Rebirths

The fate of the once-threatened Tonga Room seems to be firming up solidly for the long haul, as the new cocktails they introduced a couple of months ago are selling like gangbusters. With the same number of customers drinking, the Tonga sold nearly 50 percent more mai tais (their most popular tipple) this August than they did last August. Booze now accounts for 56 percent of their revenue, compared to 48 percent last year. Clearly, a much-needed change in the beverage department. [Inside Scoop]