JOHN-O's Zombie Road Trip...

8 Zombies over 8 consecutive days in 8 different bars !!

Which was the best ?? Here's my non-scientific and totally opinionated review.

I wasn't sure if I should post under Drinks or Travel, so I split the difference and posted here in the General Forum.

Ok, let's get started. (FYI, when I note mixology quality and value it's based on the Zombie and not for the overall drink menu.)

1. Sun, 8/8 - Frankie's Tiki Room, Las Vegas

Real Zombies are supposed to be served in chimney glasses, not old-fashioned glasses like this one was. I'll forgive that since it's my favorite glassware. This was NOT a classic Don's-style Zombie as it only had two shots of rum. I'm pretty sure there was no 151. Also how they can rate this 5 (out of a 5-skull rating) is beyond me. It was a good deal at $8 and had a nice fruity taste which I enjoyed. This is one of my favorite cocktails at Frankie's but Zombie purists will cry NYET.

Mixology Quality - B-
Value - B+
Tiki Ambiance - A
Historical Significance - B+ (Not for the Tiki, but rather I believe this may be one of the oldest "dive" bars in LV.)

2. Mon, 8/9 - Don the Beachcomber's, Sunset Beach

A Don's Zombie in a DTBC? What can be better than that? This was definitely the old-school recipe with 3 shots of rum (one being 151 which I'm pretty sure was Lemon Hart). It was stiff yet balanced and flavorful.

Mixology Quality - A-
Value - A+ (only $6 during Happy Hour !!)
Tiki Ambiance - A
Historical Significance - B+ (If it was still called Sam's Seafood, it would have received a full A. This rewriting of Tiki history upsets me but I understand the need for the rebranding.)

3. Tue, 8/10 - Smuggler's Cove, San Francisco

Yes, it was the old-school recipe. Would we expect anything less from Martiki? 3 shots of rum, one being 151 Lemon Hart. The LH is a diminishing commodity but I think Martin may have stockpiled a warehouse full of it. This was a sublime cocktail beating out the Don's drink by half a length. It tasted just a little more balanced, a little more refined, yet unmistakably stiff. Could this possibly be the best classic Zombie that you can get in a bar? We'll see.

Also after the Zombie, I asked if there was anything truly unique I could try. My bartender recommended a shot of Black Tot rum. He said it was the last bottle of this British Naval (Demerara?) rum in the U.S. That one drink cost me $120 !! It's a good thing the dice were hot in Vegas. I asked how many people in San Francisco can afford to order a $120 shot of booze. He said "Oh, you're the 5th person tonight." :o

Mixology Quality - A+
Value - B (at $13)
Tiki Ambiance - N/A (Sorry it's a 18th-century Caribbean nautical bar not a mid-century Polynesian Tiki (Revival) bar. I stand by this.)
Historical Significance - N/A

4. Wed, 8/11 - Tonga Room, San Francisco

OK, I had low expectations for this one. It was served with 2 shots with one of them being Bacardi 151. I wouldn't say this was a good Zombie but it was drinkable. Also with my empty stomach I did pick up a nice buzz. I was shocked on how popular the place is. There was a waiting line to sit at the bar !! Go now before it's too late.

Mixology Quality - C-
Value - D (they charged $13 for this !!)
Tiki Ambiance - B (Due to some devolution from the glory days. Also to be honest I think the place was cooler when it looked like a boat (in the 1930's)).
Historical Significance - B+

5. Thu, 8/12 - Forbidden Island, Alameda

I expected this to be similar to Smuggler's Cove based on the Martiki legacy. I was shocked to taste a cocktail that was very different. Yes this had 3 shots of rum, including the 151 (pretty sure it was LH) but it had a more sour taste which masked the stiffness. If anyone is familiar with the Sunset Beach DTBC Dr. Funk, it reminded me of that only much stronger. I wouldn't say this was a classic Don's-style Zombie but it was a VERY good cocktail. Suzanne has made the FI mixology her own. I didn't pick up much of a buzz but I attribute that to the 1/2 pound Val's burger sitting in my stomach. Also if I knew they were going to use a mug, I would have asked for a glass. I need to see my beverage !! (and feel the condensation in my hand.)

Mixology Quality - B+ (if this wasn't supposed to be Zombie, I would rate it A)
Value - B (at $13)
Tiki Ambiance - A
Historical Significance - N/A (it's Revival)

6. Fri, 8/13 - Trader Vic's, Downtown LA

If you told me this was party punch, I would say it's great. For a Zombie, it was pretty pathetic. Only two shots of rum, no 151. To be honest, I could barely detect any booze. There might be decent Tropicals at this TV, but the Zombie isn't one of them. It's a shame because the presentation was really excellent. The bar food is really good though. The Ahi sandwich is one of the tastiest I've had. It had avocado in it which was a good complement.

