Tiki Style at Aloha Sailor in Collingwood
By Jessica Williams
Follow her food adventures on Instagram: @jsallgoodthings
Aloha Sailor in Collingwood is compelling individuals’ inner “FOMO” (fear of missing out) with a limited time only cocktail bar below The Noble Experiment on Smith Street.
The draw-card? Epic, tiki-style cocktails. In fact the whole Hawaiian, tropical ambience of Aloha Sailor is captivating. An Elvis movie plays on two big projector screens, grass lines the walls and backlit skulls at the far end of the venue add a slightly eerie, alien touch.
You could be anywhere in the world, but you’re glad you’re here when the cocktails arrive. The Hawaiian shirt adorned bar tender and owner explains that prep for the enticing drinks began on Wednesday for Friday service. He explains this as nitrous oxide causes my skull shaped glass encasing a blue liquid to smoke from the top, while a dry iced mint leaf sits perfectly on top of a bright green drink; the famous mojito.
Served in a martini glass, the Maybe a Mojito is a perfectly refreshing tipple - that’s thanks to the lemongrass syrup, the star of both the cocktails I sample on this particular evening. Diplomatico Blanco, pear liqueur, elderflower liqueur and lime juice mixed with the subtle citrus flavour of the lemon grass served straight up, carbonated with the nitro muddled mint is a winning concoction – and much too easy to drink.
The liquid filled skull is just as delicious. It’s the Brain Freeze; Bacardi Citron, Finlandia grapefruit & mango, blue curacao, cold pressed apple juice, citrus, and the ultimate ingredient, lemongrass. A high class twist on the fruit tingle, the blue tongue you’re left with is absolutely worth it.
Thank goodness that Aloha Sailor has the tiki twist down pat. The finessed, cocktails are the enticement, the star of the show.
The tiki fare is infinitely intriguing. The Saikou Salmon “poke” bowl is like a deconstructed sushi roll, a dish I would happily eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner – some soy or chilli would have been the perfect addition.
The 12 Spice Pork Ribs arrive at the table, looking dark and gnarly, just how they should be. It was unfortunate that the cut we received was quite fatty, and the meat a touch dry, like the previous dish, it would have benefited from a dipping sauce or condiment; a thick, sticky honey soy would have done the trick!
The Coconut XL Leader Prawns are tender and juicy. Sitting in a puddle of Corn and Miso Sauce and scattered with pickled banana blossoms, this is tiki food at its best. The pickle cut through the umami of the miso and the sweetness of the prawns and corn, a dish worth applause.
Don’t miss out, the curtains will close on the world of Aloha Sailor and there will not be a final encore.
Aloha Sailor is open Friday and Saturday evenings until October 31, 2015.
Aloha Sailor
284 Smith Street, Collingwood 3066