when in Honolulu...

Oh, many things to do in Honolulu, but I cannot help but try as many mai tais as I can.  All to see which is the best!

First up, the Mai Tai Beach Bar at the Royal Hawaiian. 

I went a little off-script there, ordering a variation on the mai tai that was blended and included mint. 

Conrad and Van went with the house mai tai, so I did try that.  Judgment?  Decent, kind of sweet.  We had a light-ish lunch of a cheese and charcuterie board to go along with the drinks.

Next up, dinner at Eating House 1849, sitting at the bar.  This one was interesting in that it used some Campari. 

Conrad really didn't like that - he doesn't do well with bitter flavours.  I thought it was an interesting variation, but not one I wanted a second round of.  We shared some crab and pork dumplings

and then I had mahi mahi with red curry. 

So good!  The second drink veered from tropical and was, instead, a martini featuring a Hawaiian gin.

Third mai tai stop, at the Outrigger Canoe Club

over lunch in the bar before going out to relax on the sand and then go in the water. 

Ah, yes, swimming in the Pacific at last!  And then an afternoon cocktail at the bar again, though one a little lighter and non-tropical.

Fourth mai tai stop, back to the Royal Hawaiian. 

Once again I went off-script, ordering a mai tai-ish drink that included a coconut foam. 

I liked it, but one drink that afternoon was enough!

Fifth mai tai stop, Orchids at the Halekulani Hotel.  Oh, so good to be back.  It's long been a special place for me and Conrad, and I know Van has had his own fond experiences there.  The mai tai?  Classic. 

Funnily, Conrad and Van felt it's too tart, but for me, it's the best balanced and the most like we enjoy at home.  Hmmmm.  I had hamachi crudo on bone marrow,

which was a nice small appetizer, and then a very tasty spaghettini with bottarga and fresh tomato. 

For dessert we shared coconut cake

and a chocolate treat. 

The service started off a little, hmm, slow and inattentive, but I mentioned it to someone early, and they corrected course very very well.  The upshot, the winning mai tai and a fine evening indeed.

We did, by the way, have a nice bottle of wine with dinner at Orchids as well.  It's not all just mai tais for us!

But when I do get to Honolulu, I admit, it can seem that way.