Here’s one of the tropical drinks we had with our dinner at the reopened (and now closed again) Luau in Beverly Hills …

Next up, a Luau Grog, their take on the venerable Navy Grog, which for years was my drink of choice at the late, lamented House of Lee in Pacific Palisades. My favorite local tiki bar after Tiki Ti, I was a regular there for years. Tommy was the bartender who kept me medicated with my large and potent Navy Grogs, and Albert, the world’s most expressionless waiter (whom we loved) kept the rumaki, kung pao shrimp and cheeseburgers coming (they had great burgers, and perfect crinkle-cut Ore-Ida fries, great for soakign up Grogs, Fogcutters and Scorpions). Luau’s Grog took me back … ahh.

The original recipe called for gold Puerto Rican rum, but I use Cruzan Estate Dark, not being a fan of Puerto Rican rum for the most part.

Luau Grog

1 ounce Cruzan Estate Dark rum.
1 ounce dark Jamaican rum.
1 ounce Demerara rum.
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice.
3/4 ounce grapefruit juice.
3/4 ounce soda water.
1 ounce honey mix. *
1 dash of Angostura bitters.
2 ounce crushed ice.

Put everything into a blender saving ice for last. Blend at high speed for no more than 5 seconds. Pour into a double old-fashioned glass. Serve with an ice cone.

* For the honey mix, combine one part honey and one part hot water until honey is thoroughly dissolved. Once cooled & bottled, it will last about a week in the refrigerator.

Dr. Bamboo has the best article on ice cones I’ve ever seen.