Mixology Quality - D
Value - C- (at $10)
Tiki Ambiance - B-
Historical Significance - N/A
Ahi Sandwich - A

7. Sat, 8/14 - Tiki Ti, Los Angeles

We love the Ti since it's one of the few places to keep the Tiki torch burning (figuratively not literally) even through the bad old devolution days of the 1970's through the mid-1990's. Also it has family lineage straight back to the Pre-Tiki days of the 1930's. If any Tiki bar deserved to be declared a national monument, this is the place. The only problem is that the Tiki-Ti has become so mythic, you expect life changing cocktails. The fact is that with "New Cocktailian" establishments like Smuggler's Cove and people doing their own mixing using freshly squeezed juices and high-end rums, first-time visitors might be a little disappointed. That said, the Ti serves some pretty darn good (and strong) cocktails and their Zombie is no exception. It had 3 shots, one being Bacardi 151. Actually the best part of the Zombie was the Jim's Special I had afterward while rapping with Rasta Jim. It's a Mai Tai with tequila added to it.

Mixology Quality - B
Value - B+ (at $10)
Tiki Ambiance - A
Historical Significance - A+

8. Sun, 8/15 - Tonga Hut, North Hollywood

OK, this one was hard for me. If you've read some of my other posts, you know I worship at the mixology altar of Hiphipahula. Some have even told me it's been really annoying. Sorry (Boris :D) but I call it like I see it. I wanted this to be the best Zombie on the planet but to be honest the one at Smuggler's Cove was better. I think the key reason is that the Tonga Hut is stretching out their Lemon Hart 151 reserves and Kelly is trying different substitutes. I think she said she used Cruzan 151 (or was it Goslings?). At any rate it lacked the signature Demerara smoke of the Lemon Hart.

Here's the kicker though. Kelly may have improved on the Zombie as a stiff yet flavorful Tropical. Her Shaka Hula Bossa Nova is as stiff (I think 3.5 shots) and yet has a more distinctive flavor. I tested this out on my two non-Tikiphiles friends. Hands down they agreed that the Shaka Hula Bossa Nova was a better drink.

The only issue I still have is that (owner) Jeremy isn't stocking the right glassware. Drinks like the Zombie need to be served in Chimney glasses not Pilsner or Hurricane glasses. Also how about some double Old-fashioned glasses ?? :)

Mixology Quality (of the Zombie) - B+
Value - B+ (at $12)
Tiki Ambiance - A
Historical Significance - A

So the winner is Smuggler's Cove with DTBC and Tonga Hut about neck and neck for 2nd place. These are all classic Don's-style Zombies with 3 shots of rum, one being 151. Any Zombie purist would be happy with these cocktails. The only way to get it better is to make it yourself.

Honorable mention goes to the FI Zombie and the Kelly's Shaka Hula Bossa Nova as stiff yet flavorable cocktails.

I did want to try out the Zombie at the Mai Kai, but couldn't book the red-eye in time. :D

The End.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2013-11-18 09:45 ]

Well the Tonga Hut Fan Boy strikes again! You've rated the Tonga Hut's Historical Significance higher than the Tonga Room's? You're killing me. :lol:

Boris, you forgot to qualify it as "Golly Gosh Tonga Hut Fanboy".

I'm touched that my posts have an effect on your Tiki well being. Yes, Tiki is fun but it's not worth dying over. Out of concern for your health I will amend my original historical significance grade for the Tonga Room to A+ and downgrade the Tonga Hut to B+.

Also I will be PM'ing you the starting location for my K-Town Crawl next Saturday. For someone who lives in the nabe, you can at least come out for 1 cocktail.

OK, reviewing my Tiki history, I can see the Tonga Room originally was a banquet room dating back to 1907 when the Fairmont first opened. In 1929, it was remodeled into swimming pool. In 1946, it became the S.S. Tonga, decorated to look like the deck of a cruise ship (!!). By the 1950's it became the Tonga Room as we more or less know it today.

Based on this, arguably it's the most historically significant of Tiki establishments still operating in the West. My dissatisfaction with the cocktails and the creeping devolution clouded my historical judgment. Boris was correct in pointing this out.

Which raises the question, what do Tikiphiles cherish more in a Tiki establishment? Historical significance or the quality of the Tropical drinks?

Wait, don't answer that. I already know. :(

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2010-08-23 07:53 ]

OK, back to the cocktails….

Yikes, I forgot the Bahooka has a Zombie. Not part of my back-to-back Zombie Road Trip, but better late than never.

Bahooka has never had a rep for their mixology, but really the cocktails are kind of besides the point at this place.

Here's my reasons:

1. The one-of-a-kind environment. It's like you're eating/drinking inside a fish tank. The bar is a fish tank !!

2. The only true "Tiki" family restaurant. This is where you bring your kids to implant the same Tiki subliminal memories that late baby boomers have of original Tiki-style.

