Taste of the Point – September 2022

This month we sampled the most famous tropical tiki drink in the world, The Mai Tai, that originated at Trader Vic’s in Oakland, California in the 1940’s. A Mai Tai drink has a prominent rum flavor and a bit of orange, lime or coconut accent on the backend. With these drinks there is a tradition of blending rums to create that perfect taste.

I tried three local bars – all of them on Shelter Island Drive – The Bali Hai, The Kona Kai Resort and Blue Wave Bar, and the winner is…The Kona Kai!

First up was The Kona Kai resort and spa built in 1953 and it is a sprawling complex. The restaurant and bar has a nice view of the marina, so I settled in at the bar and placed my order. The rum was a mixture of Bacardi, Captain Morgan, and Gosling, which is a Dark Rum. First sip was strong, since the dark rum was added to the top of the drink, but it was a nice touch. The drink had good rum flavor, with a hint of orange and lime on the back end. After one sip I wanted more. It was a little pricy at $18, but worth it. Overall very good.

The next stop was the iconic Bali Hai, which opened its doors in 1953 and has been serving Mai Tai’s and numerous other tropical drinks ever since. The Mid Century south seas architecture is cool – and harks back to a simpler time of themed restaurants. I had high hopes for the Mai Tai here but became suspicious after reading the following on the menu “Quite possibly the strongest drink you will ever consume – limit 2 per person” and they weren’t kidding. Two kinds of rum were used, Cruzan Light Rum and Coruba Jamaican Dark Rum. Now this drink was very heavy on the rum, light on everything else that really makes a Mai Tai a Mai Tai. I winced after the first sip and could not taste the orange or lime accents. The price was cheap, $11, like the drink, so if you want a powerful rum drink, this is for you, but as a classic Mai Tai I didn’t feel it was completely up to par.

Last stop was The Blue Wave Bar and Grill at the Best Western Plus Island Palms Hotel. The bar is nice and airy and has wonderful views of the marina. For this Mai Tai the rum was a mixture of Bacardi and Malibu. The drink had a nice flavor, with orange and coconut accents, it was a little sweet, but that didn’t bother me. Priced at a little over $14, I liked it and overall it was nice. I have to add that the views here were nice and this place is worth a try if you want a nice local bar and grill that has a nice vibe.

So once again, there you have it. Until next month, remember it’s what you eat (or drink!) that matters.