613336 Sun Apr 19 20:46:02 -0700 2009 18 18 Manhattan 0 4610229 I just got back from Honolulu and had excellent Mai Tai's at Halekulani (at House without a Key and Orchids). They were superb and now I'd like to find an equivalent in Manhattan. I found a suggestion on Chowhound from two years back for Flatiron Lounge. Does anyone have a more current recommendation? Thank you. Sun Apr 19 20:46:02 -0700 2009 284015 bsomlo 1 4610242 From the originator of the Mai Tai..... Is this location no longer? Trader Vics 59th St & 5th Ave New York, NY 10022 (212) 355-5185‎ Sun Apr 19 20:54:08 -0700 2009 4610229 11914 monku 2 4610287 Unfortunately, there is no longer a NYC location. And the Manhattan Roy's just closed... Sun Apr 19 21:14:51 -0700 2009 4610242 284015 bsomlo 3 4610301 Sorry to hear that. My first visit to TV's in NYC was high school prom night (18 was the drinking age) in the 70's.....we had to find out what a Mai Tai was all about. Tasted just like the one I had last year at the new TV's in Las Vegas. Sun Apr 19 21:19:36 -0700 2009 4610287 11914 monku 2 4622392 The Plaza location's been closed what -- 20 years? http://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/25/nyregion/trump-to-close-a-tacky-trader-vic-s.html Thu Apr 23 12:19:20 -0700 2009 4610242 13780 Up With Olives 1 4610633 Best one I've had in the city was at the Rusty Knot. www.thelunchbelle.com Mon Apr 20 05:09:21 -0700 2009 4610229 110996 LeahBaila 2 4614321 I am not familiar with the place. I'll have to give it a try. Thanks. Tue Apr 21 07:43:57 -0700 2009 4610633 284015 bsomlo 2 4614448 depending on the bartender, you can get an awesome one at otto's shrunken head...tiki bar with country music! Tue Apr 21 08:22:32 -0700 2009 4610633 14393 sam1 3 4620568 Thank you so much! I will have to try the place! I hope I get the bartender who makes the awesome Mai Tai ... Wed Apr 22 23:23:19 -0700 2009 4614448 284015 bsomlo 3 4622428 Just so you know -- Otto's is a loud & scuzzy rock 'n' roll bar, some bartenders are incompetent, and I at least some of the tiki drinks are made from mixes. Nothing against Otto's, I just wanted you to be prepared. Thu Apr 23 12:25:46 -0700 2009 4614448 13780 Up With Olives 2 4623807 2d this Thu Apr 23 19:24:06 -0700 2009 4610633 10216 Lucia 1 4621629 Finding a great mai tai in NYC has been the holy grail for the local tiki-philes for some time now. For reference, a REAL classic mai tai is some close variation on : 1 ounce Fine Jamaican Rum (15 or 8 year old) 1 ounce Martinique Rum (St. James) 1/2 ounce Orange Curacao 1/2 ounce Orgeat Syrup (aka almond syrup) Juice from one fresh lime (about 3/4 ounce) (anything major deviation from above is NOT a mai tai!) So, here are a few options: Elettaria -- most if not all of the bartenders can make great mai tais, although they are not on the menu -- just ask. they use a recipe pretty close to the original Trader Vics and use proper rums and real orgeat syrup. This is a go-to spot for a proper mai tai! Flatiron Lounge - I ordered one a few weeks ago and it was mediocre at best. When I ordered a second and told them it should be rummier they said "sorry, we're out of orgeat". Not good! They have a rum/tiki cocktail on the menu now which is mai tai-ish, but a bit on the fruity side, and cant remember the name. Chinatown Brasserie -- their signature drink is a frozen mai tai! Or they'll make it the normal way. BUT, they use pineapple juice (heresy!) but it isnt bad and their duck spring rolls are wonderful -- in fact, a frozen mai tai - duck spring roll session at the CB bar is a wonderful way to kill an afternoon! Otto's Shrunken Head -- it's a cheapo approximation of a mai tai, I think with a single rum, and will vary from sicky sweet or weak depending upon who's mixing. Definitely wouldnt go out of my way for one, but their "Shrunken Head" cocktail is much better (has coconut flavor, i suspect from Malibu rum) Shun Lee West (believe it or not) -- a bit on the sweet side but they don't always have orgeat in stock. Peking Duck House (uptown) -- their Planters Punch isnt a mai tai but it's a pretty good tiki cocktail in its own right. Otherwise, on any given night the bartenders at Death and Co, PDT, Pegu Club, etc will probably make a good one if it's not too busy and they're in a tiki mood. Aloha, and good luck! Thu Apr 23 09:17:32 -0700 2009 4610229 285535 west34 2 4622705 Great post, west34! Thu Apr 23 13:24:45 -0700 2009 4621629 10936 kathryn 3 4622757 Well after lurking forever, I figured I'd wait for something I actually know about before making my first post :-) PS: I've been to Rusty Knot but never had the mai tai -- the pina coladas are pretty good though, especially if you like 'em with spiced rum. Thu Apr 23 13:36:02 -0700 2009 4622705 285535 west34 4 4622787 ...I'm telling you, the Mai Tai's at The Rusty Knot will NOT dissapoint. :) Glad to hear about the pina's! www.thelunchbelle.com Thu Apr 23 13:42:19 -0700 2009 4622757 110996 LeahBaila 1 4728981 I called the bar in Honolulu that made the Mai Tai that knocked my socks off. They kindly gave me the recipe they use: 1.25 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice .75 ounce bacardi select .75 ounce bacardi gold .4 ounce rock candy syrup (simple syrup with vanilla) .4 ounce orgeat almond syrup .4 ounce orange Curacao floating on top They serve it with crushed ice, a purple orchid floating on top and a spear of raw sugar cane in the drink. Sat May 30 20:10:47 -0700 2009 4610229 284015 bsomlo 2 5016086 Mai Tai update: Sadly, Elettaria, one of the few reliable sources for a proper mai tai in NYC, recently closed. :-( As soon as I identify where the knowledgable and talented bar staff lands, I'll post it. In the meanwhile, the history of the mai tai: http://www.tradervics.com/mai-tai-1.html Note on the above recipe posted by bsomlo -- it's the real deal. But truly great mai tais are all about the rums -- those barcardi rums are, shall we say, a bit pedestrian and blah. Something like El Dorado 15 yr adds complexity consistent with the original Trader Vics rums: http://www.tradertiki.com/on-demerara-rum/ Wed Sep 09 08:29:21 -0700 2009 4728981 285535 west34 3 5140257 Just FYI to people looking for where the former head bartender of Elettaria went - Joseph Swifka, who came up with the Tiki Monday menu now works at Flatiron Lounge on Fridays. He can make an authentic Mai Tai, as well as Zombies, Three Dots and a Dash, Suffering Bastards, and other tiki drinks. Thu Oct 29 09:29:56 -0700 2009 5016086 13764 panoz 1 5156257 Death and Company makes a great Mai Tai. Brian Miller opened Elettaria and began the tiki trend at elettaria. Wed Nov 04 14:39:13 -0800 2009 4610229 1121765 cocktailnerd