3. This is the birthplace of the Tiki Revival. Here's my logic. The Bigbro was inspired at the Bahooka to write the "The Book of Tiki". BOT then served as the blueprint for the Tiki Revival. The rest is history. :) Make sense?

That said, how was the Zombie? Well they use well rum, not even Bacardi. According to my bartender, Suzanne, they do a free pour with an equivalent of 4 shots of the stuff !! Sipping the drink, it was pleasant enough, not too sweet but really I couldn't detect the stiffness. 15 minutes later however, my head was spinning. I felt buzzed the whole night even after a full meal. Yes the drink was kind of crude but at $8.50, it was some kind of deal.

I love the Bahooka !!

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2010-08-22 21:30 ]

Excellent Zombie reviews, John-O! Keep up the hard work!

Nice Job John-O!

Great idea. Excellent reviews. thanks for taking 1 (or 8) for the team.

My only problem with this (and it is nothing to do with the reviews, which are good) but the value for money of the Zombies.
With the recipe going something like

3/4 OZ Lime Juice
1/2 OZ Grapefruit Juice
1/2 OZ Fallernum
1/2 OZ Simple Syrup
1-1/4 OZ Light Puerto Rican Rum
1 OZ Lemon Hart Demerara Rum
1 OZ Meyers's Dark
1 OZ Appleton Estate Rum
1 OZ Ron Zacapo Rum (or MT. Gay?)
2 dashes Pernod
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 Dash Absinthe, Pernod
3 dashes Grenadine
3/4 Marashino Liquor

It is impossible to make a real Zombie for $6 especially with bar/staff costs involved.
Either these bars are making them as a loss leader/no profit or something is missing.

A well made Zombie at £10+ is actually still good value

Is that what they call a "real" Zombie in England ?? If so I'm booking my ticket now. :)

There's no way any of the Zombies I had were that complex. I think they were based more on the "Zombie (the original)" or the "Zombie (mid-century version)" as documented by Beachbum Berry. Both those recipes call for (approx) 3 shots of rum: 1 gold Puerto Rican, 1 light Puerto Rican (or aged Jamaican), and 1 Lemon Hart 151.

Really to me if a Zombie has 3 shots of rum with one of them being 151 (even Bacardi), that's close enough to a Don's Zombie in spirit.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2010-08-23 07:52 ]

C'mon Boris, cut John-O a little slack. That was a fairly nifty post with a lot of boozy research to back it up. If you had lined those places up and asked me which would come on top, I'd say Smuggler's Cove. So, John-O, I reached the same conclusion and spent a lot less to get there! :D I'm kidding. Thanks for the post.

On 2010-08-21 17:36, JOHN-O wrote:
This is the birthplace of the Tiki Revival.

Really? That's quite a stretch. (I'm from Florida, but I've been to Bahooka.) I think you're over thinking it. There isn't a "birthplace of the Tiki revival". The birthplace is a summation of a number of factors, one of which (and a MAJOR one) is the BOT.

On 2010-08-21 17:36, JOHN-O wrote:
The Bigbro

Ha, Sven is our "Dude". :D

I was cutting him some slack, :)

Besides that one minor discrepancy it's an excellent post. The signage photos next to the drink photos is great.

Nicely done John-O.

Really? That's quite a stretch. (I'm from Florida, but I've been to Bahooka.) I think you're over thinking it. There isn't a "birthplace of the Tiki revival". The birthplace is a summation of a number of factors, one of which (and a MAJOR one) is the BOT.

"Welcome to Rosemead, the Birthplace of the Tiki Revival"

...and my childhood hometown !!

:D

Oh, and by the way... the Mai-Kai's Zombie, which you referred to, isn't their best drink. Just my opinion.

In Michael Jackson's Bar & Cocktail Companion, he states that "the zombie is a joke drink in which rum is crammed into the glass like students in a phone booth", I don't personally hold with the late wine experts opinion but it does suggest that there should be a lot of rum in a zombie.

More Zombie action...

This time from the island paradise of Hawaii. You'll find Mai Tais on pretty much every drink menu in and around Waikiki, but no Zombies. The Mai Tai at the Halekulani was so good, I asked if they could do a Zombie (off the menu). They said sure !! It was a stiff classic Zombie.

"Broke Da Mouth". :)

"I'd like a Zombie, a Mai Tai, and 1 of your Painkillers"

"I'm JOHN-O from Tiki Central by the way, this is my first time here."

(Handing my credit card over)

Bartender: "Don't worry about it, the drinks are on me."

:) :) :) :) :)

This is THE way to do it!

Thanks for the research John.

I cannot wait to get over to Tiki No and try it out, and now you have given me a great reason to swing by.

So....

How were the drinks at Tiki No?

Well since this is a Zombie thread, let me comment on that drink.

