A drink with plenty of aloha spirit may have started out in Tahiti, but it has acquired a Hawaiian touch at Tahiti Nui in Hanalei. The famous Tahiti Nui Mai Tai can be described as a relaxing remedy for restlessness
A drink with plenty of aloha spirit may have started out in Tahiti, but it has acquired a Hawaiian touch at Tahiti Nui in Hanalei.
The famous Tahiti Nui Mai Tai can be described as a relaxing remedy for restlessness in Hanalei. It has become the headline drink of the Tahiti Nui restaurant, where its popularity has grown since Bruce and Louise Marston opened the establishment in 1964.
The Mai Tai is a drink of Tahitian origins. The very word “maitai” is Tahitian for good.
The earliest Mai Tai was mostly alcohol, according to Nanea Marston, co-manager. The drink that her grandmother Louise perfected uses a light rum base with a dark rum “floater” that rises to the top. She says that, in addition to the fruit juice, there is a blend of other alcoholic beverages that is a carefully guarded restaurant secret.
The friendly staff and customers must also be part of that recipe. It has made “The Nui” a centerpiece of North Shore life for its food, drink and live music.
The Mai Tai is garnished with a slice of pineapple, lime and cherry, and then handed to you by smiling staff. While the alcohol blend may seem to bite at first, it is quickly tempered by the smooth rum and juice.
After a sip or two you might gain perspective on the rustic and open surroundings. A few sips later, and the banter of the regulars sounds more familiar, making it easy to add your voice to the friendly conversation.
After this quick lesson in savoir faire, it was clear that this slow drink is an introduction to the pace of life in Hanalei. If you can pick up on that, you might just become hanai — adopted family.
“People enjoy coming here because they are treated the same as everyone else,” said Nanea.
Louise Marston was born into a royal family and raised on Tubuai in the outer Austral Islands of French Polynesia. She married a U.S. Air Force officer, Bruce Marston, in the capitol of Pape‘ete and the couple eventually moved to Kaua‘i where they opened the small diner in 1964.
Auntie Louise passed away in 2003. The business is now run by her son Christian Marston Sr. and his children.
Look for a photo of Auntie Louise on the wall.
Find out more at www.thenui.com.
