Category: Don the Beachcomber

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The Mai-Kai team joins The Atomic Grog for two special presentations at Tiki Oasis

The Mai-Kai at Tiki Oasis

The Mai-Kai and The Atomic Grog are headed to Tiki Oasis! We’re honored to be joined by manager Kern Mattei and creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller at the world’s original and largest Tiki weekender Aug. 2-6 in San Diego.

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Tiki Oasis

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NEW: Social media coverage, photos
* Sneak preview of The Mai-Kai seminars
* Full event preview and daily highlights

The 23rd annual event at the Town and Country Resort features live entertainment (Man or Astroman, The Tikiyaki Orchestra, Messer Chups, The New Les Baxter Orchestra, Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts, King Kukulele, Medusirena), seminars (Sven Kirsten, Charles Phoenix, Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, Ian Burrell), artists, vendors, and much more.

Tiki Oasis guests will enjoy five nights and four days of poolside lounging, fashion shows, room parties, live bands and DJs, a curated art exhibit, a gigantic Tiki marketplace, tropical cocktails curated by top mixologists, plus much more.

Click here for event tickets, ranging from $40 for Wednesday to $499 for a deluxe Wednesday-Sunday pass. If you have kids in tow, don’t fret. Tickets cost just $35 for ages 6 to 17. Children 5 under are free.

Click below for tickets to the seminars, which must be purchased separately.

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THE MAI-KAI AT TIKI OASIS

Jim "Hurricane" Hayward (left) is participating in Tiki Oasis 2023 with two key members of The Mai-Kai team: manager Kern Mattei and creative director "Typhoon Tommy" Allsmiller. (Mai-Kai photo)
Jim “Hurricane” Hayward (left) is participating in Tiki Oasis 2023 with two key members of The Mai-Kai team: manager Kern Mattei and creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller. (Mai-Kai photo)

For the first time in event history, South Florida’s historic Mai-Kai will be on hand for not one, but two official presentations. Last year, designer and artist Allsmiller taught a sold-out, two-day shelf-building class shortly after diving into his work restoring The Mai-Kai. This year, he’ll be featuring one of his restored vintage lamps from The Mai-Kai in a lamp show that runs all weekend.

On Friday, Hayward and Mattei will present a seminar on one of The Mai-Kai’s most iconic cocktails, the Derby Daiquiri. On Saturday, they will be joined by Allsmiller for a presentation jam-packed with the latest information on the restoration and reopening.

Here are are more details on the events:

The Derby Daiquiri and Beyond: How to Create Your Own Classic
Hosted by Kern Mattei and Jim “Hurricane” Hayward
2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4, $45 [BUY TICKETS]

In 1958, Mariano Licudine created the Derby Daiquiri, one of the most celebrated drinks of the mid-century tropical cocktail boom.
In 1958, Mariano Licudine created the Derby Daiquiri, one of the most celebrated drinks of the mid-century tropical cocktail boom.

The Mai-Kai’s Derby Daiquiri was one of the most celebrated cocktails of the mid-century, a simple riff on the Cuban classic by master mixologist Mariano Licudine. Six decades later, it remains one of the most popular drinks on the historic restaurant’s menu. It also provides a case study on how a vintage recipe can be enhanced by just a few simple tweaks, creating something new and exciting. Join The Mai-Kai’s longtime manager, Kern Mattei, and cocktail blogger Jim “Hurricane” Hayward for an examination of Licudine’s genius as they guide you toward creating your own signature classic.

About Kern and Jim

Kern Mattei was born into The Mai-Kai family and has worked there since his youth, from barback and bartender to the past three decades as manager. His father was the GM before him, and his mother performed in the stage show. His unique position makes him intimately familiar with the restaurant’s famous cocktails, their history and the secret recipes. During the current refurbishment, he runs the takeout cocktail program, providing quarts and gallons of classics like the Barrel O’ Rum and Black Magic to thirsty locals. Blogger and journalist Jim “Hurricane” Hayward has covered The Mai-Kai for more than a decade, documenting and recreating the cocktail recipes in exacting detail. As we approach a late 2023 reopening, The Atomic Grog has become a key source of information on The Mai-Kai restoration project.

