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P.F. Chang's Mai Tai Recipe
P.F. Chang's Mai Tai
By Todd Wilbur

Recipe Type: Drink
Calories: 230
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Recipe Rating: 5.0 (2 reviews)
 
Menu Description: "It's our signature recipe."

Bring the tropical spirit of this drink to your house with a clone of this potent cocktail from the growing Chinese bistro chain. Mai tai is Tahitian for "out of this world," and P.F. Chang's recipe is one of the best and most authentic. The secret to a true mai tai is found in the original recipe developed by Trader Vic in 1944: Its almond-flavored syrup, called "orgeat." You can find the sweet stuff in stores that sell coffee flavorings (Torani is one very popular brand), or from bar supply outlets. Not only can you use the orgeat for making the best cocktails on the planet, but you can also use the syrup to wake up your next cup of java. If you can't find orgeat, there's a clone recipe included in the Tidbits below.
1 1/2 ounces Bacardi light rum
3/4 ounce triple sec
3/4 ounce orgeat syrup
3 ounces orange juice
3 ounces pineapple juice
splash Bacardi 151 rum
splash dark rum

Garnish
pineapple wedge
maraschino cherry

1. Fill a 16-ounce glass with ice.

2. Add the light rum, triple sec, orgeat, orange juice, and pineapple juice; then give the drink a quick stir.

3. Splash the 151 and dark rum on top. Do not stir.

4. Make a small cut in the pineapple wedge, then stick a toothpick into the pineapple wedge on the opposite edge. Pierce a maraschino cherry onto the toothpick. Slip the pineapple slice onto the rim of the glass (into the cut that you made). Add a straw, and serve.

Makes 1 drink.

Tidbits: You can make a pretty close version of orgeat syrup from scratch by dissolving 1/2 cup granulated sugar in 1/2 cup boiling water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract and 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract. Cool before using, then measure as you would the real thing.
        
beverage  
Submitted on 01/06/09
These are awesome! We had the best New Years Eve party while drinking them. You must use the almond extract for the perfection of the drink! The taste wonderful.
dorothy  
Submitted on 12/04/06
I've made this recipe the last two Christmas seasons in a row to accompany several different types & flavors of Chinese appetizers. I couldn't be happier with the results & mix the drink exactly as listed. I used Toroni's Sugar-Free Almond syrup because it was all I could find at the time. Not a fan of sugar-free, but I didn't have a problem using it here. You know you have a great drink when the guests start wearing the little cocktail umbrella garnishes in their hair. This one's a keeper.