Let’s get this out of the way first: you’re thinking about the song, so go listen to it. OK. So a piña colada, for the uninitiated, is a cocktail made from pineapple, coconut, and rum (in any of various forms and combinations), often blended with ice, and usually garnished with pineapple and/or a maraschino cherry. It’s delicious—pineapple and coconut are among my favorite fruits, and I find the combination irresistible.
The best piña colada I ever had was at the Marilyn Monroe bar, part of the Las Orquídeas Inn in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Our group had gotten caught in the rain (no, really—I am not making this up) so we ducked inside the bar to wait it out, and for whatever reason we decided to get piña coladas. I don’t know what was in them, but man, they were magical. I’ve never had a better one before or since. Sadly, a few years ago, Las Orquídeas changed management and underwent a complete renovation, as a result of which the Marilyn Monroe bar is no more. The new place looks nice enough, but I have a feeling the magic is gone.