Mariano Licudine serves the Derby Daiquiri in Puerto Rico in 1959. The seminar will reveal The Mai-Kai's relationship with the Rums of Puerto Rico trade group. (From Potions of the Caribbean, courtesy of The Mai-Kai)
Mariano Licudine serves the Derby Daiquiri in Puerto Rico in 1959. The seminar will reveal The Mai-Kai’s relationship with the Rums of Puerto Rico trade group. (From Potions of the Caribbean, courtesy of The Mai-Kai)

Seminar sneak preview

Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect during the first-ever official Mai-Kai cocktail seminar at Tiki Oasis:

  • Three different Daiquiris will be served by the Tiki Oasis cocktail crew, including the Derby, as we reveal and dissect each recipe.

  • Rare and never-before-seen images from the archives will be shown, including Mattei family photos.

  • We’ll take the most detailed look yet at the creation and explosive popularity of the Derby Daiquiri, known as “the $100,000 Drink.”

  • The seminar will conclude with the premiere of a new recipe created especially for Tiki Oasis and San Diego.

The Derby Daiquiri: The Mai-Kai’s ‘$100,000 drink’ is worth its weight in gold
The Derby Daiquiri: The Mai-Kai’s ‘$100,000 drink’ is worth its weight in gold UPDATED
A deep dive into the fascinating history of the cocktail that made The Mai-Kai and its head mixologist famous.
>>> UPDATED HISTORY, REVIEW AND MORE
NEW: Tribute recipe | The Derby Daiquiri on Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour

Lost Cocktails of The Mai-Kai: Classic Daiquiri lost favor when Cuba fell, but influence endures
Lost Cocktails of The Mai-Kai: Classic Daiquiri lost favor when Cuba fell, but influence endures UPDATED
Revisit The Mai-Kai’s version of a classic, including a recently unveiled recipe that links back to Don the Beachcomber.
>>> UPDATED HISTORY & REVIEW | NEW: AUTHENTIC RECIPE

More on The Atomic Grog
* Okole Maluna Society: The Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide
* More on the Daiquiri, plus 18 other recipes in the A-Z cocktail guide

The Mai-Kai is in the midst of a multi-year, multimillion-dollar restoration and renovation project. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / July 2023)
The Mai-Kai is in the midst of a multi-year, multimillion-dollar restoration and renovation project. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / July 2023)

Tiki History Reimagined: The Restoration and Reopening of The Mai-Kai
Jim “Hurricane” Hayward with “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller and Kern Mattei
2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, $20 [BUY TICKETS]

The Mai-Kai is a miraculous survivor. The South Florida historic landmark endured a near-catastrophic roof collapse in late 2020 but found new owners with deep pockets and an ambitious vision to preserve it for generations to come. When the restoration of the 66-year-old Polynesian palace is complete, it will be meticulously returned to its former glory and also include millions of dollars in enhancements that respect the past and charge boldly into the future. In this multimedia presentation, embedded journalist Jim “Hurricane” Hayward of The Atomic Grog blog will take you behind the scenes at The Mai-Kai. He’ll be joined by two key members of The Mai-Kai team: Creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller will offer unique insights into the painstaking restoration efforts, while longtime manager Kern Mattei will provide up-to-the-minute news on the renovation project, along with his unique perspective on Mai-Kai history.

Creative director "Typhoon Tommy" Allsmiller (right) has been joined by fellow Florida artist and craftsman Scott "Flounder" Scheidly for the ambitious job of restoring the interior of The Mai-Kai, including more than 100 vintage lamps. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / July 2023)
Creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller (right) has been joined by fellow Florida artist and craftsman Scott “Flounder” Scheidly for the ambitious job of restoring the interior of The Mai-Kai, including more than 100 vintage lamps. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / July 2023)

About The Mai-Kai team

Jim “Hurricane” Hayward is a veteran journalist and blogger, best known for The Atomic Grog blog – covering Tiki events, music, art cocktails and culture since 2011. Along with its popular Mai-Kai cocktail guide, the blog has become the go-to source of information on the landmark restaurant’s closing, sale, restoration, and reopening. Typhoon Tommy is a multiple Thea Award-winning scenic artist with 13 years of experience in the theme park industry. After turning his talents full-time to creating magical escapes in the world of Tiki, he became creative director and designer for The Mai-Kai renovation project in 2022. Kern Mattei grew up at the historic restaurant during its heyday and now leads the efforts to modernize the infrastructure while maintaining as much of its original beauty as possible. He has been general manager since 1993, following in the footsteps of his father, Kern Mattei Sr. (1964-1991).

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Minimalist Tiki
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The Hukilau announces lineup of 17 guest Tiki bar teams at June 2023 event

The Hukilau announces lineup of 15 guest Tiki bar teams at June 2023 event

As if symposiums and cocktails from luminaries including Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and David Wondrich weren’t enough, The Hukilau has added a flamboyant garnish to its 21st Tiki weekend: An all-star lineup of 17 guest bars that will serve tasty tropical drinks throughout the June 8-11 event on the South Florida oceanfront.
NEW: The Hukilau 2023 countdown: Full schedule and updates as 21st Tiki weekender approaches

The Hukilau

The list includes some historic names (The Mai-Kai, Don the Beachcomber, Tonga Hut), key bars in the modern Tiki revival (Dirty Dick, Hidden Harbor, Inferno Room), plus many returning favorites (Esotico Miami, Tiki Tatsu-ya, Tiki Underground). All will be crafting drinks throughout the four days of pool and beach parties, symposiums, nightly bungalow parties, plus more.
Pop-up bars and bartenders: See the full lineup of participants
Bonus cocktail recipe below: Passport to Martinique from VenTiki

Also confirmed this week is a list of more than 30 artists and vendors who will be selling their wares in the Tiki Treasures Bazaar. They range from noted artists (Kymm! Bang, Robert Jimenez, Tom Fowner), to longtime Tiki merchants (Aloha Art and Alligators, The Modern Historic), to event newcomers (Bamboo Betty Wear, Trader Van’s).
Tiki Treasures Bazaar: See the full lineup of participants

The Hukilau 2023 – June 8-11 at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach. Featuring live music (The Hula Girls, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts, The Swingin’ Palms, Skinny Jimmy Stingray, Dan Cunningham), symposiums (Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, David Wondrich, Matt Pietrek, Garret Richard, Spike Marble, Tiki Tom-Tom), guest bars, rum tastings, pool parties, beach parties, Tiki Treasures Bazaar, plus more.
* TheHukilau.com | Instagram | Facebook page and group
Previous coverage: The Hukilau 2023 preview: 21st Tiki weekender in June is nirvana for cocktail fanatics

Among the Tiki cocktail authors scheduled to appear at The Hukilau 2023 are (from left) Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, Garret Richard, and Matt Pietrek.
Among the Tiki cocktail authors scheduled to appear at The Hukilau 2023 are (from left) Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, Garret Richard, and Matt Pietrek.

Beachbum Berry (an influential Tiki drink historian, author and owner of Latitude 29 in New Orleans) and Wondrich (award-winning author and cocktail historian) are the marquee names, but the other symposium presenters also bring a great depth and breadth of expertise on Tiki bars and cocktails.

Garret Richard, who leads the cocktail program at Brooklyn’s Sunken Harbor Club, has a new book coming out May 16 (co-written with Ben Schaffer). Tropical Standard: Cocktail Techniques & Reinvented Recipes is eagerly anticipated by both home and professional bartenders for its innovative yet reverential approach to modern mixology.

Matt Pietrek (author of Minimalist Tiki and Modern Caribbean Rum) will discuss classic tropical drink recipes, past and present. He’ll take today’s “authentic” golden era recipes and demonstrate how things changed without us realizing it. Author and photographer Tiki Tom-Tom will talk about his first book, The Polynesiacs: Tiki at Home, scheduled for release this month through Pietrek’s self-publishing company.

