Mai Tai @ Bali Hai

A friend of mine and I stopped by Bali Hai (San Diego) late on Friday night. The bar/restaurant was closed, but a wedding reception was in full swing downstairs. So we crashed it.

Booze wasn't free, but I decided to order us each a mai tai anyway. Now, I've been to BH a few times, but for whatever reason I've always ordered something other than a mai tai (Mr. Bali Hai, Navy Grog, etc.). Anyway, we get the mai tais and we each take a sip and give each other alarmed looks. Even though it had the color of your typical mai tai, it tasted pretty much like rum on the rocks. I couldn't taste anything else and it actually caused me eyes to burn a little. While I appreciated not getting swindled in the rum department, Ron Rico alone on ice is not a pleasant drink.

Has anyone else had this experience with Bali Hai mai tais? Was this the usual drink, or did I get the result of a too busy bartender?

*On 2007-04-17 13:59, arriano wrote:*Has anyone else had this experience with Bali Hai mai tais? Was this the usual drink, or did I get the result of a too busy bartender?

I can't say. But it is true that private banquet bars and tenders are quite often much different than the regular ones.

You pretty much got the standard Bali Hai mai tai. Nearly undrinkable in my opinion. :wink:

Try the Goof punch, Mr Bali Hai or Missionary's downfall next time. They are better.

On 2007-04-17 14:09, PremEx wrote:
I can't say. But it is true that private banquet bars and tenders are quite often much different than the regular ones.

I can attest to this. There is a black tie function that I go to where different restaurants display their wares (food). Well, there are some drinking "stations" like the vodka martini luge ice sculpture, and the fabulous you have to try Bacardi mojito station. The martinis are no big deal (and don't have vermouth), and the mojitos are made with a slimy green, crack your teeth sweet premix mixed with flavored (and hence more sweet) rum.

And the people making them are not bartenders...they're temp vending help.

If you go to the restaurants, the drinks are fine. They get out to an event and they're horrible.

I wonder . . . If you get a Mai Tai like the one mentioned at the Bali Hai and it isn't even remotely close to what a Mai Tai should be . . . does one complain? Does it go back? I've sent drinks back with the comment "I don't know what this is, but it's NOT a Mai Tai . . . I'll just order something else."

On 2007-04-18 08:57, GentleHangman wrote:
I wonder . . . If you get a Mai Tai like the one mentioned at the Bali Hai and it isn't even remotely close to what a Mai Tai should be . . . does one complain? Does it go back? I've sent drinks back with the comment "I don't know what this is, but it's NOT a Mai Tai . . . I'll just order something else."

If it's not even remotely close...yeah...I think I'd send it back. However, with a Mai Tai, which is normally highly suggestive to interpretation and individual artistry (or lack thereof)...personally it would have to be WAY off before I'd send it back. If they made it with Vodka or something...yes, I would complain. But if it were in the ballpark, I don't think I would unless it was just plain undrinkable.

Personally with Mai-Tais, I tend to make a distinction between an undrinkable drink...and one that's really just mis-named. I've ordered many Mai Tais that were noting like I expect from a Mai Tai...and yet they were a pleasant beverage on their own. And if they hadn't been named "Mai Tai" and it was called a "Palm Tree Punch" instead...I might have no complaint at all. But there are also those drinks that are undrinkable no matter what their name is. And in those cases I might use the mis-naming of the drink as a "Mai Tai" as additional ammo for justifying its return.

But really...for anything...if you're not satisfied, it never hurts to complain and let the business know why you're not happy with your purchase. IMHO.

For standard drinks however...I'll send 'em back in an instant if they're not right. My favorite non-tropical cocktail is a Black Russian. A few weeks ago I was at the San Pedro Brewing Company having dinner and my Black Russian tasted disgusting, so I sent it back with a request to know how the bartender was making it. The waitress returned saying he made it the "standard" way: Kahlua and Vanilla flavored Vodka! Yeech! So I had to give specific instructions on how I wanted it. Later talking with the bartender face to face, he insisted everyone makes Black Russians with Vanilla Vodka. Ugh.

Roys Hawaiian Fusion has a Mai Tai that they seem 'proud' of--its in their featured drinks from their bar and while being pretty good, was NOWHERE like the Mai Tais I've made at home using the 'standard' recipe (lime juice, orgeat, curacao-maybe Cointreau, dark & light rums). Don't really know HOW any of these restaurants cook up their recipes but grenadine is a SURE sign of wrongness

This discussion brings up a rather good point, that the Mai-Tai is certainly not a standard drink. They vary widely from bar to bar. Very interesting!

