Like the bar’s mixed Japanese/tiki decor, Austin‘s Tiki Tatsu-Ya infuses Japanese-inspired flavor into their cocktails to bring new twists on iconic tiki cocktails. This fusion exists primarily in the syrups, according to drinks manager Cory Starr.
Starr‘s background at the Four Seasons Hualalai, Hawaii and Three Dots and a Dash in Chicago gave him a head start on trying some of these combinations. So, too, did the trust placed by Tiki Tatsu-Ya owner Tatsu Aikawa in Starr to come up with winning combinations while the bar was under construction.
At the same time, Starr said he couldn’t’t force Japanese ingredients into the bar’s cocktails just for the sake of novelty. They had to complement the classic recipes’ flavors, add balance, or create a unique taste that works as a tiki cocktail.
An example is the addition of miso, a seasoning from fermented bean paste, into the orgeat and coconut creme. A small amount of miso brings out the flavors, like adding a small amount of saline in a craft cocktail, Starr said. (In terms of Japanese cuisine, the addition of miso seems to add a touch of savory mouthfeel, known as “unami,” to the drinks where it is used.)
The Tiki Tatsu-Ya version of the ’44 Mai Tai uses the miso orgeat, and substitutes mandarin for curaçao. Despite a full ounce of lime juice in the drink and a strong rum blend, it is very smooth, without the lime bite in some mai tai versions. The mandarin in particular (and perhaps the miso) add a pronounced dry aftertaste.
As Austin’s first top-notch tiki bar, a lot of visitors don’t know what to expect when it comes to tiki-inspired cocktails or rum drinks. A number of times I overheard the servers and bartenders do a good job explaining the drink menu and matching the patrons’ favorite flavors with a drink they would be happy with. The servers and bartenders were either knowledgeable tiki enthusiasts or were eager to learn more both about tiki and rum craft cocktails. I couldn’t have been happier with the service (and my conversations with the staff). Those working at Tiki Tatsu-Ya were buzzing with enthusiasm over this new bar and the drinks — but I didn’t see the stumbles that I would have expected from a bar opened for just about 60 days.
During my two visits to Tiki Tatsu-Ya I asked six servers, bartenders and managers to tell me their favorite drink. I believe I received five different answers! The sixth — Starr himself — was reluctant to name one favorite drink. Inventing complex tiki drinks “is 100% a labor of love. You have to love every drink” that you serve, Starr said.
When pressed, Starr admitted that he was happy with the “Cobra Kai” as an example of a drink where the combination of unusual ingredients produced a great tasting cocktail. In fact, until Starr discussed the drink with me, I didn’t intend to order it. But I’m glad I did. Of the 10 drinks that I and my drinking companions tried, the Cobra Kai was my favorite.
I have trouble explaining the drink’s taste, because there is a lot going on — some flavors I could identify, others I couldn’t. Per the menu, the drink contains “overproof rums, Armagnac, clairin, baijiu, passionfruit, fassionola, citrus, and spices.” True to its name, the Cobra Kai (named in honor of the classic drink Cobra’s Fang and the classic movie Karate Kid) packed more of a punch than many of the other drinks I tried, and I could taste many layers of flavor with each sip. Yet, despite the inclusion of overproof rums (including Rum Fire), the alcohol didn’t overpower the drink. Like the Ray’s Mistake at Tiki Ti, this is a drink I could order again and again and be happy . . . .
And speaking of the Ray’s Mistake, my second favorite drink was also a passionfruit drink — the Tiki Tatsu-Ya version of the “Strip ’n Go Naked.” I thought the drink would lean too much on the citrus flavors, which can be bitter. But the passionfruit and tangerine (and yuzu lager) added just the right amount of citrus bite. But although a citrus and gin cocktail, it was not a “thin” drink. It had a great, full mouth feel — perhaps provided by the lager along with the lemongrass shochu — a distilled Japanese beverage (stronger than sake and, because it is distilled not brewed and fermented, shochu’s flavors are different from sake).
Many of the drinks that we tried were nicely balanced, very drinkable, and included shochu as an ingredient. An example of this drinkable drink with shochu is the “Daruma,” named after the daruma “winking” doll. (In Japan, people will often fill in one eye of the doll with a black marker to signify a goal or wish — the other eye is filled in when the goal is accomplished.) My sister, who accompanied me on my first visit, really enjoyed the drink. It was a perfect drink for someone, like her, who doesn’t lean toward strong tasting rum drinks (although it was not a weak drink). I could taste the rum (mixed with shochu, armagnac and sherry), but it was not an overly rum forward drink. Although the menu says the drink is for one or two, my sister said it was the perfect (hefty) drink for one because it is so easy to drink.
A drink that my second-visit guest — my brother-in-law — enjoyed was the “Jungle Crane.” It comes in a beer mug, and you shouldn’t drink with a straw. The pineapple top layer mixes with the rum, cane and lime when sipped (or, if you’re feeling especially foolhardy, chugged).
And mention should go my third favorite drink — the “One Way Ticket” — inspired in part by the Jet Pilot classic cocktail. By subbing scotch for the rum, the One Way Ticket had the perfect kick for me with a nice fruity aftertaste.
Finally, my favorite mug: the “Slurping Bastard.” The drink (and ginger garnish) is definitely for those who really like the taste of ginger. The mug that Starr designed is especially clever: It transforms Trader Vic’s Suffering Bastard into the ramen slurping bastard. Just one more way that Tiki Tatsu-Ya infuses tiki with its Japanese restaurant roots.
Stephen would like to give special thanks Carrie Chau Hellinger of Giant Noise for her facilitation of his visit and for all the information she provided. He would also like to thank Cory Starr for his time and insight, as well as the Tatsu-Ya group for covering some of the food and drinks that Stephen tried.
Here is the Tiki Tatsu-Ya Website
And Facebook Page