The brief Version: Since 1956, the Mai-Kai restaurant has offered United states and Cantonese-inspired meals and drinks while enjoyable friends featuring its legendary tiki tv show. The Mai-Kai stays a popular with both residents and visitors browsing Fort Lauderdale, Fl, region for the amazing ambiance, encouraged fare, and romance-inducing waterfalls, lagoons, and exotic gardens. Through the years, people from from coast to coast have visited the Mai-Kai to celebrate engagements, wedding anniversaries, birthdays and to inhale new lease of life into big date nights. If you’re searching for exquisite food with a lively floor program, hold a table within the distinctive, lush dining rooms at Mai-Kai.
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Since beginning in 1956, the Mai-Kai cafe has been thought about one of Southern Florida´s a lot of distinctive and captivating food and entertainment locations. The Mai-Kai authentically recreates a Polynesian community with tiki torches, a wooden plank bridge access, and rich tropical landscapes.
“The Mai-Kai includes a big selection of museum quality Oceanic artifacts â tiki carvings and goggles â which were accumulated from inside the 1950s and 1960s and also become a draw for all collectors and pupils observe,” Mai-Kai management Kern Mattei said about the restaurant’s design.
The Mai-Kai remains run because of the same family just who exposed it over 60 in years past, and it’s really been voted “most useful Tiki club in America” by Coastal lifestyle mag â in addition to various other accolades in Islands mag and also at Critiki.com. In 2014, the Mai-Kai happened to be added to the National Register of traditional Places.
While those designations interest the crowds of people, the bulk of the Mai-Kai’s business comes from residents. “Our Molokai pub has actually regular regulars just who come for the popular delighted hour, most of them getting business professionals,” Kern stated. “the dinners and programs are ideal for special occasions, and we also see many techniques from twelfth grade sweethearts to 50-year wedding anniversaries â so it actually is somewhere for all.”
Prompted Cuisine Transports Diners to isle Shores
Diners are attracted to this South Florida staple for its mouthwatering cuisine. As soon as you start the eating plan, you will find lots to speak about with your time; namely how to determine what to choose from the bistro’s expansive offerings. In the event you decide to try the Oysters Rockefeller (oysters shucked and baked with fresh oatmeal and old Parmesan) or get the Canoe Appetizer (baby straight back ribs, tuna poke, and shrimp tempura roll) that is ideal for two? You could also select both, but that’s only the start of the decadence.
Kern informed us of some meals lovers don’t wish to skip. “Many people check out the Mai-Kai to test all of our Peking Duck. It’s a complete duck that serves two and is also excellent for sharing,” he said. “We in addition serve USDA Prime Steaks, and the nyc Strip, prepared within our wood burning Chinese Ovens, is absolutely delicious. For dessert, we’ve some tableside flambé meals, like the Banana Bengali, and that’s rum flamed bananas supported over vanilla ice cream.”
The Mai-Kai can also be well-known for their creative and potent adult refreshments. The restaurant takes exclusive â and accountable â method to their exotic drinks. Diners can choose the strength of their particular beverage by staying with the selection’s categorical listings: non-alcoholic, slight, medium, and powerful. Rum enthusiasts will like the array of over 40 rum-infused cocktails. Try the owner’s favorite, dark Magic, or perhaps the specialty of numerous reviewers on TripAdvisor, the Zombie.
Couples will also be motivated to delight in some after-dinner talk with exotic drinks, just like the light Gardenia Lei for an icy finish or even the Mai-Kai’s famous Kona java Grog with coffee, rum, honey ointment, and herbs, in fact it is ready ablaze tableside offering your own evening a remarkable finish. Subsequently just settle-back and enjoy the tiki tv show when you sip in your drinks.
Absorb the amazing Ambiance utilizing the state’s Longest-Running Polynesian Show
The Mai-Kai’s warm setting inspires a comfortable discussion and provides a romantic backdrop for a night out together. “The Mai-Kai provides an antique feel without searching or feeling outdated,” Kern stated associated with atmosphere. “The décor is classic tiki style with icon tikis, falls, torches, and a thatched roof on the outside. Tiki posts, monkeypod tables, black colored velvet paintings, and oceanic items adorn the inside. Its a really unique eating experience.”
Pick one for the uniquely decorated rooms to enjoy dinner or head outdoors. “we now have outdoors sitting inside our warm home gardens among the list of tikis and falls, and during the cold winter months, it’s the most intimate place to be,” Kern stated. “Relaxing with many energizing exotic drinks, tasty food, and great organization inside our landscapes cannot be beat.”
After-dinner, visitors can take advantage of a geniune Polynesian overall performance in an abundant tropic environment. “friends should expect to see Polynesia’s wealthy history in dances like the Hawaiian Wedding song, where two youthful fans are divided and then reunited in-marriage,” Kern stated. “or perhaps the spirited Tahitian unicamente drum dance opposition from Polynesia’s largest annual cultural occasion â the âHeiva I Tahiti.'”
Annually, Mireille Thornton, the Mai-Kai’s owner and choreographer, creates brand-new interpretations of town life in South Pacific keeping the shows fresh and powerful. This current year’s show boasts more musicians, drums, and colorful halloween costumes that illuminate the stage. The detail by detail halloween costumes tend to be hand-sewn and echo the heart on the Southern Seas.
Many of these factors blend to speak the tradition with the Polynesian people during the turn in the 20th 100 years. The tv show is meant to be enthralling for every centuries, and, since Mireille creates brand-new interpretations every year, visitors may have another knowledge each time they head to.
The Mai-Kai produces somewhere for partners to Linger a Little Longer
People really love the Mai-Kai, and it demonstrates in separate on the web evaluations in the unique enjoyment venue. David Weiser liked every part of his check out, and stated the meal, beverages, and tv show had been features.
“the foodstuff had been delicious, and now we tested a lot. The warm beverages tend to be effective if you need them to end up being (you can get tiki products in various alcoholic strengths). But it is the improvements into the show that truly amazed me,” David mentioned.
“This culturally sensitive portion now recognizes and differentiates the dances and countries of numerous pan-Pacific isles. The cast of performers and artists are extremely gifted and result from worldwide. The climactic fire dancing could thrilling.” It is little details like the ones that David mentions which make a night out together evening at Mai-Kai thus unforgettable. The employees cares about guests and takes pleasure in almost every information, from the warm plants toward speech in the food to the carefully created costumes of the dancers. Its a big reason why individuals return.
Whenever we questioned Kern to share with united states about one of his true favored stories about the Mai-Kai, the guy relayed a tale about a tremendously nostalgic and intimate few. “We host lots of wedding receptions and receptions here at the Mai-Kai, as all of our tropical gardens would be the great place to hold nuptials. We have a particular couple which was married here 17 years back, and, annually since their own wedding ceremony, they return to commemorate their unique wedding by renewing their particular marriage vows within landscapes. Our company is recognized to assist them commemorate with our company.”
Therefore placed on your own Sunday best (the bistro has a gown code), make a booking, and address special someone to a fun night of flame performers, area fare, and lots of festive umbrella drinks within Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale.