When you think of the tropics, baseball rarely springs to mind. And tiki bars rarely show WNBA games. But for the month of August, Mandalay Place’s Flanker will combine two of the greatest summer escapes available – sports bars and tiki bars – as its seasonal My Tai pop-up returns for a second summer.
The limited-time experience transforms Flanker’s lounge into an island-inspired retreat filled with lush tropical décor, eight riffs on the classic Mai Tai cocktail and a menu of playful shareable bites designed to match the escapist vibe. Sports fans needn’t worry — games are still shown throughout Flanker’s main dining room seven days a week. In the lounge, however, the televisions are more likely to be showing “Blue Hawaii” or another film from Elvis’ Hawaiian trilogy.
Cocktails on the My Tai menu range from a smoky mezcal-infused Smoked ‘N Tai to the fruit-forward Guava Lava Tai and even two zero-proof options. Yet Carver Road Hospitality’s Vice President of Food & Beverage, Steve Geddes, told the Food and Loathing podcast that the original Trader Vic-style Mai Tai remains the inspiration for all of them.
“The core of the traditional Mai Tai with the rum, the fruit juices, the orgeat, demerara and lime plays the anchor of the flavor profiles,” Geddes says. To build on that core, he quickly notes, Carver Road’s V.P. of Beverage and Culture Francesco Lafranconi “comes up with all these lovely renditions.”
The décor at My Tai is just as important as the drinks.
“They were trying to create that Polynesian island away from the islands,” Geddes says of the original tiki bars that inspired the concept. “I think that’s kind of the inspiration of what we’re doing here. … It speaks to that original intent of those kinds of bars back in the day.”
According to Geddes, Carver Road Hospitality founder Sean Christie insists on going all-in when creating the company’s seasonal pop-ups.
“The one thing that our company doesn’t skimp on is decorations,” he says. “It’s worth every penny because it sets the tone and it sets the standard of excellence that we’re trying to create.”
The kitchen gets into the island spirit as well. Executive Chef Eric Gonzales has created a menu that mixes tiki nostalgia with elevated sports-bar fare. Highlights include a Pu Pu Platter loaded with coconut shrimp, tiki wings, grilled pork and pineapple skewers, and Spam fries, plus Wagyu sliders topped with grilled pineapple, teriyaki sauce and Swiss cheese on pretzel buns.
“You just have to take it for what it is,” Gonzales says of updating classic tropical bar food. “Just be creative with it.”
His personal recommendation?
“The sliders,” he says without hesitation. “But you have to try the Spam fries. It’s something you’ve never seen before.”
My Tai runs through Aug. 30 inside Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar at Mandalay Place.
Hear the complete interviews with Steve Geddes and Eric Gonzales on the July 31 episode of the Food and Loathing podcast
