This month, Phil Tory of The Tiki Bungalow.
How’d you get into Tiki drinks?
Before I came to China, I bartended part-time, and I also did weddings. Obviously you’re not making zombies and painkillers at weddings – you’re making pretty run-of-the-mill drinks. So I started making cocktails at home, and I fell in love with rum. I sort of naturally gravitated towards the tiki drinks.
What would you recommend to a Tiki newbie?
I like the Mai Tai – people have a preconception of that drink as something really crappy because it’s been bastardized. But a really genuine Mai Tai, which was created in 1944 in San Francisco by Trader Vic, is a wonderfully complex drink.
How do you keep it tiki during the winter?
The winter is the best time for tiki. You’re in Beijing, it’s gray, it's freezing cold – and you can open the door and bam, at least for a couple hours you’re in a tropical island location. We’re gonna have the heat cranked on, so we’ll still be wearing our Hawaiian shirts in the winter – but if you still feel the need for a warmer-upper we’re going to feature several hot versions of tiki drinks.
If you had to describe ‘tiki’ in three words…
That’s actually pretty easy: escapism, intoxicating, fun.
What’s the most tiki thing that’s happened at Tiki?
I always find it really really tiki when I see a group of Chinese and Westerners together sharing a big volcano bowl and everybody’s laughing and talking and taking selfies.
What’s the least tiki thing that’s happened at Tiki?
Probably the least tiki thing is when someone comes in and asks for wine and we tell them we don’t have it and they get angry.
Would you rather be a pirate or a shark?
That’s easy. Pirate. Pirates are sexier than sharks.
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