Post #525188 by midnite on Tue, Apr 20, 2010 11:39 PM

JAPAN
Yokohama - Tokyo

Part Two: Ain't this the life?

Let's talk tiki, yes? It's why we're part of this online community, one hopes Japan has something for those of us so inclined. The answer is muddled. Among Tokyo and her greater confines their are two big names: TIKI TIKI and Trader Vic's. I checked them out, the results were mixed.

TIKI TIKI YOKOHAMA

Our choice was to first visit TIKI TIKI in nearby Yokohama, as I heard it is bigger and perhaps a bit nicer than the Tokyo location. Plus, it is in Yokohama, providing the chance to visit another city in Japan. We arrived too early, a mistake. We left pretty quickly, not a mistake. It's not so much that TIKI TIKI is a bad tiki bar, it's just not my tiki bar. To my taste TIKI TIKI is P.F. McFuddlebee's tiki.

Yes, it is a bit of a "mega-excitement big terrific aloha" gestalt. I did my best to have a good time, and the TIKI TIKI employees were receptive and helpful to a pair of American tiki-philes. Service in Japan is uniformly good, earnest without approaching obsequiousness. Are the drinks good? No, not hardly. It was not because of what else I experienced in Japan, that would be an unfair comparison. No, the drinks were below par on their own merit. Nice garnish, lots of variety...but poor. The food was acceptable. I've had worse, but that is really no endorsement. We got off on the wrong foot at TIKI TIKI, and unless you wish to hop around all night on your other leg, things will revert to that initial impression. We did not care for TIKI TIKI, so much so I opted to pass on the Shinjuku location. That decision was not regretted for a second. No, not hardly.

TRADER VIC'S TOKYO

I like Trader Vic's. Sometimes I like Vic's too much, to wit, I canceled a trip to China when the Beijing and Shanghai locations ceased operations just weeks before my departure. To paraphrase Jonah Jones, "I dig Vic's!" So enthused about visiting this location we even chose to stay at The New Otani Hotel which houses Tokyo Trader Vic's. Same building, just a couple of elevator rides, twenty-two floors. We visited everyday. The New Otani was a great decision, even if we did spend less time at Vic's than I had anticipated. More on that later.

Tokyo Trader Vic's is positively superb. In my opinion it is one of the best worldwide. The reasons are many. The decor is classic and authentic. It is what Trader Vic's should be, now, then, and always. It remains, like a bit of the past preserved in amber, one of the seminal franchises along with London, Atlanta, and Munich. We were treated very well and that was even before they learned of my tiki status. Wink wink.

My Trader Vic's corporate contacts were disappointingly unfruitful for me on this trip. I would be on my own, solo and without air support, schmoozing the staff. Alas, I had a secret weapon at my disposal: Super Happy Fun Time Lobster Shirt! On our second night I wore one of my older Sun Surf shirts and while at the bar I was warmly greeted by Tokyo Vic's greatest asset: General Manager Larry Murakami. On this trip Fun Time Lobster Shirt was my ambassador. We spent more than an hour with Larry talking Vic's, Japan, food, drinks, even Tiki Central. Larry's commitment to his Vic's is without peer and his storytelling skills are first-rate. He also has fine taste in shirt wear.

One negative aspect of a good time at Tokyo Vic's, and a lobster shirt helps not a bit on this front, is the place can be expensive, almost prohibitively so. Your favorite Navy Grog or Mai Tai? That will be over twenty dollars, American. Drink slowly. Notwithstanding the pain-inducing exchange rate our cocktails were consistently well made and enjoyable. The sole mistake was Michelle's selection of "Miss Cherry Blossom". It was a special for the season, a Sakura infused cocktail with, umm, cakes? Little cake-like squares on top which are to be stirred into the drink and....I had better stop now. We sent it back after one taste and no photograph. It was frightening. This was in no manner a special happy fun time drink.

Tokyo may rightly become one of my all-time favorite locations. Beautiful, original decor and design (except those windows in the bar) with wonderful service. The cocktails are what one expects of Trader Vic's, do try the Tokyo Sour. These features make Tokyo a fine Trader Vic's. Care to know what makes it perhaps the greatest? That would be:

Three, let me repeat this for emphasis: THREE! different club sandwiches on the bar and lunch menus. All were good, the American Clubhouse fantastic. Our last day, before we left for the flight home, we had lunch in the bar. We were served by the friendly and able bar manager, Mr. Takeshi Uehara. I had the American Clubhouse sandwich and a Mai Tai. Hell, I like just typing that. What transpired can simply be described as one of "life's moments." Sitting in the bar at a world-class Trader Vic's, drinking a well-made Mai Tai, dining on a stellar club sandwich.

I am trying to get Larry to rename the American Clubhouse after me, we'll see. I mean, I am big in Japan.

Go to Tokyo Vic's, have the club or three. The natives are friendly and the lobster's free...
midnite