It was a flavorful cocktail, both fruity with a nice sour aftertaste. It reminded me of the Zombie at Frankie's Tiki Room, which I really like as well. But like that drink, I really can't consider it a classic Zombie. It just didn't have the stiffness and complexity.

Talking to Josh, the person at Tiki No responsible for the drink recipes, he said they're still working on the right combination of price vs. mixology faithfulness. I'm sure we'll be seeing the drinks evolve there over time. Based on the people I saw there on Thanksgiving eve, Tiki No is trying to cater to more than just the Tikiphile rank and file (and from what I could see, is being successful in that endeavor).

Most of the best Zombies I sampled on my "Road Trip" were about $13. Tiki No's was $10. I told Josh that I'd be willing to pay more money for the best Tropical cocktail possible. If you feel the same way, please share that with him.

The decor and ambiance of Tiki No however is perfect !! This is another Bamboo Ben masterpiece. Consider this in the same league as Forbidden Island and Frankie's Tiki Room (and then some). Rather than just a faithful recreation of classic Tiki-style atmosphere, it seems to have updated the aesthetic for the 21st century.

This place isn't out-and-out competition to the Tonga Hut but rather a good complement to it. Now the lucky city of North Hollywood can claim the best of classic Tiki-style historic authenticity and the best of net new Tiki Revival.

Why oh why, though, couldn't Tiki No have opened in Venice ??

And if the theft of a Tiki bar's drink menus is a sign of success, all of Tiki No's original 60 drink menus have already left the building.

On 2010-11-26 15:45, JOHN-O wrote:

And if the theft of a Tiki bar's drink menus is a sign of success, all of Tiki No's original 60 drink menus have already left the building.

Seriously?!?! That's out of control...I didn't know there were so many menu collectors outside of the TC world.

By the way, great thread as usual, John-O. I'm always glad to see updates on all of your projects.

Wow, how long has the Puka Bar been around? Until last night I've never even been there. Whenever my car is that far south on the 405, it automatically navigates to Don the Beachcomber so the Puka Bar always get ignored. Sometimes I think there's TOO much Tiki in So CA, without enough Tikiphiles to adequately spread the love (and money) around.

Due to the lack of coverage here on TC, I always assumed the Puka Bar was TINO (Tiki In Name Only). The only comments that stick in my mind are "bad drinks" and "unsafe area". Walking into the place with low expectations, I was really pleasantly surprised. It's quite a large place and has a definite exotic Tiki vibe. Yes, there are a few sad Tikis but also a lot of great Poly-Pop decor done by artists like Crazy Al.

Tiki "Punk Rock" club was the atmosphere it evoked for me. An uninhibited place where you could feel free to let loose and have a great time (one guy was dancing with a cabbage on his head). I think the best thing about the Puka Bar was it had a nice stage area in the back for bands to perform. I saw the Ding Dong Devils there and they put on a GREAT show. The acoustics and sight lines were just so much better than a place like Don the Beachcomber's Dagger Bar.

Based on comments in TC, I expected this to be Long Beach ghetto. It's actually on a well lighted street surrounded by businesses like BofA. There was plenty of street parking nearby.

So HOW were those drinks? Well I was already pretty buzzed after meeting a friend at Tony's on the Pier (another post), but I did sample the Zombie for this thread. It wasn't a classic zombie, its fruit (very peachy) taste was the dominant flavor. Not great, but not that bad either. It was pleasant and drinkable. And how can you fault a place that uses Lemon Hart as an ingredient? (when they had it)...

I think with a few simple changes, this place could easily move up into the top tier of So Ca Tiki Revival. I'd definitely add it to anyone's Tiki Roadtrip, especially if a good band is playing.

I'm going to keep an eye on this place. :)

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2010-11-28 14:45 ]

John-O: thanks for coming to Puka Bar on Saturday, and thanks for the Zombie you bought me! Now I feel like I'm an actual small part of your Zombie Road Trip! And re: the Puka Bar, they have done quite a bit to dress up the back "band" room, which used to be just a plain box room in comparison to the exquisite bar room and foyer. It's actually got a tikified sound booth, which is a step beyond most tiki establishments in this region.

And the Wrigley district (the area where it's located) has gotten better in recent years, though--while industrial and blue collar--it was never the "worst" part of Long Beach by a long shot. It was pretty quiet on Willow Saturday night (the nightclub up the street the Til-2 was where the rowdy crowd usually was, but I think that place got a bit cracked down upon).

Here's one of the many differences between the "Tiki" crowd and the "Buffett" crowd: the Buffetts are used to seeing music in squeaky-clean amphitheaters and beach bars, so this locale might be "scary." However, many Tiki-philes used to go to gigs at places like LA's Al's Bar and Jabberjaw (or equivalent clubs in SF's Mission or SOM, NY's Bowery, or whichever city you're located in, etc.) where the big parking decision for the night was whether you were going to pay the homeless guy $1 to "watch" your car. There's nobody on the street to even make you that offer outside the Puka Bar, and there's usually has plenty of street parking--and if you get there in the afternoon, you can probably have a beer with a longshoreman or two.

