Snapshot of Don the Beachcomber Sign In Hawaii 1940s - General Tiki

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Fri, Jul 25, 2008 12:57 PM Sure I'm sure. I am talking about the restaurants that Limbo Lizard mentions, the ones with mugs into the 70s and 80s. Mostly on the East Coast and in the Mid-West. And I am talking about it in GENERAL terms, about the majority. Of course there are exceptions, but exceptions don't disprove the trend. I do not know when Wan-Q became all-out Tiki, but I doubt it was in the late 50s/early 60s. From the BOT: The Polynesia was owned by a white restaurateur. if you want to count Chinese wait and kitchen staff, then Don The Beachcomber was a Chinese Restaurant. But it is exactly because Don's invented "Polynesian" food was largely based on the Chinese menu that years later Chinese operators were able to go into the Tiki business on their own. The Chin-Tiki opened, strictly viewed, after the PEAK period of Tiki (1958-1964), in 1967. The China Trader turned Tiki exceptionally early, but it probably was a Chinese restaurant first. King Yum may have opened in 1953, but I bet you it went Polynesian much later. To get back to my original point: The shift in Tiki joint ownership from Caucasian to Chinese being fairly late makes sense, and Chef Shangri La is a perfect example: Only after having worked in the Poly pop business and having gained experience for a long time, 10/20 Years, Chinese managers and chefs decided they were ready to go into business for themselves. Michael Tsao, for example, was a manager for Trader Vic's before he took over the Kahiki. Plus, the original Caucasian owners and founders of Tiki temples like the Kahiki, or Tiburon Tommy's, or many other places, had made their money, and by the 70s they had lost their spark, and wanted to retire. And maybe they even saw the waning of the trend, so they gladly passed their business on to their Chinese Managers, who with diligence and hard work kept them going. And at that point "Polynesian style" became "the thing to do" for other Chinese restaurants too. [ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-07-30 07:40 ]

Sure I'm sure. I am talking about the restaurants that Limbo Lizard mentions, the ones with mugs into the 70s and 80s. Mostly on the East Coast and in the Mid-West. And I am talking about it in GENERAL terms, about the majority. Of course there are exceptions, but exceptions don't disprove the trend.

I do not know when Wan-Q became all-out Tiki, but I doubt it was in the late 50s/early 60s. From the BOT:

The Polynesia was owned by a white restaurateur. if you want to count Chinese wait and kitchen staff, then Don The Beachcomber was a Chinese Restaurant. But it is exactly because Don's invented "Polynesian" food was largely based on the Chinese menu that years later Chinese operators were able to go into the Tiki business on their own.

The Chin-Tiki opened, strictly viewed, after the PEAK period of Tiki (1958-1964), in 1967.

The China Trader turned Tiki exceptionally early, but it probably was a Chinese restaurant first.

King Yum may have opened in 1953, but I bet you it went Polynesian much later.

To get back to my original point: The shift in Tiki joint ownership from Caucasian to Chinese being fairly late makes sense, and Chef Shangri La is a perfect example:

Only after having worked in the Poly pop business and having gained experience for a long time, 10/20 Years, Chinese managers and chefs decided they were ready to go into business for themselves. Michael Tsao, for example, was a manager for Trader Vic's before he took over the Kahiki.
Plus, the original Caucasian owners and founders of Tiki temples like the Kahiki, or Tiburon Tommy's, or many other places, had made their money, and by the 70s they had lost their spark, and wanted to retire. And maybe they even saw the waning of the trend, so they gladly passed their business on to their Chinese Managers, who with diligence and hard work kept them going. And at that point "Polynesian style" became "the thing to do" for other Chinese restaurants too.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-07-30 07:40 ]

Post #396515 by bigbrotiki on Fri, Jul 25, 2008 12:57 PM