I don’t know too many people that grow pineapples in their backyard but Scott Deeter does and it’s one of many inspirations for his home tiki bar. It’s called The Hala Kahiki Hideaway and it has a Disney, Trader Sam’s, Polynesian Village vibe. Hey, Scott and Kim (Scott’s partner-in-crime) live in Orlando, so there has to be some Disney influence, right! Here is Scott’s story of The Hala Kahiki Hideaway …
What is the tiki scene like where you live?
Scott- Pretty good! We have Disney, so there’s the Enchanted Tiki Room, and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, which features Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto. There’s Aku Aku tiki bar in downtown Orlando, and Suffering Bastard in Sanford. Both are great. There are several other “tiki-ish” locations as well, and (at least in the before time) I believe we had four regularly performing Luau dinner shows.
What brought you into the tiki lifestyle and how long has it been part of your life?
Scott- Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s in Massachusetts, almost every town had a Chinese Restaurant. Most were large, stand-alone restaurants with cocktail lounges, elaborate décor, water features, and massive murals. They usually advertised ‘Polynesian Cocktails’, served food and drinks that were on fire, and just generally seemed exotic and mysterious. I was captivated. I was always drawn to the idea of “Island Life” and the Tropics in general. It wasn’t until I found Tiki Central in the early 2000’s that I really “GOT” tiki, and felt like it was what I had in my head.
Can you give a little history of how it all came together?
Scott- I started getting serious about making drinks in the early 2000’s. I had various “bar cabinets” etc. but never really had a dedicated space to mix or lounge. When I moved into my current home, it had a formal dining room that I knew right away would never get used. It had a pass through to the kitchen, was adjacent to the living room, and would be in the center of the action. I started planning then and there. It took a few years to start on it, but that was definitely the right space.
Any story behind the name of your bar?
Scott- My wife and partner-in-crime Kim was a “later in life” romance. (It’s a loong story.) When we began talking, she shared her love of Hawaii with me, and I turned her on to Tiki. Because of our long history with Disney (we actually met on a college internship in 1989!), I started calling her my Pineapple Princess. I also grow pineapples in the back yard, so we knew pineapple had to play a role in the name somehow. We toyed with a lot of variations, but ‘Hala Kahiki’ means pineapple in Hawaiian so that fit. And of course, Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room is referred to as the “Tropical Hideaway”, and we really liked the alliteration of it … so, The Hala Kahiki Hideaway was born!!
What is your favorite Tiki drink?
Scott- Mai Tai! It’s classic, very rummy—it’s a very “Tiki” name. As a kid in those Chinese restaurants, I could sometimes goad my mother into ordering one (my parents didn’t really drink). I would then sneak a sip or 2. Just another element of that exotic, escapist fantasy. I’m also partial to the Boo Loo, since it uses fresh pineapple.
What is your favorite Tiki bar? Not including your own!
Scott- The Molokai Bar at the Mai Kai. I’ve been very fortunate to spend a lot of time there. I’ve been the first person in the door on a quiet Thursday right at opening, and I’ve been there in the middle of chaos on Saturday night during Hukilau. It’s a magical place, and I desperately hope they are able to reopen.
Outside of great drinks, what do you think are essential elements in creating the perfect Tiki environment?
Scott- Great lighting, and the right music. Also, to me, the best spaces are filled with things that have meaning to the owner. Most of our artwork and tikis are meaningful to us in some way. Whether they come from an artist we know, or it’s something we picked up on vacation somewhere—many things have a story. Also, our big tikis come from who I consider to be the best carvers in Florida. Guys who have done stuff for the Mai Kai and other commercial spots. Guys who we’ve tipped a drink together with through the years.
What does the future hold for you and your home tiki bar?
Scott- Lots of Mai Tais! Ha! We finished a great deal of work on the Hideaway over quarantine time, so we haven’t had too many guests. We are eager to entertain our friends! I do have three “finishing touch” projects I need to complete. But now that our work lives are mostly back to normal, I just haven’t had the time. And of course, in our travels, we are always looking for something else. But we have definitely gotten more selective about what we buy—it’s getting very full in there! I’ve pretty much stopped buying mugs. There are some great ones out there, but the shelves are packed!
Anything else you would like to add?
Scott- Anyone can have a home tiki space! Even if it’s just a little corner—get creative! There are SO MANY great resources online for tips and tricks. And do some learning. There’s a fine line between cultural appreciation and appropriation. Take the time to learn about Polynesian cultures. Ask questions. And enjoy!
Wow!! Mahalo for the feature, Ray! Appreciate you, sir!
The pleasure was all mine Scott! Your bar is truly incredible.
You’ve created the perfect spot to unwind at home, it looks like you can almost feel the tropical breeze and smell the plumeria flowers! Would you mind sharing your Mai Tai recipe? We fell in love with the one from Mai Tai’s at the Royal Hawaiian and have been trying to replicate. It’s pretty good but the recipe calls for Cherry Vanilla Puree which seems to be impossible to find here in Orlando. Any suggestions?
Hi Anthony!
I stick to the 1944 Trader Vic’s Recipe (although Vic created the ‘Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai’ as well…).
Anyway, as you probably know, at least the LEGEND infers that the idea was to highlight a very special rum, and just add some flavors to enhance it.
Here’s the recipe—
– 1 oz lime juice
– 1/2 oz orange Curaçao
– 1/4 oz orgeat syrup
– 1/4 oz 1:1 simple syrup
– 1 oz aged Jamaican rum
– 1 oz aged Martinique agricole rhum
I use a whole lime just because it’s easy, and shake with half. The other half (shell) gets placed on top of the ice in the glass. The garnish is a nice big sprig of Mint, that has been “spanked”. Supposedly the lime shell represents an island, and the mint represents a palm tree. No idea if that’s canon or not.
I also opt for no straw, but if someone insists, I trim it short. The aroma of the mint really affects the flavor of the drink.
I use Latitude 29 Orgeat from Orgeatworks (shop small!).
My tastebuds prefer Cointreau for the orange, although a LOT of people swear by the Ferrand Dry Curaçao. I like that as well, but I’ve tried the drink exactly the same except subbing those two, and the Cointreau JUST edges it out for me. I’d recommend trying both.
I also just use Orgeat in place of the simple.
Rums are trickier. There’s some newish speculation that while it WAS a Martinique rum used, it WASN’T an Agricole—but rather a Martinique style rum made with molasses instead—
If you’re not a super rum-head, the Denizen Merchants’ Reserve is a great place to start, and it’s available at Total wine here in town.
Okole Maluna!!