Post #3112 by Fonduie on Sun, Jun 30, 2002 6:40 PM

I was in Pleasanton today so I thought I'd have lunch at Bamboo Island and sample what they had to offer. Alas, they are not open for lunch on Sundays so I had to resort to the Chili's restaurant across the way. :(

I did get a glimpse inside though. As I pressed my nose against the glass entryway I did indeed see the back-side of one Tiki guarding the doorway. There were a few guys in Hawaiian print shirts carrying glasses and things about and I was tempted to be a nuisance and ask them to let me in and take a look around (I wanted to see the ceiling and bamboo wall that were described in the above article) but I held back.

The general look of the place was not lush or mysterious (two of my favorite Tiki-joint qualities) but seemed minimal, airy and dotted with a few rattan fans and such. The fountains I pictured in my mind from the above article placed my hopes a little too high I think. The fountains I saw were slightly larger versions of the trinkley stacks of rock you see at new-age sort of places. I did see a bar by the front but I couldn't see if it was well stocked or not.

At the end of the day I have to say that yes, while a restaurant that has a Tiki by the front door is better than a restaurant without, I simply don't see myself making the drive out there for the express reason of sampling their food. If I happen to be in the area again I might give it another shot but from what I saw from the outside, I'm not inspired to make any more effort than that.

-Shannon

[ Edited by: Fonduie on 2002-06-30 18:43 ]