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Post #790746 by kevincrossman on Sat, Oct 27, 2018 11:24 AM

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When do you have old news and new news at the same time? I’m reporting today on the Trader Vic’s Mai Tai from Tiki Pete in San Jose. Tiki? San Jose? Surely you jest!

Well, that’s where the old news comes in, since Tiki Pete is the new name for the previously established Da Kine Island Grill in Downtown San Jose. Big Hawaiian vibe here, and a new tikified name in honor of Managing Director Pete Be. It doesn’t appear that the menu has changed substantially as part of the name change.

There are a number of Mai Tais on the menu, along with other tiki drinks, tropical cocktails, and beer and wine. The Mai Tais are:

  • Trader Vic’s Mai Tai (Cruzan Light, Lahaina Dark, Orgeat, Curacao, Lime, Simple)
  • Tiki Pete Mai Tai (3 rums, served in a Pineapple)
  • Modern Mai Tai (sub Falernum for Orgeat) - Beachcomber Mai Tai (based on Don’s Mai Tai Swizzle, with Falernum, Grapefruit, Bitters, Pernod)
  • QB Cooler Mai Tai (based on Don’s cocktail that supposedly inspire the Mai Tai)

I tried the Trader Vic’s Mai Tai and it was … perfectly adequate. Not awesome. But definitely not bad. I do see that an earlier version of the Da Kine menu had this made with Appleton and Clement which I’m sure would taste better. But the current drink is $11 instead of $12 and I wonder if price was a factor for some patrons. Nonetheless, this was a light, refreshing Mai Tai.

We only popped in here last night but might give this place a try for dinner soon. This is obviously not a traditional Tiki Bar, but seems in some ways a far better tiki destination than the similar Hawaiian-themed Hukilau in nearby Japantown in San Jose. The later is listed in Critiki but Da Kine/Tiki Pete isn’t, for… reasons. Having felt that the cocktails were awful at Hukilau, I’ll take my chances and sample some of the others at Tiki Pete.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm9Y5WglyLE/?taken-by=ultimatemaitai


Kevin Crossman

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https://www.instagram.com/ultimatemaitai/

[ Edited by: kevincrossman 2018-10-27 11:25 ]