Caltiki Brent

Here's an out-of-state Zombie review for...

The Hala Kahiki !!

"You mean that place in Ohio? Didn't it close down 10 years ago?" as a few So CA Tikiphiles commented to me recently. Nope, this is the HALA Kahiki just outside of Chicago, which has been going strong since 1966.

Not quite as well known as fellow mid-century icons like the Tiki-Ti or Mai Kai, it certainly deserves to be mentioned in the same breath. This place has been on my Tiki to-do list for quite some time.

I happened to be in Chicago on business, and a small window of time opened up for me (and a co-worker) to visit. Taking a $65 taxi ride from downtown, we traveled 16 miles to what seemed like the middle of nowhere. The Indian cab driver was really curious why a couple of tourists would be traveling so far out of downtown. What kind of place did you say this was?, he asked. "A titty bar ??". No I answered, "A Tiki bar !!". :D

Walking through the Hala Kahiki's doors was like walking through a time portal back to the 1960's. The immediate vibe I felt was the dark and quiet reverence of a church.

A Tiki church !!

Actually it was more like the holy temple of Witco, as that signature dark wood and leopard print were in sight all throughout the building. In fact there was so much Witco, it almost seemed like it had to be reproductions for so much of it to be concentrated in one spot. It however was the real deal.

The mood was momentarily broken as I heard Abba's "Dancing Queen" begin to play over the sound system. I immediately made a bee line to the juke box and quickly searched for some Exotica selections. Nothing in that genre, but I did find an Alfred Apaka CD and a Hawaiian music comp that I quickly programmed.

OK, now it was time for a cocktail !! True to the theme of this thread, I started out with a Zombie. When I saw it wasn't being served in the requisite Collins glass, my expectations were lowered. After a few sips, my reaction was "This tastes like Kool-aid spiked with rum". :( After the Zombie, I sampled a Fog Cutter and then a Navy Grog. The mixology quality was all about the same.

So did the disappointing cocktails take away from my Hala Kahiki experience? I would say No. I think I would have been happy just drinking club soda with the Tiki "time machine" euphoria I was feeling. Much like the Bahooka in Rosemead, the cocktails were probably besides the point.

I've been to most of the original and revival Tiki bars in the West. Now while I love them all, none of them were close to the exotic frozen-in-time Tiki romanticism that I experienced at the Hala Kahiki. I like to think of So Ca (or even the entire state) as being the center of the Tiki universe, but after the Hala Kahiki, I was humbled.

Actually the fact that the Hala Kahiki sits 2,000 miles northeast of the Tiki-Ti, and 1,500 miles northwest of the Mai Kai, maybe IT'S really the center of Tiki culture in America. :)

Haha, nothing changes at the Hala Kahiki: I got in trouble with them when I said something about the drink quality...in TIKI NEWS!
Nothing has changed - and that is a GOOD THING! It is indeed a time warp, how they have managed to keep everything in such good shape but so intact periodwise is truly awesome. And it is indeed on par with such Tiki temples as the Mai Kai and the Tonga Room:
The density of the decor, the way the WItco art works together with the bamboo, rattan and beaded curtains, weaving through the different rooms, is a show case of Polynesian pop par excellence.

Good work sir!!! The next time I'm in Chicago, I will have to stop by the Hala Kahiki.

Thanks for the report on the Hala Kahiki John-O. Sounds like the "frozen in time" phrase could be applied to the jukebox as well--frozen in time to the disco era (when Dancing Queen came out).

Since the tropical drinks were not up to snuff, I'm wondering if you saw any Templeton Rye behind the bar (or sampled the same at any other watering holes while you were in the Templeton region)?

Caltiki Brent

On 2010-11-09 22:34, JOHN-O wrote:
More Zombie action...

This time from the island paradise of Hawaii. You'll find Mai Tais on pretty much every drink menu in and around Waikiki, but no Zombies. The Mai Tai at the Halekulani was so good, I asked if they could do a Zombie (off the menu). They said sure !! It was a stiff classic Zombie.

"Broke Da Mouth". :)

One of the nicest hotels in Waikiki. Glad they are making righteous cocktails.

So John-O, to date which place is the best? great thread, by the way.

On 2011-05-12 23:28, Chuck Tatum is Tiki wrote:
So John-O, to date which place is the best? great thread, by the way.

Here's my new Tiki outlook on life...

There is no best (or worst).

Just different. :)

Everyone's a big winner on Tiki Central !!

Just like the French Zombie at Purple Orchid...

It's SMOKIN' !!

No really, it's smoking.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2011-06-12 06:22 ]

Here's some Zombie updates.

