Recipe Request: Dr. Fong (tahiti)

Dear Fellow Tiki Afficionados,

My mother and dad will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next month.

I can't seem to find a recipe for a "Dr. Fong", that they used to bill as a Tahitian drink.

They had this drink on their first overseas trip. Does anyone have a recipe for this drink?

I have heard that Chef Shangri-La in North Riverside, IL has them but won't give out the recipe.

If anyone would be so kind as to help me, it would make their 50th anniversary "tiki" theme party so much easier.

Thanks!

Concetta

Could that possibly be a Dr. Funk?

Dr. Funk is a fairly common tiki bar drink with a licorice-y taste. Of course, Dr. Fong could be some chinese restaurant variation on it. I don't know the ingredients of a Dr Funk off the top of my head, but if I am not mistaken there is a recipe in one of the Beach Bum Berry books (damn, I need to find my copies of those!)

No, it definitely does not taste like licorice.

This may sound generically tiki, but it definitely has orange juice, apricot schnapps, rum and at least two other ingredients.

I visited Chef Shangri-La in N. Riverside, and theirs is premixed - this is what I've deduced of it and what my mother remembers. Problem is, we can't figure out those last few ingredients.

Anyway, thanks for trying.

Concetta

PS It is a Fong, if you search the internet for Dr. Fong of Tahiti you will find a reference to it in one of James' books.

I saw the reference from James as well. James posts here often. If he doesn't see this thread soon, send him a PM. He posts under the name tikibars.

Unfortunately, I don't have the recipe.

The problem with this drink is that it has several variations: Dr. Funk, Dr. Funk of Tahiti, Dr. Fong, etc.

Unlike the mai tai or Zombie, who's recpies can easily be traced back to original classics, the mysterious Doctor has changed his identity and mutated too many times to track down the original.

My theory is that the popular Fu Manchu-style Tiki mug was so widely produced, and is so iconic and charismatic, that each Tiki restaurant in each city simply made up their own drink to put in it, and they all eventually became known generically as Dr. Funk (or Dr Fong at Chef Shangri-La in honor of the Chef himself, Paul Fong).

So I doubt there is one standard recipe for whatever concotion comes served in the Fu Manchu mug.

I use Beachbum Berry's recipes whenever in doubt. However, I know he is touchy (rightly so) about his recipes being posted, so I don't want to post it here without permission.

On another note, good to see a new Chicagoan here. We have a big bash at Trader Vic's on the third Wednesday of every month (except January) called Tabu Tiki Nights. Check old posts in Tiki Events (or search for "Tabu Tiki Nights" in quotes) for details! Hope to see you there, or out at The Chef. Good luck on your quest, and congrats on your parent's milestone.

ah the dr. fong.....my favorite chef shangrila drink......man i need to get back up to the chef soon......

This is the oldest referance I could find for the drink it was called

Fu Manchu Nightmare.
Sax Rohmer c1942
0.5 oz tripple sec
0.5 oz Absinthe
1.5 oz Dark rum
0.5 oz Roses lime juice
1 dash sugar syrup
Shake with ice and strain into a chilled mug.

Doctor Funk (Trader Vic's Bartenders guide)
1/2 Lime
1/2 oz lemon juice
1 dash grenadine syrup
2 oz Dark Jamaica rum
2 oz club soda
1 dash Pernod or Herbsaint
Put everything in a mixing glass with ice and stir, strain into a 14 oz chimney glass filled with ice. Float the Pernod and decorate with mint sprig and lime shell.

Doctor Funk's Son (Trader Vic's Bartenders guide)
1/2 Lime
1/2 oz lemon juice
1 dash grenadine syrup
1 dash sugar syrup
1/2 oz 151 proof rum
2 oz Dark Jamaica rum
2 oz club soda
Put everything in a mixing glass with ice and stir, pour into a 12 oz glass. Decorate with mint sprig and lime shell and fruit stick.

The last one is closest to the drink you want. Go easy on the absinthe, it is supposed to be a flavor that hides in the background, and subtly enhances the drink. Add too much and it will dominate the drink.

[ Edited by: captnkirk on 2005-03-24 19:32 ]

I'll have to give those a try. Thanks!

Found this on the web today while doing some research.

I love this!

http://www.njedge.net/~knapp/cocktail.htm

I had a Dr. Fong the other night, and I'm convinced that the secret ingredient is Vicks 44 Pineapple-flavored cough syrup...:wink: