Post #540448 by JackLord on Fri, Jul 2, 2010 1:41 PM

My idea, for what its worth, would be to marry the traditional Tiki joint with the Pan-Asian Restaurants that are currently the rage- the ones that have a smattering of everything from Thai to Sushi to Kung Pao. Throw a few Polynesian items on the menu and you would be good to go.

The ones around here have a vibe that is almost akin to a club, although there are no bouncers or velvet ropes. They are quite large with very trendy decor. They straddle the line between dining and partying.

Seems to me an enterprising person could procure a large space and decorate it like the Tiki places we love. Perhaps make a separate lounge area. Call it Waimea's or something similar with a big neon sign. Play new and old Exotica mixed in with some other tunes for modern considerations (Pink Martini?). But make sure the menu is Pan Asian. And good of course.

The one major problem is aesthetic. Tiki joints are often dark and mysterious. Newer places seem to appeal to peoples' desire to be seen from the outside. I suppose you could work around it.

Just some thoughts. Feel free to laugh or to use the idea. I do not have the talent to pull it off. I do know that we cannot resurrect the past in total. But maybe it can be tweaked a bit for the present.

[ Edited by: JackLord 2010-07-02 13:42 ]