Good News - The Honolulu mai-tais live on

Many of you are aware that the Honolulu Restaurant in Alexandria, VA is about to close its doors. Their most popular drink was the mai-tai, and although the restaurant itself is closing, owners David and Anna Chang have found a way for their mai-tai recipe to continue on.

I knew about this for some time, but was not going to announce it until the right time - and today at the Honolulu (with Kailuageoff) we saw that each table had a small card announcing the availability of ....(jungle drumroll)

Dave and Anna's Signature Blends Mai-Tai Mix!

I've consumed over 200 of David's mai-tais over the years (Anna knows how to make them too), and am tickled to think that I might still be able to enjoy these drinks. These bottles hold 12 ounces, sell for about $9-10 per bottle, and all you have to do is mix the blend with lemon juice, light rum, golden rum, and a bit of lime (the recipe is on the back)

I haven't tried this mix yet, as I will likely keep my first bottle in its intact condition for sentimental purposes, but I do consider this to be very good news.

David and Anna will be selling their mai-tai mixes, along with their salad dressing, and other sauces, on a new web-site .....
http://www.time2tiki.com/

They are extremely busy with the closing of their restaurant, so you can't buy the items off their website yet, but I'm sure the site will be open for business soon. It will be nice to be able to help them along, as they make the transition from restuarant owners to their semi-retirement years.

I will post later about my final impressions of the Honolulu, and post some more pictures, after they formally close. Meanwhile, here is a nice shot of a small bit of their decor ...

Because they were quite busy tonight, I did not ask about the outcome of their silent auction....I'm waiting just like many others are for some news of this.

Vern

[ Edited by: ikitnrev on 2004-04-05 21:44 ]

Hi Vern,
Sorry to say my trips to Virginia have never taken me to the Honolulu or Alexandria (Norfolk, Newport News, Hampton, Williamsburg & Virginia Beach) but had I been aware of this establishment, I would have made an effort to drop in. My loss, but as you say we can still salvage a little piece of history (and that don't happen all the time). I'll pick up a bottle & drink a toast to the Honolulu.
Aloha,
Terry

Well that is great news!! I LOVED their salad dressing, and of course their mai tais. I sure hope they'll ship to Canada, because I'd like to buy some of everything!

Vern,
Mahalo for meeting my friend Ed and I at the Honolulu the other night. It was great sharing a final evening there with you, and talking about the virtues of this great establishment. (It was really strange having to stand in line for 45 minutes just to get through the door though. Especially because I do not recollect ever having to wait for a table over the last 20 years.)
I do hope you score a few of their treasures as you are certainly deserving. I haven't decided whether to cack open my bottle of mix or save it as you say for "sentimental purposes".
See ya at the Hukilau!
KG

fyi

i mixed up some of the 'dave & anna's mai tai mix' over the weekend, per the instructions above - it was right on! a very true-to-form honolulu mai tai. we toasted the last day as it was this saturday they closed (ref. ikitnrev's news release dated today)

j$

honolulu mai tai update...

two years later, the mix is still being cranked out, and is the same high quality it originally was...

http://time2tiki.com/store_home.htm

i just got my 3-pack shipment yesterday (we must provide ikitnrev with the appropriate drink this weekend :) )

I received a gift basket from Time2tiki.com today. I tried their salad dressing for lunch on my salad. Really good! Now I've mixed up a nice Mai Tai using their mix and directions for my drinking pleasure during the Red Sox game. Taste yummy! OK, games an hour away, I need another.

Here's a link to the gift basket I received. Not a bad deal, I changed the mugs around. The basket is a nice size, and great for storage. Just my two cents.

http://www.time2tiki.com/basket02.htm

Cheers!

Rick

[ Edited by: Bogielocks 2007-10-15 16:05 ]