Post #433283 by telescopes on Mon, Feb 9, 2009 8:38 AM

I know what I am going to write will upset many and sound like sacrilege to most; however, it needs to be said. My wife and I finally got into the Trader Vic's at Las Vegas and I have to say, I certainly wasn't repulsed. I've been to many Trader Vic's throughout the country, some traditional and others not so traditional. To me, the expression of tiki is something that expresses itself in the sense of spirit one feels when in the restaurant. We both enjoyed the ultra-modern take on tiki.

My criticisms are with the lack of chinese oven dishes, the presentation of the drinks, and lack of understanding by the ownership of the traditions of service that becomes trader vics. For instance, the Beverly Hills "old" Trader Vics was a place that swooshed you away, not because of the eye candy, but because of how you were made to feel when you walked into the place.

That said, one gentleman who worked their - I can not say the name as he is a long and trusted employee of TV's, was brutally honest. He had many qualms with the place and his qualms were identical with the ones I mentioned. He was much more upset than I was that my Samoan Fog Cutter was served with an orchid, my wife's Suffering Bastard came without a cucumber, and that her coffee was not served in the skirted mug. In fact, he openly wished he could fire someone for such mistakes. He presented us with two large tiki mugs, a salt and pepper shaker and his card. His concerns had nothing to do with the lack of tiki's or bamboo, but with the lack of understanding of by the staff and ownership of the legacy of Trader Vic's.

There has to be room for people to experiment with the "art" of tiki. Theme and variation is healthy. Often, it means many dead ends and the Las Vegas Trader Vics will be one of them. But not because it lacked a certain quota of tikis or bamboo, but because it disrespected the traditions of service that was the Trader.

I also visted Franke's Tiki Lounge. Yes, I like it. The drinks I ordered were spot on, all thought the 100 dollar Mai Tai had too much orgeat in it. That's what you get with a free pour. It was loud, noisy, and a fight almost broke out in a group of young bucks. But hey, it was late Friday night. Yes, what we would all give to have such a great looking tiki bar down the street. But if I had a choice of going to Forbidden Island or Franke's, I would take Forbidden Island because ultimately, the spirit of Don and Vic are setting with you in the booths. To me, that is tiki.

Go ahead, rip me a new one.