Style on Friday
Mahiki gets a mid-life makeover
It was the Polynesian-themed nightclub that gave the world “treasure chest” cocktails – overflowing with Champagne, and beloved by young royals and A-list celebrities. Now, nightclub Mahiki is back with a new branch, a decade after first opening its doors in Mayfair.
Described as a more “grown-up” version of the original, Mahiki in Kensington will feature a restaurant serving all-day brunch, a sushi bar and green tea ice cream on the menu – although the house mix of brandy, lime, peach liqueur and fizz, served in a glass-lined pirates’ treasure chest for £100 (and said to be the Duke of Cambridge’s favourite drink) will still be its signature tipple.
The implication is that the new Mahiki has a midlife crowd in its sights – more precisely, the very y same blue-blooded set who ho partied there in the Noughties ies but now have wives, husbands ds and babies. Indeed, it is located right next to Kensington Palace – pretty much at the end nd of the driveway, in fact – meaning that William and Kate te could be back before e bath time. And with reports rts suggesting that Prince ce
Harry is to move Meghan eghan Markle into a Kensington ngton Palace apartment, the he Mahiki velvet rope could be very busy indeed. d.
Piers Adam, the impresario who opened ned the original club back in n 2006 with Guy Pelly, the Princes’ confidant, has taken over the site of Bodo’s Schloss, s, an Alpine-themed nightclub htclub in Kensington High Street, reet, also beloved by the Mahiki iki crowd (it was rumoured that Prince ce Harry had a tunnel there from his is bedroom). This time, Pelly is not involved, volved, having opened his own Mexican-themed xican-themed club on Sloane Square. re.
So who will be there? ere? And will the whole place have e lost its fizz? Let’s grab a straw and nd dive in…
The crowd
When Mahiki opened, nightclubs took themselves seriously. These were the days of spraying Cristal over your Bentley. Mahiki, by contrast, was silly, gaudy and perfect for a load of Hoorays fresh out of St Andrews. Where Wills and Kate led, other royals followed. Scarlett Johansson and Lindsay Lohan also wanted to party with “crazy” posh Britons. It was Hollywood meets Holyrood. It’s too early to say who will be back, but Prince Harry may need an engagement party soon.
THEN
Prince William and Kate Middleton Prince Harry and Chelsy Davy Pippa Middleton Beatrice and Eugenie Paris Hilton
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Pippa and James Matthews Brooklyn Beckham
Harry Styles
The menu
To the original Mahiki crowd, food was just a way to line your stomach. The most nutritious item was the frozen pineapple in your Piña Colada. Now, in line with the older demographic, the new branch will double up as a weekend brunch venue and serve dinner from Wednesday to Sunday. They’ll be opening a crèche next…
Treasure Chest cocktails Sambuca shots Bottomless Champagne
Bloody Marys Mixed kale salad Bottomless brunch
The decor
Part of the joy of Mahiki was its tasteless decor. It resembled the set of a Bond film, but less sober – all wicker and Hawaiian prints. The new Mahiki is fruity and flowery. Instead of roped-off corners, there’s a private dining room, perfect for a birthday party. Palm trees Bamboo-clad bar Pink-lit (very sticky) dance floor
Black and pink floral upholstery Green leather banquettes Private dining room
The gossip
Back in 2006, Kate Middleton wasn’t a dead cert to be William’s wife – in fact they even broke up. Prince Harry was on and off with Chelsy Davy. Labour was clinging to power, and nobody had considered for a moment that the economy would collapse.
“I heard that Harry introduced Chelsy to the Queen”
“Did you hear Wills spent £11,000 at the bar after dumping Kate?”
“I don’t expect the Tories will ever get in again”
“Harry has already proposed to Meghan, for sure”
“Kate’s third baby will be a boy” “I think Dave Cameron is having his book launch here”
The clothes
The Mahiki crowd never paid much attention to fashion – they turned up in the safe and unremarkable. These days they are a bit better dressed, but decidedly machine-washable now that there’s baby sick involved.
FOR THE MEN: THEN
Blue jeans Argentine polo player belts Red socks and suede loafers
Black jeans or suit White shirt Black leather shoes
FOR THE WOMEN: THEN Knee-high black suede boots Tweed skirt
Bangles
Nude pumps Gucci minidress An engagement ring