As for the Bali Hai Mai Tai, I've dowened quite a few of them, they are super strong but I like them.

Anyway, we get the mai tais and we each take a sip and give each other alarmed looks. Even though it had the color of your typical mai tai, it tasted pretty much like rum on the rocks. I couldn't taste anything else and it actually caused me eyes to burn a little.

You pretty much got the standard Bali Hai mai tai. Nearly undrinkable in my opinion.

Sure sounds WAY off to me and I'd have sent it back!

That is the Bali Hai Mai Tai. In my opinion-too strong, but, I think it is one of the best tiki drinks in SD.
Mahalo,
Al

[ Edited by: Al-ii 2007-04-18 23:04 ]

This all brings up the point - why not just tell the bartender what you want?

When the bartender says "What do you want?", tell him. He's asking. If you want a classic Mai Tai with what you think are classic ingredients, just tell him. Call it a 'Hawaiian' Mai Tai, but tell him. Don't be shy. This ain't a guessing game.

I always order my 'Pirate Juice' when in doubt of the local customs; pineapple juice, ice, with a big float of dark rum. Squeeze that lime. I just tell the bartender how to make it, comes out perfect every time.

Why complain? The guy can't read your mind.

By the way, I saw a party of four zap two Bali Hai Mai Tai's, each, in about ten minutes once. They said they were weak. No kidding.

At last year's Tiki Oasis we went to the BH and my buddy ordered the Mai Tai while we waited for dinner. Holy camole, when I had a sip it tasted and felt like liquid fire if there ever was one! Needless to say, my buddy was totally trashed after two of those before we ate dinner! But I did score myself a nice mug on his bill!

I was wondering...did the bartender layer in the ingrediants over the ice while floating the rum on top? maybe thats what you first sipped? or did they make it in a shaker and shake and pour it into the glass. maybe they left it up to you to stir it around before drinking. not sure if thats the case. Ive made them at home and have had them at the Bali hai... both were quite tasty and strong...aloha

As we all know, there is a lot of variations in a Mai Tai. This is both in consistency as well as ingredients. Even the venerable Trader Vics has considerable variation in taste. I once hit the Palo Alto and Emeryville location on the same night, and the Palo Alto cocktails paled in comparison to Emeryville.

Personally, I love Bali Hai mai tais. Are they potent? Hell yes. Are they too potent? Well, that depends on what you want from a drink. I prefer a potent drink over a watery and sugary version any day. Trader Vics is probably the best overall, but I rank Bali Hai's version second.

If you every do buy another Bali Hai mai tai and don't want it, you can always give it to me. hic :D

Maybe, seriously, you should consider going back to the Bali Hai and trying the Mai Tai again. I fully endorse most of the "strong" drinks on the menu, even their butchered version of the Missionary's downfall which is nothing like an actual, but tasty none the less. I live in LA and the Tiki Ti is a stones throw away. Obviously, you can't beat the Ti, but I like Bali Hai's drinks over Trader Vic 90210 for second place. I mean, c'mon, they use Lemon Hart! And to further endorse the B.H. Mai Tai, there's so much RUM in that thing its almost like a Navy grog with orgeat, if they even use it (I can't taste any)...and while I agree nobody likes Ron Rico on the rocks, those Mai Tai's also utilize everyones favorite Jamaican rum CORUBA, which i'll take over Appleton any day of the month. Plus, as far as atmosphere is concerned, staring at Downtown San Diego over a large channel of water on a clear night with a good buzz in your tummy is one of life's sweetest pleasures. Tiki, Raiders and good surf for life.
Astronaut

Thanks all for responding. To answer a few questions: Like I said, we were crashing a wedding since the bar was closed. So it was a bit crazy and crowded and it would have been difficult to send the drinks back.

I didn't watch the drinks being made so I don't know if he shook or layered.

I have had a number of drinks there before, just not their mai tai.

A friend gave me a copy of the Bali Hai drink menu and this is what it describes as the ingredients of the "World Famous Bali Hai Mai Tai":"Coruba Jamaican Dark Rum, Ron Rico Light Rum, Orange Liqueur & Sweet n Sour. No Fruit Juice Added! 6.95"

I certainly didn't taste any orange liqueur or sweet and sour, but it could have been the result of a hurried bartender or an inexperienced one. Maybe next time I'm there I'll give the drink another shot.

