Tiki Ti - Favorite Drink?

Hey everyone,

I love the Tiki Ti and I'm sure you all do as well. I'm just dying to know what your favorite poison is at this fine establishment.

Ray's Mistake for sure.

I really don't drink, but if I DO, Ray's Mistake for sure. Can't taste the booze in it, so it's perfect for me.

I like two Bayanians or one Jims Special...depends on the mood

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I have to agree, it's the Ray's Mistake.

I'm going with the Scorpion.

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Borrowed from the Tiki-Ti website.

Taste wise I always come back to the 151 Rum Swizzle. Don't let the name scare you away -- it's an amazing drink.

Living 3000 miles from the Tiki Ti here in Ocala Florida, I am dying to try drinks at the Tiki Ti. All I know is the Mai Kai. I keep hearing about how amazing the Ray's Mistake is. Has anyone been sucessful in reverse engineering this drink for home use? Just curious. Aaron

I'd say Rum Barrel or Painkiller. But, you really can't go wrong with any drink there.

On 2008-09-06 12:29, The Ragin' Rarotongan wrote:
Has anyone been sucessful in reverse engineering this drink for home use? Just curious. Aaron

Many good people have died trying....

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Painkiller - its like Christmas in a cup!!

oops...wrong thread.

[ Edited by: tikiyaki 2008-09-06 18:38 ]

What a great bar! I spent a bunch of time last month in LA and had one really good night at the 'Ti'. The night I was there I had a Mai Tai, a Zombie, and Ray's Mistake. All great drinks. If I had to pick one that was a notch or so above the rest I would say Ray's Mistake was the most interesting. Hopefully I'll be back in LA soon and I'll get a chance to explore more of that incredibly extended menu.

Blood & Sand is not really my favorite drink but the presentation value is unmatched. Check out the video.

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http://www.tiki-ti.com/vid/toro.html

On 2008-09-06 12:29, The Ragin' Rarotongan wrote:
Has anyone been sucessful in reverse engineering this drink for home use? Just curious. Aaron

Maybe.....

I know that there are a few people that say they have gotten it or are really close.
But I hardly ever have that drink, So I'm not sure on how close it is.

for me whenever I walk in there, I always get a Zombie, or Jim's Special.
but there are really so many good drinks there.
grab a menu and pick most any of the rum drinks and you'll be good.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

My Top Ten:

1. Ray's Mistake
2. Zombie
3. Bayanihan
4. 151 Rum Swizzle
5. Headhunter's Kula
6. Tropical Itch
7. Tiki Kapu
8. Suffering B
9. Missionary's Downfall
10. Jim's Special

As far reproducing the Ray's Mistake, some have gotten really close but none have nailed it yet.

I'd have to say a 151 Rum Swizzle, followed by a Ray's Mistake. Next would be a simple Navy Grog and the Chief Lapu Lapu. As others have said, you just can't order a bad drink at the Ti, so try them all and a have a new favorite each visit.

I just wish that their Navy Grog was like a Trader Vic's Navy Grog.
but I assume most of the older drinks at The Ti are based on The Don The Beachcombers recipes.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Ray's Mistake followed by a Navy Grog followed by a Ray's Mistake followed by a Navy Grog followed by a.....waz ure talki I abot?

I had my first visit to the Tiki Ti just last Friday and it was amazing. Too amazing for words. I was so overwhelmed and in full tiki overload mode, I blindly ordered a mai tai: classic and simple. And it was incredible. I eagerly await my next visit, in which I will be diving into new and more exotic drinks.

On a fun side note, when I bought my subway ticket to get to the Tiki Ti, the machine gave me change in gold dollars. So I got to pay for my drink with them. If you get a chance, try it out; it'll make you feel like a salty sea dog.

Am I the only one?

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reedalong, I like the Dr. Funk, too. I like how Mike always says "you sure?" even though he knows I've ordered it dozens of times. I think a lot of folks order it based on the name and don't like it. But I love it.

The oft-mentioned (understatement) Ray's Mistake is my favorite, too. It's a sneaky little beast... you don't realize how delicious it is until you find yourself needing to have them as soon as you walk in the door. Each one is a quiet little Tiki-Ti ritual in a glass. No toro necessary.

Another favorite of mine is the Princess Pupuli, largely because it's really the only funny-colored drink I've ever had that I truly liked.

