New Luau in Beverly Hills? - General Tiki

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Wed, Oct 22, 2008 7:04 PM On 2008-10-22 16:07, tobunga wrote: ....as far as he knows, the new Luau is an Asian-fusion desecration of past tiki glory, as was reported earlier.... I'm happy you're all so excited, kids. Me, I am reserved, still. The EXTERIOR looks great, but look at the interior and imagine it without the blowfish, and Ray's cool Tiki, and it still could be Asian fusion. Not to rain on everybody's parade, but I am fairly certain that Ray got the job to carve the lil bugger as an afterthought, after the management had gotten wind that there was anti-anticipation for lack of Tiki-ness out there. To me, it smells like a token Tiki, just like 70s TV shows had their token black person. For a Tiki Bar it does make it not. But then, who says this WANTS to be a Tiki bar? I don't think they want to be, and that's fine with me. I think from the restaurateur standpoint, this place looks really stylish, it really does. But so do many restaurants in the casinos of Las Vegas. YES Ben did a great job, as always, and to hire Jeff to design the drinks is commendable. But the original Luau was one of the birthplaces of Tiki style. This one is an example of a modern, streamlined, and yes "tasteful" tropical space. I am simply concerned with the watering down of a definite stylistic language, and that this new place will be confused with being an example of TIKI style...even if it doesn't want to be. And I am not suggesting it should have been a copy of the original to achieve that, there are many ways to pay homage other than being generic and safe. Case in point, VERY close in social level to our Beverly Hills: The Mahiki in London. It leaves NO doubt and is making no apologies about its stylistic heritage. AND it is hugely successful, with celebrities and royalty lining up. So it COULD work. Here are some pics from the original Luau, just for comparison of the old and the new :) : I apologize I had to insult your stylistic sensibilities with such tacky visuals, folks, let's leave it with what Steve Crane had to say about HIS Luau: [ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-10-22 19:24 ]

On 2008-10-22 16:07, tobunga wrote:
....as far as he knows, the new Luau is an Asian-fusion desecration of past tiki glory, as was reported earlier....

I'm happy you're all so excited, kids. Me, I am reserved, still. The EXTERIOR looks great, but look at the interior and imagine it without the blowfish, and Ray's cool Tiki, and it still could be Asian fusion. Not to rain on everybody's parade, but I am fairly certain that Ray got the job to carve the lil bugger as an afterthought, after the management had gotten wind that there was anti-anticipation for lack of Tiki-ness out there. To me, it smells like a token Tiki, just like 70s TV shows had their token black person. For a Tiki Bar it does make it not.

But then, who says this WANTS to be a Tiki bar? I don't think they want to be, and that's fine with me. I think from the restaurateur standpoint, this place looks really stylish, it really does. But so do many restaurants in the casinos of Las Vegas.

YES Ben did a great job, as always, and to hire Jeff to design the drinks is commendable. But the original Luau was one of the birthplaces of Tiki style. This one is an example of a modern, streamlined, and yes "tasteful" tropical space. I am simply concerned with the watering down of a definite stylistic language, and that this new place will be confused with being an example of TIKI style...even if it doesn't want to be.

And I am not suggesting it should have been a copy of the original to achieve that, there are many ways to pay homage other than being generic and safe. Case in point, VERY close in social level to our Beverly Hills: The Mahiki in London. It leaves NO doubt and is making no apologies about its stylistic heritage. AND it is hugely successful, with celebrities and royalty lining up. So it COULD work.

Here are some pics from the original Luau, just for comparison of the old and the new :) :

I apologize I had to insult your stylistic sensibilities with such tacky visuals, folks, let's leave it with what Steve Crane had to say about HIS Luau:

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-10-22 19:24 ]

Post #414937 by bigbrotiki on Wed, Oct 22, 2008 7:04 PM