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Mai Tai

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Mai Tai's pathetically half-hearted attempt at mimicking Hawaii/Thailand falls flat in it's sugary, alcohol light cocktail face.

Editorial


Now feel free to call me a snob, but there's only so much tack this reviewer can take before we tip right over the kitsch cliff into downright nasty. I suppose the clues were there in the title of this bar. While it's true that Hawaii's cuisine has been deeply influenced by many different immigrant cultures over the centuries - and largely Asian too, despite America’s best efforts – simply mashing together the Hawaii cocktail bar theme with a bland, run of the mill Thai restaurant just isn't going to cut it in this town.   

Mai tai is, quite simply, ridiculously bad. To say the decor's been done on the cheap is an understatement. It's a bland, basic shell of a space that has overcompensated by throwing all manner of tacky paraphernalia at the walls. The ceiling twinkles with fairy lights strung from shoddy looking bamboo constructions. The bar stools are dated 60s lounge without the ironic twist. Plain wooden cafeteria tables have lonely tea lights.   

And the cocktails. Yuck. It's the school of sugary, syrupy premixes here, with nary a trace of the original style, or alcohol for that matter. And don't even bother with the bland, half-hearted "Thai" food when there are so many excellent restaurants nearby. If you love badly out-of-town karaoke in crappy surrounds with grossly sweet drinks minus the actual alcohol content, this is your place. If that's not your style, don’t bother. Really.

Stephen Russell, Citysearch

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annabelle
December 08, 2010


this place is ammmazzing! It's under new managment and the foods TERRIFIC! the place looks way better and the staff are really friendly, just some dont talk fluent english, but they are truly friendly and really acheive making your meal effortless, like, you just eat. they pour your water for you attentively. the bar looks great, and the bartenders are friendly and down to earth! at the moment, lunch and dinner is 20% off!!!!!!!!!! and thers happy hours from 5pm-8pm tues-sun. try the mojito!!!!! the food here is great guys, bring your friends and family, its a great vietnamese and thai fusion restaurant.

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hardkiwi
January 08, 2011


i checked this place out, and to be honest. its great. the foods really delicious. i had the pad thai with prawns, it was the best pad thai i had in melbourne and i am definetally going back with the wife.

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