Originally I said this about the Zombie at Frankie's...

"This was NOT a classic Don's-style Zombie..."

UPDATE - Go when Mike is mixing. He makes it classic style. :)

And originally I said this about the Zombie at Forbidden Island...

"Yes this had 3 shots of rum, including the 151 (pretty sure it was LH) but it had a more sour taste which masked the stiffness... I wouldn't say this was a classic Don's-style Zombie but it was a VERY good cocktail."

UPDATE - I was at FI this week and ordered a Zombie thinking the one I had last year might have been an anomaly. What I got however was exactly the same tasting drink. When I asked Suzanne about it, she said their house Zombie is based on the tarter 1950's recipe which she prefers. She then mixed me the 1930's version. Tasting that, I would say it ranks with the best I've reviewed here so far. Alternating sips between the two drinks however, I decided I liked the 1950's version better. :)

Thanks Suzanne !!

And oh yeah, the Puka Bar is now the SandBar Lounge. I haven't been in there yet, but I assume it's been de-Tikified. :(

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2011-06-12 06:24 ]

On 2011-05-13 17:04, JOHN-O wrote:

On 2011-05-12 23:28, Chuck Tatum is Tiki wrote:
So John-O, to date which place is the best? great thread, by the way.

Here's my new Tiki outlook on life...

There is no best (or worst).

Just different. :)

Everyone's a big winner on Tiki Central !!

Just like the French Zombie at Purple Orchid...

It's SMOKIN' !!

No really, it's smoking.

Does Purple Orchid serve the French Zombie on a regular basis?
About 5 years ago, I went there every Friday night, and I never saw it.

You have to be there when Dave is there.

He's the only one who mixes it.

But Daves not home?

The Zombie at the Mai Kai was very good.

That and the Jet Pilot were my favorite cocktails. :)

Fabulous thread John...love the pics to accompany the drinks. Keep up the great research!!!

So a little bird told me that the Mai-Kai tried to kill you?
or was it a self inflected rum overdose?

Looking forward to your East Coast bar reviews John-O
once you sober up!

I think John was actually a Zombie by mid last week.
:wink:

Jeff(btd)

So here's Part 1 of my Mai Kai (and Hukilau) review...

Having spoken with several Mai Kai veterans here in So Ca, I got this bit of Tiki advice: "Do you know when's the best time to get good drinks at the Mai Kai?"..."When it's NOT Hukilau !!" ( :D )

That said, I elected to fly in two days early to experience things without the hordes of drunken, um I mean celebrating Tikiphiles.

The Mai Kai has long been a mythical place for me, my first awareness of it being its inclusion in the Book of Tiki. I never really thought that much about Tiki prior to BOT, my only adult "Tiki" experience being the infrequent visit to Tiki-Ti starting in the early 1990's. Also the (2nd) Bahooka opened when I was a student across the street at Rosemead High School, but I don't recall the word "Tiki" ever being associated with the place at the time. And oh yeah, my sister and I had a whole shoebox full of those Tiki Surfer Moai pendants in the late 60's, you know the ones with "diamond" eyes (where did we get them ??).

I initially purchased BOT in 2000 to learn about all the cool Tiki places that (like the Tiki-Ti) I could visit in LA and throughout the country. After quickly thumbing through the book my first reaction was "What a gyp, most of these places don't even exist anymore. :(". Obviously since that time, I have come to appreciate Tiki-style for its rich history as well as the pop cultural anchor it provides for some of my other interests like Exotica, high-end mixology (the drinking part), and mid-century dive bars (and yup early 60's Surf music to a lesser degree).

Over the last decade, I've continuously enjoyed the BOT, marveling over images of the great Tiki temples that are no longer with us. Kahiki, gone. Kona Kai, gone. Etc, etc. None of those documented BOT places existed anymore, and if they did not with the same glory of their 1960's heydays.

All with the exception of... the Mai Kai.

(And I'm leaving the Tiki-Ti out of this comparison since that place might have fit into the storage rooms of the some of the larger Tiki palaces.)

Over the last several years, I've engaged in the following Tiki bar conversation:

Me: "I'm afraid to go to the Mai Kai, at this point there's no way it can meet my Tiki expectations. I'm only going to be disappointed. Better to have it exist only in my dreams."

Them: "You won't be disappointed JOHN-O, it's really that fantastic".

This only served to heighten my (admittedly unreasonable) expectations.

So with that, after a 5+ hour flight from Los Angeles, I headed straight to the Mai Kai. So based on my first impressions, did the Mai Kai live up to the high Tiki ideal that I had formed since that chapter in BOT ??

The honest answer... NO it didn't. Actually how could it? (At least not initially...)

OK let's get this part out of the way. What exactly was the Mai Kai of my imagination?