I love the Bali Hai Mai Tai, but they are very rummy (yummy!) and they can vary depending on who makes them. Sometimes there's more dark rum, sometimes more orgeat and/or sweet & sour. But they're always powerful and always delicious, in my experience. The standard recipe has changed a bit also - I'm pretty sure the original version used Myers (which is also listed in the recipe in Intoxica). The menu & table cards also don't mention that it's the Original 1954 recipe anymore, just that it's the World Famous Bali Hai Mai Tai. If you specifically order an original recipe, it will be a little different/darker. I actually usually prefer them when they have the stronger rum taste, but I'm like that! (I do not recommend going to two more bars after consuming a couple!)

I did have a Missionary's Downfall there recently that was WAY off from their normal recipe. Those can also vary a bit between visits, but this time it was unrecognizable from the ususal Bali Hai verson. I actually might've sent it back, but our waiter was new and had already had a couple minor oopsies, so I didn't want to give him any more trouble. It had hooch; I drank it.

On 2007-04-22 09:42, arriano wrote:

A friend gave me a copy of the Bali Hai drink menu and this is what it describes as the ingredients of the "World Famous Bali Hai Mai Tai":
"Coruba Jamaican Dark Rum, Ron Rico Light Rum, Orange Liqueur & Sweet n Sour. No Fruit Juice Added! 6.95"

I have to toss my hat in the ring here. I love this drink, even though they are a bit strong. I find that the BH Mai Tai is a little too strong at first, but give it a few minutes with the ice, and they're usually just fine. Having a drink that can handle a little dilution as ice melts is important if you're not suckin 'em up. They are definitely not drinks for chugging. Unless you want to get wrecked, of course.
If you're not sure whether you got a bad one, you can always try making one yourself. There's a recipe floating around here with the actual proportions. Here we go:

On 2004-06-11 17:07, Tonga King wrote:
1 oz Light rum (I used Mt. Gay)
1 oz Meyers Origional Dark rum
1/2 oz Triple Sec
1/2 oz Oregeat
1 oz sweet & sour

Fill 14 oz glass to the top with shaved ice. Pour in the rums, triple sec, orgeat and spash it with a little sweet and sour (maybe an ounce..). Stir to mix and Garnish.

I'm guessing you probably got a bad bartender.

My record with the Bali Hai's Mai Tai has been very hit-and-miss. At the TC New Year's Eve gathering I liked them so much I wound up having four (the poor TCers who shared a cab ride with me afterward will attest to how trashed I was). By contrast, at last year's Oasis I ordered one, and it was so horrible that I abandoned it halfway through and got a Navy Grog instead. Then, when I went there for my birthday, the Mai Tai gods were smiling again.

I'm convinced it all depends on who's making them. Before ordering a Mai Tai, I'll size up the bartender; if I don't sense that he or she is up to the task, I'll go with the Goof Punch or Mr. Bali Hai instead. Those are always good.

I'll also put in a good word for the Intoxica recipe. It's tasty, it's easy to make, and since it doesn't call for lime it's convenient for when you don't have fresh limes handy. Plus, you make it yourself, and aren't the best Mai Tais the ones you make yourself, anyway?

I just went to the Bali Hai for the first time, and fell in love instantly...

with my Mai Tai!!

I thought that was the best Mai Tai I have ever had. It looked beautiful with the different layers, and was definitely strong (how I like them). First sip hurt a little, but then each one afterward got better and better. We had a younger bartender (forgot his name) who seemed to know his rum. After a few rounds of Mai Tai's, he guided us through a little tour of the sippin' rums which were all amazing. I finished of with the Zaya - my new favorite, I just mail ordered some. Can you believe that it is hard to find good rum in Hawaii?

I can't wait to go back during Tiki Oasis!!

I just got back from a week in San Diego and of course I spent plenty of time at the Bali Hai. On my first night there, I ordered a Mai Tai and it was very undrinkable. I have never left a drink on the bar but this was the first. The next day when I went back, I noticed the same bartender was working the bar. I asked the waitress to make sure my drinks were measured, not free poured. What a difference.

The waitress stated that the Bali Hai is famous for their strong drinks. Ya, ya, ya. Wonderful. However, I told her, unless a drink is balanced, a strong drink is just plain rotten.

