{"id":5308,"date":"2013-07-01T19:59:48","date_gmt":"2013-07-02T02:59:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=5308"},"modified":"2014-02-23T16:32:06","modified_gmt":"2014-02-24T00:32:06","slug":"cocktail-corner-chucks-famous-mai-tai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lesliedinaberg.com\/wordpress\/?p=5308","title":{"rendered":"Cocktail Corner: Chuck’s Famous Mai Tai"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Chuck's<\/a>

Chuck’s Famous Mai Tai (courtesy photo)<\/p><\/div>\n

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! \u00a0By Leslie Dinaberg<\/b><\/p>\n

A lot of places slap the label “famous” onto a cocktail, but Chuck’s Famous Mai Tai<\/strong> is one “famous” libation that’s ready for a “legendary” label.<\/p>\n

It’s not quite as good as a trip to Maui, but it’s pretty darn close.<\/p>\n

Chuck’s<\/a>\u00a0of Hawaii (3888 State St., 805\/687-4417)\u00a0<\/em>makes its own super special secret saucy Mai Tai mix\u2014I don’t know what the proportions of orange, pineapple and limes are in there, but I do know that when mixed with three different rums (and always a red Maraschino cherry, lemon, green Maraschino cheery, orange skewer) this marvelous Mai Tai is guaranteed to put you in an island state of mind.<\/p>\n

And it’s good for you too.<\/p>\n

Now that scientists have proven that Fruity Cocktails Count as Health Food,\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0there can be no doubt that all of those post-PTA-meeting Mai Tai’s I’ve consumed at Chuck’s<\/a> over the years were all in the name of Vitamin C.<\/p>\n

\"Chuck's<\/a>

Chuck’s Menu (courtesy photo)<\/p><\/div>\n

Chuck’s has been our family’s celebratory place since I was a kid. It opened in 1967, and the salad bar and terra-cotta wine-jug menus still look just the same as ones in my faded 6th grade graduation photos. My mom got the Mai Tai’s back then. I still remember the warm glow on her face, and thinking how pretty her drink was when she let me steal a sip.<\/p>\n

Little did I know that decades later I’d be the one drinking Chuck’s Famous Mai Tai’s.<\/p>\n

Luckily the restaurant’s now walking distance from my house.<\/p>\n

As I said before, one Mai Tai is guaranteed to put you in an island state of mind, but two guarantees you’ll be ready for a conga line, even if you have to start it yourself! Cheers!<\/p>\n

Click\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0for more cocktail corner columns.<\/p>\n

\"Leslie<\/a>

Leslie Dinaberg<\/p><\/div>\n

When she\u2019s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes<\/i>\u00a0mag<\/i>azine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a \u201cgoal-oriented drinker.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

Originally published in\u00a0Santa Barbara SEASONS<\/a>\u00a0on March 1, 2013.<\/p>\n

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