Tropical Bistro, Hilliard, OH (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

JC Jeff Central Tiki Socialite Columbus, Ohio Joined: Jul 23, 2002 Posts: 1737	JC Jeff Central Posted posted on Sun, Mar 5, 2006 5:38 PM Name:Tropical Bistro Type:restaurant Street:3641 Fishinger Road City:Hilliard State:OH Zip:43026 country:USA Phone:614-527-8582 Status:operational Description: Holy Crap!!! This place is AMAZING!!! It just opened up a few weeks ago and I finally had a chance to go there and check the place out. At first site it doesn't look like much, a typical Asian restaurant in a dilapidated strip mall. More work needs to definitely be done to spruce up the outside. This would probably be my ONLY complaint if I had to have one. Once inside though things begin to change. The first thing you see upon entering, I am happy to report, is a tiki mask that once graced the walls of the Kahiki restaurant. After be happily greeted by the hostess we were sat down next to the Sunday buffet brunch area. Also close by was Francis Llacuna a hawaiian born guitarist and vocalist. I am not kidding here folks but a couple minutes after settling in to our seats, Francis went into the Hukilau song! My wife Deb and I laughed and started clapping much to the bewilderment of the rest of the people in the restaurant. It was simply unbelievable! This is the first place I have ever visited in Ohio that makes you feel that you are home. That warm fuzzy feeling you get when you enter a good Polynesian restaurant. I talked to both owners and found out that Alice Tsao was going to make an appearance as well this afternoon. I just couldn't get over how things were clicking. Next a 20 year old veteran of the Kahiki stopped in to say hello. They have a big staff of Kahiki restaurant workers here. Seong Thong, partner in the Bistro, was a former cook at the Kahiki. Lots of Aloha Spirit too!!! The food was even BETTER than the Kahiki. They classify themselves under the Pan-Asian banner and it is very good. The buffet was fantastic! They even have food items from the Kahiki as well, such as my ultimate favorite dish The Tahitian Mermaid. I am still trying to calm down over here. Oh shit, the drinks!!!! They have a full tiki drink menu and it uses the exact same image as the Kahiki drink menu. Color pictures of all the drinks are inside as well. Seong made me a Mai Tai and made Deb a smoking eruption. It was very tasty and not overly fruity. The Mai Tai packed quite a punch as well. I am felling no pain right now, Ha! He even gave these to use "on the house!!!". They also have a number of other "smoking drinks" that are served up in Tiki Mugs designed by our good friend Mario from Hoffman Pottery. We have to really support a place like this. I truly believe that the owners have a vision. It was an incredible experience that I won't forget. Now if we can just get a few more tikis in there and some hula girls too, hmmmm................ Go there NOW!!!!! Cheers and Mahalo, Jeff

Name:Tropical Bistro
Type:restaurant
Street:3641 Fishinger Road
City:Hilliard
State:OH
Zip:43026
country:USA
Phone:614-527-8582
Status:operational

Description:
Holy Crap!!! This place is AMAZING!!! It just opened up a few weeks ago and I finally had a chance to go there and check the place out. At first site it doesn't look like much, a typical Asian restaurant in a dilapidated strip mall. More work needs to definitely be done to spruce up the outside. This would probably be my ONLY complaint if I had to have one. Once inside though things begin to change. The first thing you see upon entering, I am happy to report, is a tiki mask that once graced the walls of the Kahiki restaurant. After be happily greeted by the hostess we were sat down next to the Sunday buffet brunch area. Also close by was Francis Llacuna a hawaiian born guitarist and vocalist. I am not kidding here folks but a couple minutes after settling in to our seats, Francis went into the Hukilau song! My wife Deb and I laughed and started clapping much to the bewilderment of the rest of the people in the restaurant. It was simply unbelievable! This is the first place I have ever visited in Ohio that makes you feel that you are home. That warm fuzzy feeling you get when you enter a good Polynesian restaurant. I talked to both owners and found out that Alice Tsao was going to make an appearance as well this afternoon. I just couldn't get over how things were clicking. Next a 20 year old veteran of the Kahiki stopped in to say hello. They have a big staff of Kahiki restaurant workers here. Seong Thong, partner in the Bistro, was a former cook at the Kahiki.

Lots of Aloha Spirit too!!! The food was even BETTER than the Kahiki. They classify themselves under the Pan-Asian banner and it is very good. The buffet was fantastic! They even have food items from the Kahiki as well, such as my ultimate favorite dish The Tahitian Mermaid. I am still trying to calm down over here. Oh shit, the drinks!!!! They have a full tiki drink menu and it uses the exact same image as the Kahiki drink menu. Color pictures of all the drinks are inside as well. Seong made me a Mai Tai and made Deb a smoking eruption. It was very tasty and not overly fruity. The Mai Tai packed quite a punch as well. I am felling no pain right now, Ha! He even gave these to use "on the house!!!". They also have a number of other "smoking drinks" that are served up in Tiki Mugs designed by our good friend Mario from Hoffman Pottery.

We have to really support a place like this. I truly believe that the owners have a vision. It was an incredible experience that I won't forget. Now if we can just get a few more tikis in there and some hula girls too, hmmmm................

Go there NOW!!!!!

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

Post #219042 by Jeff Central on Sun, Mar 5, 2006 5:38 PM