|
|
Newsletter :: October, 2007 | |
 |
|
     |
 |
 |
|
Conga Lounge Hours: Conga is like a tropical bungalow hideaway tucked above Pizza Rustica in Rockridge. On a sunny early evening, light filters in from narrow windows. A miniscule porch/patio offers an outdoor spot as the sunlight wanes. Lounge in Conga’s relaxed, well laid out (small) space on rattan lounge chairs and tables. You can order in pizza from downstairs or drinks while oldies and beach music add to the already playful atmosphere. The walls are strewn with old album covers, photos of the King or Dean Martin, 1950’s-60’s advertising, beach scenes and beach novels. The drinks are so refreshing, often with fresh fruit juices. They make a mean Mai Tai ($2 during a 5-7pm happy hour), and have an appealing array of special drinks on the board, most ranging from $7-9 (same price range for all specialty cocktails and menu drinks). A few highlights: the Peachy Chi Chi, a pina colada with peach schnapps and vodka. Gilligan’s Island is their signature drink with a mix of coconut rum, banana liqueur and juices. Some specials worth ordering if you see them: the frothy Fuzzy Navel with fresh peach puree, peach rum and OJ, or if you prefer a classic cocktail, the tart Blueberry Lemon Drop comes with a spear covered with ripe blueberries. Friendly bartenders put you at ease and offer recommendations
on best drinks. Kick
back with a frosty drink as if your lounging in your island cabana, singing
along to the Beach Boys, Herman’s Hermits and the Hawaii Five-O
theme. |
 |
||||
|
Kona Club Hours: So having only been to Kona once, I can’t vouch for the drinks, which mostly seem to be overly sweet and mediocre (though mermaids or monkeys in the drinks are a playful touch). But I sure like the divey Tiki atmosphere. Just off the busy, trendy Piedmont Ave stretch, this place looks seedy on the outside, but the darkened windows hide the (a bit dank) fun within. The space is surprisingly roomy with a bar area (look
for the mini erupting volcano), a large lounging room behind the bar,
replete with rattan furniture, surf boards and a gyrating hula lady at
the entrance, and a “private” pool
table room. The Tiki theme is well represented here and the space
big enough to bring a group of friends. |
|
||||
Tonga Room It’s the Grand Dame of all retro Tiki rooms… touristy and WAY overpriced. But this is a $15-a-drink kind of place that is worth at least a one time visit! Whereas Trader Vic’s is worldwide and corporate-like, Tonga Room is, yes, a ridiculously expensive hotel bar, but also a one-of-a-kind affair. I visit during happy hour (Monday through Friday, between 5-7pm), where drinks are “marked” down from their usual astronomical perch. With the purchase of one drink, you can also “purchase” the all-you-can-eat happy hour buffet for $8 a person (sadly, it used to be free – that was a real deal!). The buffet offers a bottomless supply of pot stickers, spare ribs, veggie chow mein, pork buns and the like. It’s not brilliant food but it works with a frothy tropical cocktail. What’s so great about this overpriced tourist trap? The décor is hilariously unexpected – you feel as if you’ve stepped into a Tiki Island world via the 1970’s. It’s been around that long and appears unchanged since, complete with a pond where cheesy live bands float on a boat, surrounded by fake palm trees, bamboo chairs, decks and palm fronds. It’s the adult ‘70’s version of a Rainforest Café, down to the periodic thunderstorms. Beware the cover charge for bands later at night and DO NOT eat
dinner here: a waste! But for a drink or happy hour festivities,
you’ll mix with tourists (and locals who come out once every few
years) to be swept away into this land of kitschy Tiki delight. |
|
||||
|
Bamboo Hut Bamboo Hut is, by all accounts, a dive bar: ripped vinyl booths, sticky floors, dim lighting… the feeling isn’t exactly clean. There’s a giant Tiki head looking down over the proceedings, palm fronds covering the booths, blowfish lamps, an unpretentious staff. It’s generally young in vibe and clientele. Once the surf rock bands kick in around 9pm, don’t be surprised if some in your party spontaneously begin to dance (it happened amongst my friends, though I won’t name names!) The drink menu intrigues, served in a coconut mug, decorated with an umbrella … but the drinks disappoint, tasting more like overly sweet fruit juice than anything. They lack the flavor and high quality ingredients found at Forbidden Island or Conga Lounge. It may not be the best Tiki bar around, but it’s a friendly, casual
spot for laughs and live surfer rock with friends. Their annual Beach party
(held two nights in September) sounds like a great time, with sand covering
the floor, live tribal drummers, hula and limbo contests and “Ugliest
Hawaiian Shirt Competition”. |
 |
||||
worth a mention |
||||||
Trader Sam’s Trader Sam’s is a dive bar offering a musty Tiki experience. It has been around for decades in the Outer Richmond… so merely for its history, deserves a mention. Its drinks are lackluster and it’s not exactly luau themed, rather just a retro (as in, it-hasn’t-been-updated-since-before-1950) dive bar serving Scorpion Bowls and the like. For those who prefer to “slum it” for a tropical reprieve, Sam’s holds a certain sticky charm. |
E&O Trading Co Though its chic décor is minus a Tiki theme, E&O Trading Co (a local chain with locations in SF, Larkspur, San Jose and now Honolulu), serves refreshing tropically-influenced drinks. The food is satisfying, playful Asian fusion, though not all dishes work. But after a long day wandering around downtown or shopping in Union Square, E&O’s large, creamy Pina Coladas soothe. The Lanai Cocktail, a blend of coconut rums, fresh pineapple and “secret ingredients” is another pleaser. Lounge on the bar couches by the grand piano. |
|||||
Care to comment? Try my blog... |
||||||
|
 |
