Two South Bay Spots Serving Up Tiki Lore
Overhead shell lamps off er just enough warm glow to wander to the bar. The soft murmur of patrons fl oats on gentle waves of steel guitar, vibraphone and cocktail shakers as spices and citrus perfume the air. A glance at the menu reveals a multitude of creative rum-based cocktails layered with tropical flavors, much like the dining room walls are layered with Polynesian and maritime decor. Each element offers an escape from the outside world and a ticket into the fantasy of tiki.
The tiki bar, a relic from the past that had a wave of popularity before being swept out to sea with changing tides, began in 1930s California with Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood and Trader Vic’s in Oakland. Ernest Gant, owner of Don the Beachcomber who changed his name to Donn Beach, created an escapist environment so enticing that Victor Bergeron transported his bar, Trader Vic’s in Oakland, to that same fantasy.
Both Beach and Bergeron traveled throughout the South Pacific and Caribbean to find the look, flavors, souvenirs and stories unlike any Californians had experienced before. They were the fathers of the tiki bar and the craft cocktail. Their use of island-themed ingredients, preparation methods and storytelling created the perfect world to escape reality, without even having to take a boat to get there.
For over 90 years, the island fantasy popularized by Beach and Bergeron was copied and built upon across the world. Assorted nautical knickknacks and items from many cultures lined the walls in between bamboo and rafia. Today when we step into a tiki bar we know that this place is an imaginative fantasy—more Disneyland than Pacific island. Some of our most creative bars build on this base to tell a whole story.
“You wear it, you drink it, you
—Scott Haen
drink out of it, you put it on your
walls. It’s all-encompassing.”
Smuggler’s Cove in San Francisco is exactly what the name implies: Once you step through the unmarked doors there are three floors of a secret hideaway. The top floor is a tribute to tiki bars of old, while the middle and bottom floors are the perfect rum-smuggling cave. Similarly, Forbidden Island in Alameda tells of a shipwreck long since turned into a bar.
The Decor and music draw you in, but you stay for the flavor. These early craft cocktail bars discovered a whole new world of taste. California grows some of the best fruits and vegetables fundamental to creating fresh cocktail concoctions. The classic Sidewinder’s Fang is a perfect example, first created at the historic The Lanai in San Mateo, which closed in the 1980’s. It was a fizzy drink highlighting juicy California oranges and tangy passion fruit, balanced with a molasses-based Demerara rum and funky Jamaican rum. The Caribbean spirit alive in these cocktails captures a vast array of flavors without overwhelming the palate.
Where to begin? The Dr. Funk is in. No truer words have been said than when Alena Aaron, manager at Dr. Funk in San Jose, stated, “Rums—they’re all different! Rum is actually the most pliable of all the spirits. There’s something for everyone.” She started off with a knowledge of bourbons and agave-based spirits and learned all about rum and tiki to be able to lead this South Bay up-and-coming tiki bar.
Over at Dr. Funk you are encouraged to learn more about rum. While they host quarterly gatherings featuring a distillery presentation with sample pours, there is also a rum club—Dr. Funk Rum Asylum—to help with rum education. It has three levels of specially curated rums to try, and don’t worry, they make it fun! That’s the goal, “Focus on rum and fun,” says Aaron. The first level is a scavenger hunt map with 20 rums where you begin with a flight of three that captures the variety rum has to offer. The second level contains 63 rums, and the final level is over 90 completely different rums. Current standings see five enthusiasts who have completed all three levels and have their name on a metal plaque on the bar’s top shelf.
While rum is traditionally the base spirit of tiki, Aaron and the collaborative effort of the team at Dr. Funk also create libations based on bourbon, gin, vodka and tequila that are still tiki-forward. Every syrup, mix and juice is made in-house to provide the best ingredients for their seasonal specials and main menu. New offerings feature fun takes and new flavor spins on tiki classics.
It’s a good idea to order some food to pair with all this rum and there is one place cooking up something great. The Cantina in Los Gatos is serving “tacos, tequila and tiki” with everything you could want to snack on, from housemade salsas and tacos to onion rings and burgers. The food menu intentionally complements their tiki cocktails, offering a nice counter bite to the tropical flavors.
“[It’s a] little vacation in a glass,” says Scott Haen, co-owner of The Cantina. Haen has been able to grow his restaurant with help from regular patrons who come in and talk tiki. “I think tiki is a little ‘punk rock.’ It’s edgy. But it’s accepting. People will want to geek out with you,” he says. The best part is that The Cantina isn’t the full dream yet. Right now you are lured in by great food and perfectly crafted cocktails, but Haen said the tiki vibe is a form of art. “You wear it, you drink it, you drink out of it, you put it on your walls. It’s all-encompassing.” And art takes time. As each layer is worked on we get the joy of witnessing it evolve.
Both Dr. Funk and The Cantina are creating a space for community. We have such a diversity of cultures here in the Bay Area, and having places that celebrate that and create a story is why this is the perfect location for bringing tiki bars into modern times.
Dr. Funk continues to build up the community and keep the tiki crowd involved by providing new experiences, including artist markets and a luau. Over at The Cantina, you are welcome to hang out with like-minded enthusiasts and witness a new spot emerging. Whether you have a tiki-fied Tequila Sunrise or a classic Trader Vic’s Mai Tai, raise your craft cocktail up and enjoy your tropical fantasy, even if it is just for the night.
