From January 21st-February 3rd, Columbia, SC’s top Cajun-Creole/Whisky restaurant, Bourbon, transformed itself into a Polynesian paradise as it hosted it’s annual Tiki Week.
To help down out everyone’s winter blues, owner Kristian Niemi replaced Bourbon’s standard food and cocktail menus with a delightful array of tropical concoctions and South Seas culinary delights. The restaurant is festooned with island thatch, bamboo, Tiki masks, and other tropical decor while Exotica music softly enhances the mood.
The cocktail menu includes many traditional Tiki classics like Don The Beachcomber’s Zombie and Trader Vic’s Mai Tai as well as Bourbon’s bartenders own original cocktail recipes. Their original blends often reach beyond Tiki’s traditional rum-centric mix bringing in Gins, Bourbons and Whisky.
I made two visits to Bourbon this year bringing with me a variety of friends many of whom only know Tiki through my frequent house parties. Everyone always has a good time and I am already looking forward to 2020.