The WAITIKI 7: New Sounds of Exotica

TONIGHT! The WAITIKI 7 broadens the universe of exotica beyond the constraints of jazz at Honolulu’s Fresh Café: the perfect place to enjoy the The Sounds of Exotica Lounge with The Waitiki 7. Special guests HAROLD CHANG and DJ DON BONGO join us for an evening of exquisite music-making. Whether you’re an old-timer, first-timer, or just-in-timer, have a drink and savor the new sounds of exotica. Free valet parking, no drink minimum, food available. GENERAL ADMISSION: $20. SENIORS, STUDENTS, MILITARY, KEIKI: $10. ALL AGES.

Salute the swing, Latin jazz, and bebop sides of exotica. From seldom-heard tunes, like Arthur Lyman’s “Leis of Jazz,” or Lee Morgan’s “Totem Pole,” to originals of our own—there’ll be something for everyone, exotica fans old and new. Not to mention our favorite Martin Denny arrangements, like “Black Orchid,” and “Quiet Village,” which are just too good to pass up! Many thanks to Robert Shinoda, curator of the Gordon Biersch Jazz Wednesdays series, for hosting us.

by Randy Wong

Ok, this one is kind of an ass kicker. Actually I originally was going to name it that, until Joe (of the Rhum Rhum Room) suggested it has similar qualities to the ‘34 Zombie… namely in its strength and quantity of ingredients. Night Marchers are basically the Hawaiian equivalents of zombies. They are the ghosts of warriors who fought and protected their islands from takeover by other islands’ chiefs. As told by the obake files, making eye contact with a night marcher means certain death.

The Night Marcher Cocktail

1 oz. El Dorado 151 (don’t use Lemon Hart 151 – it takes over the taste)
1/2 oz Neisson Eleve
1/2 oz gin (Plymouth or Old Tom)
1/4 oz allspice dram (homemade or St. Elizabeth’s; haven’t tried with Berry Hill)
1 rough cut sugar cube (or 1/2 oz simple syrup)
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz fresh orange juice
8 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Into your mixing glass muddle the sugar cube and Peychaud’s like you’re starting a Sazerac. Add the juices, dram, sprits, and Ango. Shake with rocks, double strain, and serve in a cocktail glass.

Joe and I tried this one with Lemon Hart 151 at the Rhum Rhum Room. It was still a good drink, but the demerara flavor (and color) really overpowered the drink. If you use El Dorado 151, the other flavors come through better, and we found that you’ll get Ango and allspice at the tail. It’s really cool actually how that happens.

2 oz. gin
1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. apricot liqueur (we used Leroux apricot brandy)

Shake, strain, serve in a cocktail glass.

The Paradise is a lovely drink; the apricot and lemon blend well together and mask some of the herbal notes in the gin. It’s light, smooth, and very refreshing. Definitely going to add this one to our list of go-to drinks. We got this off of the Anvil 100 list.