Matt "Spike" Marble is the host of Spike's Breezeway Cocktail Hour on YouTube.
Matt “Spike” Marble is the host of Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour on YouTube.

Last but not least, YouTube video host Matt “Spike” Marble will be on hand to record a live episode of Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour and also peform with his band, The Hula Girls.

Previous coverage: Symposiums | Bands and music

Joining Southern California’s The Hula Girls are two other bands from the New Jersey-based Hi-Tide Recordings label. Shorty’s Swingin’ Coconuts (Long Beach, Calif.) will be promoting a new vinyl LP, Surf Shack Shindig, scheduled to be released this summer. The Swingin’ Palms (Albany, N.Y.) will perform their signature lei’d back Hawaiian instrumentals, while Hi-Tide owners Vincent Minervino and Magdalena O’Connell will join the party with their distinctive DJ sets.

Rounding out the musical lineup are four Florida-based acts. The Intoxicators (Tallahassee), The Disasternauts (parts unknown), and Skinny Jimmy Stingray (Deerfield Beach) all perform hard-driving instrumental rock, liberally mixing original tunes with surf classics. South Florida’s Dan Cunningham, on the other hand, is a classic crooner and one of the area’s top Elvis tribute performers.

The Beachcomber Resort & Club is located on the Atlantic Ocean in Pompano Beach. (Official photo)
The Beachcomber Resort & Club is located on the Atlantic Ocean in Pompano Beach. (Official photo)

The Hukilau is centered around pool parties featuring live music and cocktails at the scenic Beachcomber Resort on the Atlantic Ocean in Pompano Beach, just north of Fort Lauderdale. There will also be two beach parties and nightly bungalow parties. The Tiki Treasures Bazaar and the symposiums are held under tents and thatched huts around the resort property. The overall vibe and festive atmosphere creates a legitimate South Seas paradise in the tropics.

All 140 rooms at the Beachcomber are sold out, but The Hukilau’s villagers can get a special rate at the Plunge Beach Resort, about 2 miles south in Lauderdale By the Sea. Reserve a room via the link on The Hukilau website or call 407-536-2763. Use group code “HUKI” to get the discount.

Event tickets range from $149 (plus service fee) for the Saturday-only Palm Pass, to $599 (plus fee) for the four-day South Seas Pass. The top-tier pass includes many perks, including a VIP lounge, reserved seating at symposiums, and early access to the bazaar. The South Seas and Aloha pass ($359) include all presentations and parties, plus unlimited cocktails.

Previous coverage: Hotels | Tickets | Schedule

Among those returning to The Hukilau in 2023 are the Inferno Room (left), Scotty Schuder of Dirty Dick, and Daniele Dalla Pola of Esotico Miami. Photos from The Hukilau 2022 (left) and 2018 (right) by Hurricane Hayward; center photo by Chris Kridler, 2018)
Among those returning to The Hukilau in 2023 are the Inferno Room (left), Scotty Schuder of Dirty Dick, and Daniele Dalla Pola of Esotico Miami. Photos from The Hukilau 2022 (left) and 2018 (right) by Hurricane Hayward; center photo by Chris Kridler, 2018)

GUEST BARS: 17 top bar teams serve up signature drinks

A staple of The Hukilau, cocktails crafted by some of the world’s top Tiki bartenders are available throughout the event at no extra charge. Indulge freely (and responsibly) as you enjoy the music, symposiums and many other happenings around the Beachcomber resort. Here’s the lineup of bars for 2023, which includes many returning favorites:

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New Don the Beachcomber locations launching in Florida, up to 15 planned across Southeast

New Don the Beachcomber locations launching in Florida, up to 15 planned across Southeast

LATEST UPDATES
* Don the Beachcomber grand opening in Florida is a smashing success (February 2024)
* Revived Don the Beachcomber brand opens first location in southwest Florida (February 2024)
* First new Don the Beachcomber location on track to open in early 2024 (December 2023)
* Florida is ground zero for revival of iconic brand (October 2023)

The Feb. 22 birthday of Tiki bar pioneer Don the Beachcomber (1907-1989) is typically a red-letter day for many bartenders and home enthusiasts, who celebrate by mixing up classic tropical cocktails to toast the originator of such iconic drinks as the Zombie, Nui Nui, and Three Dots and a Dash. This custom has intensified recently with the announcement of new book and film projects that celebrate the life of times of the creator of what’s now known as Polynesian Pop, aka Tiki culture.

Don the Beachcomber

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Sneak peek: Renderings, video of the new location near Orlando
Bonus recipe below: Don’s Beach Planter cocktail

But the occasion gained special importance this year with the announcement that a Tampa-based hospitality company will begin rolling out a chain of new Tiki-themed restaurants featuring the Don the Beachcomber branding in 2023. According to a press release from 23 Restaurant Services, “there are currently two Don the Beachcomber restaurants and bars under development in Central Florida, with the first slated to open by the end of the year.”

The company’s president, Marc Brown, said in the release that he expects as many as 10 to 15 restaurants to be spread across the Southeast over the next several years, with plans to expand nationally. Brown’s company bought the rights to the Don the Beachcomber brand in 2021, aiming to incorporate it into its successful Tiki Docks concept in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area.

Ernest Raymond Gantt, aka Don the Beachcomber, was a former bootlegger who kicked off the Tiki craze with his first bar in Hollywood, Calif., in 1933. Within a few years, imitators sprang up across the country. (Courtesy of 23 Restaurant Services)
Ernest Raymond Gantt, aka Don the Beachcomber, was a former bootlegger who kicked off the Tiki craze with his first bar in Hollywood, Calif., in 1933. Within a few years, imitators sprang up across the country. (Courtesy of 23 Restaurant Services)

The birthday of Donn Beach, who legally changed his name from Ernest Raymond Gantt after the success of his Don the Beachcomber restaurants in the 1930s, seemed like a great time to announce the ambitious plan that 23 Restaurant Services calls “an expansive growth strategy.”

“Each of the restaurants will feature the eccentric, Polynesian-inspired design and flamboyant, rum-based drinks that have become synonymous with Don the Beachcomber locations for more than 90 years,” the press release says.

“Don the Beachcomber is the most iconic brand in Tiki history, so it’s impossible to overstate how excited we are about what lies ahead,” Brown said. “We look forward to leveraging our expertise in management and operational excellence to reintroduce the world to the legend that is Don the Beachcomber.”

Searching for Don the Beachcomber by Tim "Swanky" Glazner

To accomplish this, 23 Restaurant Services will be guided by an advisory board featuring some of the top artists, writers, and bartenders from the current Tiki scene:

Marie King, who will lead the new Don the Beachcomber cocktail program, previously managed the venerable Tonga Hut in Los Angeles. She has been a leader and mainstay in the industry since running the bar at the Don the Beachcomber in Southern California before it closed in 2018. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward from The Hukilau 2022 in Pompano Beach)
Marie King, who will lead the new Don the Beachcomber cocktail program, previously managed the venerable Tonga Hut in Los Angeles. She has been a leader and mainstay in the industry since running the bar at the Don the Beachcomber in Southern California before it closed in 2018. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward from The Hukilau 2022 in Pompano Beach)

“Assembling this dynamic and legendary group of experts to serve as our advisory board was the first step in developing a plan to share and represent the history and life of Don the Beachcomber with the utmost authenticity,” Brown said. “We could not be more excited to share the work we are doing together to bring Don the Beachcomber back to life.”

In addition to the advisers, Brown has taken a huge first step in bringing back Don the Beachcomber’s classic cocktails by , former beverage director and general manager of Tonga Hut in Los Angeles, as director of beverage for 23 Restaurant Services. King also served as beverage director of the last Don the Beachcomber restaurant in the continental U.S., located in Huntington Beach, Calif., from 2009 to 2018. Like 23 Restaurant Services, the owners of this location purchased the name and did not have any connection to the original company.

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