Post #508564 by JOHN-O on Tue, Feb 2, 2010 3:01 PM

All of this recent discussion about the new Trader Vic's Island Bar & Grill (Tiki or Not Tiki ?) has got me thinking about the following again....

Do any of you view Smuggler's Cove as a form of "Buffet-ization" ? It's introduction of pirate theme elements has people calling it both a pirate bar and a Tiki bar (as well as a nautical bar). Don't believe me, just check out the Yelp reviews. Could this fall into the category of "the introduction of a generic tropical island theme with no definite identity".

Now I know that Martiki never intended SC to be a classic Tiki-style bar but the general public and the media are viewing it that way. I've even seen major articles refer to it as "The World's Greatest Tiki Bar".

Is this a form of devolution or is it an positive evolution as part of the Tiki Revival? I personally view it as the latter since I'm probably a bigger fan of well-executed "Exotica" than I am a 100% classic Tiki-style purist. Martin and Notch may very well be the first people to push Tiki-style to the next level. You might also argue that SC shouldn't be classified as Tiki in the first place but represents something new and different. If so, as Tikiphiles do you consider that good or bad?

I've had this same informal discussion with some local So CA Tikiphiles who agreed that I had a good point, but warned me not to post this. They said I would be crucified by the No CA contingent who would view his as a flame against Martin (which this isn't, I'm a big fan).

I just wanted to have a thoughful discussion of what constitutes true Tiki-style.

We have a lot of opinions regarding faceless corporations like Trader Vic's but how about when it involves one of our own?

Be nice. :)

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2010-02-26 17:27 ]