Tiki time! Your Guide to Those Bamboo Oases in Our Corner of Paradise!
Okay – last week it was Detroit – now back to our regular scheduled program. The Salted Rim is heading back down south where we belong: where the weather is warm and the margaritas are always cold! So where does one venture when thirsty?? Well, grab your Hawaiian shirt and step into this time machine with us as we visit some of the hottest Tiki Bars in Sarasota, Florida!
My first sip of Southwest Florida-meets-South Pacific tiki culture was in college, when I stumbled into the Bahi Hut for a Mai Tai.
I’d been warned about the two-drink cap at this 1950s Sarasota bar, and three gulps into my fruity rum cocktail, the Polynesian masks on the walls were starting to wink back at me. I discovered there’s nothing like some hula kitsch and a sunset-colored drink to hush your inhibitions.
If you’re like me and dig that Elvis-in-“Blue Hawaii” ambiance with your Bacardi 151, our tri-county region is rife with tiki-style locales. Some pubs are decades old and others are newer hat-tips to the post-World War II décor. Many are nestled under thatched roofs by the bay and a few are inside dark dives with leis dangling from the rafters.
To read the full article, please visit Ticket Sarasota.
As an extra bonus, here is the perfect Mai Tai recipe for when you just want to chill in your own tiki bar with friends…
The Perfect Mai Tai
Ingredients
- 2 cups light rum
- 1 cup dark rum
- 1 cup 151 proof rum
- 1 cup orange curacao (orange flavored liqueur)
- 1 cup almond flavored syrup
- 1 cup simple syrup
- 10 limes, juiced
- 1/2 gallon fresh orange juice
Directions
In a large jar or drink cooler, combine the light rum, dark rum, 151 rum, orange liqueur, almond syrup, simple syrup, and lime juice. Stir and top off with orange juice. Do not use grenadine if you want the true Mai Tai! Serve in 8 to 12 ounce glasses with ice.
This makes about a gallon – so make sure you invite some friends over!
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