My suggestion is this. When any TC members frequent a place such as the Bali Hai, insist on a measured pour. If enough of us do this, we might be able to restore some integrity back into drinks such as Mai Tais

It atleast says we care.

I fall into the camp of folks who are very fond of the Bali Hai mai tai. I think it's all a matter of personal taste. Doctor Z thinks they taste like jet fuel, but I like a sweet-and-sour based mai tai every so often as a change from the lime-based ones.

And boy are they powerful! Two of these and I'm happily buzzed for the whole evening.

I have to go on record as saying I love'em. However, you have to let the strong fumes burn off your eyebrows first. That first sip is a pwer packed punch of rum. I'm sure others have done more, but I only downed 4 of those one night and woke up in a buddy's spare room...don't know how I got there. So, you're definately not getting a watered down sugar drink when you order a Bali Hai mai tai.

i just came back from a weekend in san diego, and I had the Goof Punch, the Bali Hai, and the Mai Tai, and since they don't use Lemon Hart anymore, I was wondering if anyone knows what rums they use.

The Bali Hai was pretty good, but I'm wondering if Jeff Berry's recipe is much better? I haven't tried making this drink, and I'd like to give it a go!

Awesome MAI-TAI. No juice. Great mug. Quick buzz. Ahhhhhhh

How funny that I just NOW noticed this thread! The wife and I visited BH last summer and ordered the Mai Tai without even looking at the menu. We experienced the same shock. Being from North Cal, we have been raised on Trader Vics and Forbidden Island Mai Tais. It was only after we got our drinks that we looked at the cocktail menu and saw the disclaimer that their Mai Tai was strong and used no fruit juice. So, yeah, the strength is intentional. Not sure I agree with calling it a Mai Tai because even though they vary from place to place the principal is always the same; rum and fruit juice (or at least lime juice). So, had we paid attention we would have known what we were getting into. Still, the place is amazing!

Actually, saying the Bali Hai's mai tai has no fruit juice is a bit deceptive. It has sweet & sour. Now, the "sour" in their mix may be some citric acid chemical additive rather than actual lemon juice, but either way it's not "all booze" as some may believe (even though it certainly tastes like it).

There's been way too much sweet lately, in my experience. Balance is important. I've always preferred them heavier on the dark rum, but it's not because I'm out to get tanked; the rum flavor belongs in there. On too many occassions lately, I've been served what tasted like nothing but sugar water.

As DrMiguelito said, choose your bartenders carefully.

Last time we went a couple of years ago we had 2 Mr Bali hais and a mai tai and we were trashed after! good value for such a small amount of drink(Very strong!)Quite good but not as good as the vics or Donn originals.

The mai tai at the Bali Hai is its own thing - and experience.

I wouldn't classify it as a mai tai at all. In fact, it is basically more of a rum martini to my way of thinking.

Rum martini? I don't know about that. I think the ingredients of Bali Hai's mai tai basically mirror a Trader Vic's mai tai. Observe:

TRADER VIC // BALI HAI
1 oz Jamaican Rum // 1 oz Myers
1 oz Martinique Rum // 1 oz Ron Rico
Juice of 1 Lime & 1/4 oz Rock Candy Syrup // 1 oz Sweet & Sour
1/2 oz Orange Curacao // 1/2 oz Triple Sec
1/4 oz Orgeat // 1/2 oz Orgeat

On 2011-05-14 10:28, arriano wrote:
Rum martini? I don't know about that. I think the ingredients of Bali Hai's mai tai basically mirror a Trader Vic's mai tai. Observe:

TRADER VIC // BALI HAI
1 oz Jamaican Rum // 1 oz Myers
1 oz Martinique Rum // 1 oz Ron Rico
Juice of 1 Lime & 1/4 oz Rock Candy Syrup // 1 oz Sweet & Sour
1/2 oz Orange Curacao // 1/2 oz Triple Sec
1/4 oz Orgeat // 1/2 oz Orgeat

On good days, I agree. On rushed days with a neophyte bartender, it's just rum and sun.

On 2011-05-15 10:27, telescopes wrote:

On good days, I agree. On rushed days with a neophyte bartender, it's just rum and sun.

HAHA.... well, I can't argue with that. :wink:

I wouldn't either. But lately it's been yellow sugar water - THAT I argue with!

Bali hi abused my liver with a fiery mai tai libation. Thank you Bali Hai

After reading this thread I had to try and mix one of these up myself and join the controversy.

