Post #78231 by martiki on Fri, Feb 27, 2004 11:52 AM

Well, that's a good point Jab- the ingedients do get costly. That's why even the Tiki-Ti uses some cut rate rums, among the good stuff. Look, I love the Tiki-Ti. Dearly. I have had some of the best drinks of my life there. Hell, I opened it and closed it on the same barstool a few Wednesdays ago. And Mike is certainly a pro and a legend. But, (and I know I'm REALLY playing with fire now) you know, the dark secret that no one really wants to talk about, is that they also use frozen lime juice. Shhh! The ugly truth that dare not speak it's name! Now, I've never been able to make drinks that good with frozen stuff myself, so they definitely have some kind of killer "cheap ingredient mojo" working for them. But just imagine if you took their legendary mixology skills & menu, and then added fresh lime, premium rums, top shelf liqueurs and mixers, and (may I humbly suggest) real falernum...you'd have drinks that no Vic's, Mai Kai, or any mortal human could touch. But, of course, we would all experience that uncomfortable burning sensation in our wallets as the damn drinks would be $20 bucks a pop! You know that sensation- you get it after a trip to a Vic's. As it stands, I'll happily belly up to the Tiki Ti bar any time just to watch them work and sip in silent reverence.

Since I'm up north, I'll just have to settle for as good as a human can get: I'll go home tonight, make the Puka Punch recipe from the Tiki Ti in Intoxica with all top shelf ingredients and fresh juice, and touch the hand of God.

Old Tiki-Ti favorite: Ooga Booga

New Tiki-Ti favorite: 151 Rum Swizzle (Thanks Iuka for the tip!)

Here's hoping the plumbing gets fixed soon!

[ Edited by: martiki on 2004-02-27 11:54 ]