1. Expectation: It was a Tropical Oasis in the middle of nowhere, situated along a barren patch of Highway 1, lost in time. My most excellent visit to the Hale Kahiki last month only served to reinforce that ideal. Reality: The Mai Kai might have been in the middle of nowhere back in the late 1950's but now it was surrounded by generic shopping malls and a Gentleman's Club just down the street.

2. Expectation: I always imagined the Molokai bar as being really really dark, like the deepest hold of the HMS Bounty. Reality: When I first entered, there was significant natural light which to me is the bane of my ideal Tiki experience. Afterward I realized the trade-off was worth it since the windows with the cascading water were all super cool.

3. Expectation: The Molokai Maidens looked exactly like the girls in the vintage Mai Kai calendars. Reality: The Molokai Maidens were all very beautiful young women, affable and attentive servers, but they radiated more middle America wholesomeness than exotic foreign mystery (and some of them were Blondes !!)

4. Expectation (and the key one for me): The Mai Kai was dripping with the age of its 55 years, evident in crumbling Tikis, dusty forgotten corners, and an deteriorating interior in need of renovation. (Yes, this is the stuff I love). Reality: The Mai Kai is in fantastic shape !! (More on this later).

OK, so what else happened on that first visit...

Well I was there just in time for the dinner show, so I asked to be seated for that. The area around the stage looked to be only one-third full that Tue night but the maitre d' (appropriately dressed in old-school blue blazer and white slacks) seated me in the farthest reaches of Siberia. At first I took this personally but then I observed a single young woman come in also being seated far from the stage. "Can't I get something closer?" she asked pointing to all of the empty tables. The maitre d' asked "Have you been here before?". She replied yes and then was told "Then you know how it works". (!!) Ha, ha. The Mai Kai is certainly true to its mid-century dining roots when single dining was discouraged (and/or tipping your maitre d' was encouraged). :D

So how were the drinks? Well I started out with a Jet Pilot which true to its Mai Kai reputation was a stiff and complex drink. Very very good. My next drink was the Black Magic. Now this was the one I was looking forward to as it's the Mai Kai's signature drink and contains coffee (which I love). Now I know I will be in the minority here, but this cocktail just didn't do it for me. I think it was the bitterness. Later I had a 151 Swizzle which was great (Is this what it's supposed to taste like? I've only had Tiki-Ti's.) and then one of the non-Strong drinks which I forget the name.

Other noteworthy drinks that I enjoyed over the next several nights included the Yeoman's Grog (which had a cool upside down snow cone thingy), Grandfather's Barrel O' Rum (thanks for that advice Marty Lush but yikes a $22 cocktail?), K.O. Cooler, and many more Jet Pilot's. Since this is my Zombie thread let me focus on that cocktail. It was one of my favorite drinks at the Mai Kai but I did not initially identify it as a Zombie. Conferring with CalTiki, who's mixologist's palate I respect, he also acknowledged it was a great drink but wouldn't have thought it was a Zombie unless I told him. It's probably due to all of the Sunset Beach DTBC's Zombies we drink. It wasn't until the end of the weekend when I realized I was spending too much time on the "Strong" end of the drink menu. The "Medium" Shark Bite I had was really good and I sipped a "Mild" drink which was complex and flavorful (Mai Kai Special?). All those nights and I had only scratched the surface.

OK, so back to Tue's meal. For dinner I had the Chinese oven filet which was excellent and had a unique flavor. It's too bad you can't get the full dinner menu in the Molokai bar. I was spending most of my Mai Kai time there for the remainder of the trip and would have liked to sample some of the other entrees. (Here's the true secret to the Mai Kai, bring a date for a proper sit-down dinner :D.) And as for the show, I was expecting something along the lines of mid-century kitsch but enjoyed a performance that rang very authentic (more on that later).

Coming up next is Part 2 where I come to realize the true magic of the Mai Kai (and Hukilau).

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2011-06-13 21:32 ]

Yes.........Yes.........waiting........more..more...

On 2011-06-02 23:18, JOHN-O wrote:
You have to be there when Dave is there.

He's the only one who mixes it.

Did I ever see Dave behind the bar actually mixing drinks?
I think the only time was him carrying bottles from the storage room.

Ok John-o, Read Part 1, I am waiting for part 2. We read what you wrote in TC.![]( Zandora says
[img]https://tikicentral.com/uploads/10038/4df6f95d.jpg)

As for the Zombie...

When I had it the first time in 2003 I thought it was way off. Not like any Zombie I ever had before. Then when Jeff Berry gave me the 1934 Zombie Punch a few years later, the original and until then lost recipe for the Zombie, I immediately realized it was what they serve at the Mai-Kai! Only, not as kick-butt strong.

