AdoreFall2017.indd

The tropical oasis

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TIKI TOLTECA

301 N Peters St.

T hough its proximity to the Caribbean and history as a rum mecca make New Orleans a natural fit for tiki bars, the scene lay dormant for decades after Bali H’ai shuttered in the mid-1980s. That changed in 2013, when Tiki Tolteca launched. "(Tiki Tolteca) was the first tiki bar to open since then," said Charles Arinder, director of operations for Felipe’s Mexican Taqueria. "The tiki scene had been nonexistent." Perched above Felipe’s Taqueria in the French Quarter, Tiki Tolteca is "literally an oasis," Arinder said. It features a thatch-roofed bamboo bar, tropical floral prints, tiki heads, glowing sea glass orbs and cowhide furniture handmade in Jalisco, Mexico–not to mention the fruity, flower-bedecked cocktails.

"When you give a guest a drink, you can see it’s a little bit of a mind-blowing experience," said head bartender Michael Beaugez, who designed or tweaked every drink on the menu.

Tiki Tolteca stocks 120 rums. Every syrup and liqueur is made in house from scratch. From the drinks to the décor, tiki bars are all about a transportive, tropical experience– which may explain their recent renaissance.

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ADORE • FALL 2017