Restaurants Compete for Title of Best Mocktail

DTRIC Insurance, and the Hawai‘i Restaurant Association (HRA) have partnered again to find Hawai‘i’s Best Mocktail. The friendly competition between restaurants, bars and lounges aims to offer non-alcoholic cocktails for designated drivers and non-drinkers. This year’s finalists will compete in the Hawai‘i’s Best Mocktails competition on Tuesday, May 14, 2019, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at International Market Place. The public is invited to attend to sample the mocktail entries and vote for their favorite.

“Hawai‘i’s Best Mocktails brings awareness to the important role of designated drivers, who can still have fun and join in the activities with alcohol-free drinks that look and taste as fantastic as their cocktail counterparts,” said Michele Saito, president and CEO of DTRIC Insurance. “We all have a responsibility to prevent drunk driving accidents and it’s encouraging that the restaurant and bar industry has embraced this unique campaign with such excitement.”

“Having alcohol should be a choice, not an expectation,” added Sheryl Matsuoka, executive director of the Hawai‘i Restaurant Association. “By offering mocktail options alongside classic cocktails, drinking and dining establishments are creating an inclusive atmosphere for all guests.”

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel was named the People’s Choice Mocktail Winner at the 2018 Mocktail competition.

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel was named the People’s Choice Mocktail Winner at last year’s Mocktail competition. Courtesy photo.

The 2019 Hawai‘i’s Best Mocktails competition features bartenders and mixologists from across the islands. The 14 finalists include:

Magic’s Beach Grill – Pahoehoe Plunge. Courtesy photo.

Hawai‘i Island:

• Magic’s Beach Grill – Pahoehoe Plunge
• Mauna Kea Beach Hotel – Orange Dream Booch

Orange Dream Booch by Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. Courtesy photo.

Maui:

• The Mill House – Feel Free to Tiki

O‘ahu:

• 53 By the Sea – Yuzu Making Me Blush
• Flour & Barley – Koolau Cooler
• Hula Grill Waikiki – Cucumber Passion Fruit Spritzer
• M.A.C. 24/7 – Island Poppin’ Lemonade
• SKY Waikiki – Hatton Heist
• Smith & Kings – So Ono Fizz
• The Manifest – Ginger & Rose Fizz
• The Nook Neighborhood Bistro – The Renegade Old Fashioned
• Tiki’s Grill & Bar – Shi-so Spicy
• Vintage Vinegars – Spice Grilled Pineapple Vinegar Elixir
• ShoreFyre – Gardener’s Fizz

The competition features two categories: Judge’s Choice, selected by a panel of media personalities, social influencers, and industry professionals; and People’s Choice, as voted on by event guests. Winners in each category will be announced at the end of the competition.

Full recipes will be available online following the Hawai‘i’s Best Mocktails competition on May 14. To attend the free event, register online. Tickets are limited.

Alcohol is a major factor in traffic crashes. Based on data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there was an alcohol-impaired traffic fatality every 50 minutes in 2016. According to NHTSA, 10,497 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes in 2016 and alcohol-impaired crash fatalities accounted for 28% of all crash fatalities.

Other sponsors and partners of Hawai‘i’s Best Mocktails include Ohana Broadcasting, FROLIC Hawai‘i, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Hawai‘i Volcanic Water.