I follwed the recipe above; however I used Cruzan for the light rum, Coruba for the dark Jamaican, Trader Tiki Orgeat, and some home made sweet and sour.

As mentioed above, the first sip is a powerfull one. Strong and dry. But as the sips continued and the drink was allowed to mellow, I must admit, it developed into a nice sipping cocktail.

I would definately not put this into the class of drink that I would call "refreshing" but as a relaxing cocktail I would heartily recomend it. The perfect drink to sit back and watch the rest of my Dr. No DVD.

Cheers!

Made one over the weekend, using the Bum's recipe, and found it to be reasonably tasty and well-balanced. I had one at the Bali Hai restaurant years ago, and as others have noted, thought it was very harsh and boozy. My conclusions are that a) either the Bum's recipe ain't the real thing, or b) the BH bartenders are spiking it deliberately or from lack of experience.

On 2011-05-24 05:08, MrBaliHai wrote:

Made one over the weekend, using the Bum's recipe, and found it to be reasonably tasty and well-balanced. I had one at the Bali Hai restaurant years ago, and as others have noted, thought it was very harsh and boozy. My conclusions are that a) either the Bum's recipe ain't the real thing, or b) the BH bartenders are spiking it deliberately or from lack of experience.

I imagine the Bum's recipe is probably "the" recipe; however, that would be the "official" recipe. The "practitioner's recipe is the one that is very harsh and boozy. This is "THE" Bali Hai recipe that has become "THE" recipe of record. The "official" recipe is the one given to patrons when one ask for a recipe.

I don't think I've ever had an "official" Mai Tai from the Bali Hai in say the last ten years.

Frankly, it is a lousy Mai Tai - but yet - I order it every time I go there.

To be honest, it is the type of Mai Tai that is so poorly made that one could never reproduce it in a million years if one tried.

It is so utterly terrible that it becomes uniquely "great". Somehow, the booze and the lack of whatever they leave out or rarely pour to correct proportions achieves an utterly incomprehensible balance of correctness.

I don't get it, but I have learned to love it.

Viva, Bali Hai Mai Tai - You are absolutely "out of this world!"

The Bum's recipe is indeed the official one. It's been printed numerous times. Here's an example from the San Diego Union-Tribune:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/jul/01/1f01readersm185113/?uniontrib

And I wouldn't be surprised if bartenders don't regularly float Bacardi 151 or do something similar to spike it up.

Am I missing something but where is the"Official Jeff Berry" approved version of this cocktail. I thumbed through my copies of my books and I cannot find it anywhere.

On 2011-05-24 16:21, arriano wrote:
And I wouldn't be surprised if bartenders don't regularly float Bacardi 151 or do something similar to spike it up.

They must be. The two ounces of rum in the official recipe didn't even come close to the booziness of the restaurant version.

[ Edited by: MrBaliHai 2011-05-24 17:44 ]

On 2011-05-24 17:21, Chippy wrote:
Am I missing something but where is the"Official Jeff Berry" approved version of this cocktail. I thumbed through my copies of my books and I cannot find it anywhere.

The recipe is in "Intoxica!"

And I wouldn't be surprised if bartenders don't regularly float Bacardi 151 or do something similar to spike it up.

They must be. The two ounces of rum in the official recipe didn't even come close to the booziness of the restaurant version.

Nah, I've watched a LOT of them being made, and I've never seen anything other than the standard ingredients go in. It's just that nobody measures.

On 2011-05-24 17:44, MrBaliHai wrote:

On 2011-05-24 17:21, Chippy wrote:
Am I missing something but where is the"Official Jeff Berry" approved version of this cocktail. I thumbed through my copies of my books and I cannot find it anywhere.

The recipe is in "Intoxica!"

Well I don't have intoxica and I cannot find it in Remixed. I will keep looking.

Thanks

Well I don't have intoxica and I cannot find it in Remixed. I will keep looking.

If you're referring to the Bali Hai Mai Tai, then yes, it's only in Intoxica. But if it's the "official" TV/Berry approved Mai Tai you're after, that and variations are on pages 71-72 of Remixed.

That is the Bali Hai Mai Tai. The waiter will normally ask if you've had one of their Mai Tais first when you order one. If you can't hang with a stiff drink I'd order the Missionary's Downfall, which is also very good. That said, I like their Mai Tai, but don't drive if you've had 2 of them. They are like boobs, one isn't enough and three are to many.
Los Angeles Boot Camp

[ Edited by: Sidneyy 2011-05-28 06:13 ]