For a while I was getting Missionary Downfalls there -- to be honest, they can be a little hit & miss there, sometimes the peach schnapps is too heavy & the drink is out of whack. But it's often a nice drink (theirs is on the rocks, not blended).

If they weren't so strong, I'd probably order more 151 Swizzles -- they taste just like the apple pie your alcoholic grandmother would have made. It is on the strong side, though, and in the interest of pacing myself & spreading out the drink love, I don't always have one.

I'm feeling very thirsty -- thank goodness I get to go to Tiki-Ti tonight.

I am actually a big fan of the Dr. Funk, but it would be in my top 10 if I were listing my favorite drinks at Trader Vic's, as the Dr. Funk is in my opinion one of the drinks that I prefer the Trader Vic's version to the Tiki Ti version.

[ Edited by: PiPhiRho 2008-09-17 11:35 ]

I did a search and I found this old thread. I was interested in what everyones favorite Tiki Ti drinks were. I thought I would give my 2 cents...

I think my favorite is the Burnt Hawaiian. It is one of the spendy ones, but well worth the money to see Michael Sr pour in the what seems like 30+ ingredients. It takes him like 5 minutes to find all the ingredients and mix them all together, it's a great sight to see. Enjoying it is like a different drink with every sip. Layers upon layers of flavor.

A close second for me would be the Puka Puka. Awesome gold rum goodness. What a drink. I wish I had one right now. But I'll be in L.A. at the end of the month, so I will enjoy one then.

I love Tiki Ti soooo much. I would have to say that it is by far the best bar I have ever been to. My brother moved up to L.A. from San Diego with his GF. They broke up a year later and my bro had to find new things to fill his time in a new place. I would go visit him once a month and I would make him go out to new places and try new things. We stumbled into Tiki Ti (and stumbled even more leaving) and it was like opening up a whole new world for me. This place got me addicted to Tiki and now I am waist high in mugs and building a Tiki bar in my garage. Thank you Tiki Ti!!!

Anyone else have a favorite Tiki Ti drink?

On 2012-06-14 12:03, lunavideogames wrote:
...and building a Tiki bar in my garage. Thank you Tiki Ti!!!

You're lucky you can do that in your garage. Where I live it's always either too hot or too cold to do that. Spring and Fall lasts, maybe, two weeks, heh...

Yeah, I have relatives in Florida and it does get humid there. Here in San Diego, the weather is always perfect. But there is also the sunshine tax. Half a million dollars for a 2 bedroom house. But it's a short walk to the beach and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

I take my hat off to you, lunavideogames. A newbie who actually used the search function and bumped an old thread. Well done and welcome to the wonderful world of Tiki.

I'll be making my first, and possibly only, visit to the Tiki Ti in August, so besides a Ray's Mistake i might give a Burnt Hawaiian a go also.

The Ray's Mistake obviously, the Lemon Hart Lemon Head is bloody good too.

I really like the Jim's Special (recommended by Jim himself sitting on the stool next to me) and I've always wondered why tequila and rum aren't paired more often?

Thanks Swizz, I am going to be there Wednesday before the Oasis. Hope you can make it. You will love it!

Ditto on the Jim's Special. That's almost all I drink there now (well, maybe an occasional Uga Booga).

I don't think they can make the Lemon Hart Lemon Head anymore, there's no LH 80 to mix with. I used to like the Space Pilot but can anyone distinguish that from the Tiki Ti Zombie? I swear it's the same drink. I must sample them back to back.

Once I asked Mike Sr., what is the least requested cocktail they offer. He said the "Tiki on Acid". I tried it. So should you. :D

Ahhhh...decisions, decisions! :D
My pick was the most popular drink at the Tiki until Ray made that Mistake, a Fog Cutter!

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drum roll

My top SIX drinks (...the maximum I've attempted in one sitting at the Tiki Ti)

Ray's Special - It really is special.
Singapore - Consistently good. My "bar" for slings.
Suffering 'B' - Another incredible gin drink.
Space Pilot - Two of these and it's liftoff.
'151' Rum Swizzle - Cinnamon festival.
Top Secret - Order this to freak your friends out.

Or you can blindly point at any drink on the menu and be a happy camper...

151 rum swizzle for me :D.