Since John-O mentioned my reaction to a taste of his Zombie (for the record, after making the comment that it didn't taste like the Zombies I was used to, I ascertained that it was delicious as well), I'll interject some of my own first Mai Kai experience. Though I arrived only two days after John-O, I want to thank him for being my advance scout, tour guide and chauffeur (we rode down to Miami in his rental car Thursday for some lunch at Versailles in Calle Ocho/Little Havana, and some other sightseeing). We arrived at the Mai Kai rights at 5pm opening Thursday.

Most of the people who had described the Mai Kai to me, did it with the preface that as much as they built it up, their descriptions would not do it justice. I found this to be quite the case. There is absolutely no surviving polynesian palace on this level (as has been said time and time again). John-O received a tour from Swanky the day before, and then imparted the same tour to me (as well as Tiki Ray & Cindy, and probably a few others). Knowing John-O's attention to detail, I'm pretty sure all of the relevant and salient features were pointed out, right down to the location of the genuine shrunken head. I hadn't even thought about the presence of windows until you mentioned it John-O. However, because of the rain in the Molokai bar, and the surrounding Tiki gardens, this is a case where windows enhance the mood rather than detract (and one does not escape the vibe). In fact, for those of us in SoCal (and no doubt those in most other regions as well), there was a refreshing absence of two commonplace mood-altering factors present in many modern day Tiki establishments: the presence of a visible bar/working bartenders, and the presence of brightly-lit big screen TVs broadcasting sporting events (and I say that as someone who enjoys watching sports--just not in a Tiki palace).

As for drinks the first day, John-O recommended I start with a Jet Pilot. I did as suggested, and discovered it was not only delicious, but also the strongest drink on the menu. Friday I had a 151 Swizzle which I found to be as delicious as the Jet Pilot in its own way. However, the 151 Swizzle is served in a chilled metal cylinder, which--due to its coldness--is placed over a folded napkin in short glass for holding. Halfway through, I got up and committed my only Mai Kai faux paux of the weekend. I forgot about the bottom glass, picked the metal container up by the top and the small glass hit the floor. It was then I discovered that the Molokai Bar floor allows small glasses to bounce three times before breaking. Later, when someone else in my proximity did the exact same thing I did, I realized that this might happen with some level of frequency for 151 Swizzle newbies.

Over the course of the rest of the weekend, besides trying several drinks others ordered (including the Shark Bite and Yeoman's Grog--both quite delicious), I had a Black Magic and a Mutiny--I'm not usually big on coffee flavored drinks, but both had enough different flavors other than coffee that I enjoyed them (the Black Magic a little more than the Mutiny). I also had the Barrel O Rum, but found it too heavy on citrus (particularly grapefruit) for my tastes (and digestive system).

On Sunday, knowing it was my final day at Mai Kai (thanks to Chris B. for the ride that day, and to TikiTomD and his wife for hanging out and talking outside before the Mai Kai opened), I had to decide whether to try more new drinks I hadn't yet had, or go with another dose of those I liked the best before catching the cab for the airport. I decided on the latter, and had another Jet Pilot and 151 Swizzle (actually my third time on the latter). Though I don't think I would ever tire of the Mai Kai, living about 2700 miles away may be a secret blessing to help maintain the mystery and keep me from becoming a Jet Pilot addict (that's what I'm telling myself anyway!).

Caltiki Brent

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http://www.facebook.com/dingdongdevils
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[ Edited by: congawa 2011-06-14 16:52 ]

Big Thanks Brent! I am living vicariously through you and John-O for this Mai Kai adventure.
give me more.....more.....

On 2010-11-25 01:27, JOHN-O wrote:

"I'd like a Zombie, a Mai Tai, and 1 of your Painkillers"

"I'm JOHN-O from Tiki Central by the way, this is my first time here."

(Handing my credit card over)

Bartender: "Don't worry about it, the drinks are on me."

:) :) :) :) :)

Nice presentation by Tiki No.
Even better price.

Well I wrote a Part 2 but after reading it, I decided my words couldn't appropriately channel the Tiki emotion of a drunken Swanky.

Let's just put it this way...

The Mai Kai is indeed Tiki Mecca.

Is it Mecca in that it's the greatest Tiki temple still in existence, with the largest scale, grandest history, most Tikis, and best drinks? You could probably say yes to all those things.

I however like to think of it as Mecca, in that it inspired me to truly appreciate Tiki the way it was in its Mid-century heyday. It was like stepping into a living breathing "Book of Tiki". It took me several contemplative visits, the collective Hukilau Mana (and many many cocktails :D) to finally realize this.

You might assume my "pilgrimage" would make my subsequent visits to my local So Ca Tiki bars feel like second-best. On the contrary, it had just the opposite effect. Now I think I'm going to cherish more than ever the unique details which make every Tiki Bar special, and to take my heightened Tiki consciousness with me wherever I'm drinking...

From Don's… to the Tonga Hut… and yes even to Bellflower's Hawaiian Room.

Thank you Mai Kai (and Hukilau) !! :)