RUMble in St. Louis
By Bernell Dorrough
Of the Post-Dispatch
Thursday, Jun. 16 2005
Summer officially starts next week, and though you may not be able to escape to
the Caribbean any time soon, you can still have your own tropical vacation
right here in St. Louis. Sure, sand and an ocean breeze will be hard to find in
this town, but rum is one beach-vacation staple that's readily available -- and
cheap. All of this week's stops are well under $20, so forget about your bank
account, put on a Hawaiian shirt and check out these places for some great
local rum drinks.
Before you place your order, it always helps to know a thing or two about what
you're drinking. Rum is made from molasses, which is boiled and mixed with
water and yeast before being aged in oak casks. The amount of time it spends
aging determines what type of rum is produced -- light or dark. Light rums can
spend as few as six months aging whereas dark rums, which are mixed with
caramel, spend as many as 12 years in the cask. The extra time pays off,
though; dark rum has stronger aromas and richer flavor than its lighter cousin.
Maya have another?
If you just want is a boring pina colada, head to a chain restaurant. But if
you want something new, something you can only find in St. Louis, head to the
Maya Cafe and order a Maplewoody. The drink was invented by the cafe's
bartenders and tastes like a Long Island Iced Tea bred with a Hurricane. The
flavor of the rum is accented by hints of orange and lime that hide just how
much alcohol you're drinking. As my bartender, Brad, noted, it’s “deceptively
strong.” He's right too; make sure you have a designated driver if you plan on
enjoying more than one of these. Brad wants to keep the recipe a secret, but he
will admit that the drink is built around Meyer's Dark Rum. At $7.75, it's
pretty expensive for one drink, but given its quality and size, it's well worth
the price.
Admittedly, the inside of the Maya Cafe doesn't have much in common with a
tropical resort. The restaurant's yellow walls and hanging rugs express its
Latin American roots, and the demeanor inside is calm and relaxed. But to kick
it up a notch and get that island feel, just walk outside to the patio, where
the picnic tables are built inside a large, blue boat. The deck even has its
own bar, so you won't have to walk inside for refills.
Running up a low tab
If you're hoping to find a unique rum drink downtown, head to the Key West Cafe
in Union Station and order the Rum Runner. You'll probably be able to find it
at other local bars, but I doubt you'll find one as good. The drink tastes
almost like Kool-Aid or a strawberry snow cone, but don't be fooled -- it's
powerful. It includes dark rum, 151-proof rum, blackberry brandy, creme de
banane, lime juice and a splash of sour mix. The legend goes that it was
invented by Tiki John, a bartender of lore. Whether that's true or not, the
Runner is a steal at $4.90. The cafe is also a great place to try the
Painkiller. The crucial ingredient in the drink is Pusser's Rum, which was the
official rum of the British Navy for over 300 years. According to Pusser's Web
site, Key West is one of only six bars in greater St. Louis to carry it.
Union Station may not seem like the place to go for a tropical experience, but
the cafe's wooden tables, hanging buoys and fake palm trees provide a bit of
escapism. It's also open until 3 a.m., so it's a popular after-work stop for
the employees of the mall's other establishments. Keep in mind that these
establishments include Hooters, the Hard Rock Cafe, Hooters, Houlihans and
Hooters.
Phat Saturday nights
No sampling of rum drinks would be complete without mentioning the extensive
variety of crushed-ice drinks. Not sure what to order? Try the Hurricane at Fat
Tuesday on Laclede's Landing -- it's like a daiquiri on steroids. The legend
goes that a salesman in the 1940s needed to sell a lot of rum, and (seeing as
there weren't any pirates around) he invented a drink that would cause a surge
in sales. Hurricanes include light rum, dark rum, passion-fruit juice, orange
juice and a splash of lime. Like most rum drinks, you can taste the alcohol,
but it isn't overpowering. It's easy to see why the $6 drink is Fat Tuesday's
most popular.
The appeal of Fat Tuesday is as much about its atmosphere as its large variety
of slushy drinks. Its purple, yellow and green walls bring home the New Orleans
feel without being overly fake or cheesy, and the crowds of young people who
show up on the weekends will remind you of Mardi Gras. If you don't mind a
smaller crowd or a more traditional drink, head there on Wednesday or Sunday,
when it has half-priced daiquiris.
Check out some great tools for your RUMble in the Gear Guide.
Did I miss something? Think I'm way off-base? Drop by the Twenty Buck Bernie
forum to offer feedback and suggestions for future stops. |