us and the subject matter better. I'm done with this negative stuff, hope you can understand why I felt strongly about responding, and I do hope I can meet you at a tiki event someday and share a drink with you. Thanks to your post, I am planning a visit to Aku Aku with a tiki bartender friend in the next few weeks (I'm 2 hours north) and if you live near there and want to try it again, I would welcome a PM from you so we can arrange to meet there. I would buy you a drink and I know it would be a good time.

On 2015-02-19 05:01, Tiki_Koro wrote:
Sorry for not following your unwritten protocol for posting on this forum. I didn't know I had to prove anything before offering a comment. If these forums are unfriendly to new members, then I'll stay off them and continue to merely observe.

I've been lurking on this forum for years now and only just signed up to post because, yes, I had a disappointing time at Aku Aku,...

I think this is a good opportunity to touch on tiki cocktail experiences in general at the bars we visit. We should expect that we will meet a range of bartenders and will experience a range of bar owners and what they put forth as their vision of a bar experience. Who nails it by approaching 100%? Not many. My point is that Aku Aku is not unusual in the world of bars - their staff changes, their product list is adjusted, and they engage in creativity because each is a unique expression of their ownership, capitalization, passion, and vision. There are rough experiences to be had even at the Mai-Kai where you can order a classic drink and receive less than you expected. My expectation is that as a "lurker for many years" you would have shown some of this insight and knowledge and taken it into account before you made your single-sentence post.

The Aku Aku is a bar which is part of a larger trend which we here on Tiki Central hold dear and which we are trying to support and encourage. This is all very important to us, and it's why many of us are here. We have the hope and belief that Aku Aku will continue to grow and expand and improve. That's why I called you out, I wanted you to know that when I visit Aku Aku I don't expect perfection and I do so fully knowing what I should expect. I hope you can come to that point as well. This type of approach will open up many new bars and experiences to you in a more realistic and positive manner. Some bars will definitely be found to be duds, but in my experience that is definitely not so with the Aku Aku. It has many merits which are worth defending. And unlike a number of other "tiki" places, it has a passionate, creative, committed and experienced ownership team which take the time to attend tiki events and to get actively involved in those events. They continue to demonstrate a desire to improve their products and experience.

So welcome to posting on Tiki Central, and please get to know us and the subject matter better. I'm done with this negative stuff, hope you can understand why I felt strongly about responding, and I do hope I can meet you at a tiki event someday and share a drink with you. Thanks to your post, I am planning a visit to Aku Aku with a tiki bartender friend in the next few weeks (I'm 2 hours north) and if you live near there and want to try it again, I would welcome a PM from you so we can arrange to meet there. I would buy you a drink and I know it would be a good time.

Post #737695 by AceExplorer on Thu, Feb 19, 2015 6:14 AM