Being a foodie and some one who loves Cocktails, I was really pleased when I got an invitation to check out the Mai Tai Lounge in Orion Mall, Bangalore. My idea of a Cocktail was just a Long Island Ice Tea or a Cosmopolitan at the most! I was surprised to know that Mai Tai lounge specializes itself in Cocktails and was raring to try them so I went with my wife and friends to try it out!
At Mai Tai Lounge, we were greeted by General Manager Gautam Yadav and Bar Manager Shibu Joseph. Both of them explained to us the 75 year old history of Trader Vic’s and the concept of Polinesian food along with signature cocktails which they serve there. The location of the Mai Tai Lounge was very nice as it looked over the artificial lake at the spanking new Orion Mall in Yeshwantpur, Bangalore. We sat at the following inviting table which was one of the most comfortable lounge spaces that I have ever seen!
We started our journey with the original cocktail known as the Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Original Cocktail made from the recipe invented way back in 1944! Legend has it that Trader Vic pulled down a bottle of seventeen-year old J.Wray Nephew Rum from Jamaica, squeezed a lime, added a dash of sugar syrup along with a splash of orange curaco and French orgeat and poured it over ice – thus was born the Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Original Cocktail! We tried it out in the signature glassware which is imported all the way from the USA! It gave a perfect look to the cocktail which we enjoyed with long straws which didn’t require us to bend too low to taste our drinks!
The next cocktail which my wife and I tried was the Tiki Puka Puka which had 3 styles of rums, orange juice, grenadine & spices. It was a drink to take us back to the Hawaiian islands! It was wonderfully served in a festival communal bowl the way most ancient Polinesian ceremonial Lau drinks were served since centuries! The delightful flavors in the drink left us wanting for more as we slowly slipped into a state of feeling ‘happy high’!
Another ceremonial Lau drink served in a festive communal bowl was the king of the cocktails as I would call it – Trader Vic’s Rum Cup – which was a frosty froth of fine rums, orange, lemon, lime and liquors. This was the highlight of our evening as all of us took our straws and started sipping one of the best cocktails I had ever tasted! We didn’t want to get wasted but this drink made us pretty high and we were famished tasting all these drinks so we dug into some of the tastiest Polinesian food available at the Mai Tai Lounge!
One of the best chicken wings that I have ever had anywhere in the world (and I have had the original Buffalo wings in Buffalo, USA too!) was the Kung Pao Chicken Wings at Mai Tai Lounge – spicy chilli glaze on top of the juicy and flash fried Chicken Wings sprinkled with crushed peanuts for a yummy taste! Served with a tangy sauce, we were licking our fingers not just with anticipation but with stupendous taste which I never tasted anywhere!
Another one of my personal favorites (though the wifey couldn’t have it!) was the Maui Waui Shrimp which was Prawns with Maui Dressing and served with a sprinkling of crushed coconuts and cilantro. I added a dash of lemon juice on top of the prawns to make the taste more appealing to my Palate. My taste buds thanked me for this as they were exuberant after having tasted the Shrimps!
Generally a place where you have wonderful cocktails and amazing finger food, you will not find good main course items to finish your meal. Mai Tai lounge is an exception though as it offers a complete dining experience not just with drinks and starters but also with an elaborate veg and non-veg main course menus. I went for a Mai Tai Island Burger which had a chicken patty, Cho Cho Glaze and was served with Island Slaw and Spiced French Fries. This was actually a meal meant for two so I shared it with my wife and we were blown away by the wonderful flavors in the burger.
My friends tried Chilli Basa Ciabatta which had the grilled basa fish which was marinated with chill-lime, asian tartar sauce and served along with French fries. They said it was delightful and the taste was endearing!
It was a perfect night of tasting good cocktails, amazing food and lots of fun with friends at The Mai Tai Lounge in Orion Mall, Bangalore!