Post #579073 by Michelle66 on Sun, Mar 6, 2011 4:39 AM

I first discovered Trader Vic's in Tokyo two years ago. I was craving American-style Chinese food (Pork Chow Mein to be exact), and found the Trader Vic's Japanese website. (We'll get to the cocktails later.)

So, I went to the New Otani Hotel, made it to the Trader Vic's, and got an order of chow mein and an order of their special fried rice to go.

It was REALLY good, but also REALLY expensive... (And my employer of 12 years had just collapsed, so I was out of work at the time).

Flash forward to Christmas Day 2010 - my friend and I were in Thailand and decided to have our Christmas dinner at Benihana (located inside Bangkok's Marriot resort).

Benihana was filled up, and we were told there'd be an hour wait, so we decided to spend that hour at the Trader Vic's, which was just across the hall. I was determined to finally have one of their famous cocktails. (Living in Japan for more than 20 years had made me a beer (or "chuhai") drinker. I had never had rum, gin, or any other typical spirits.)

After a cocktail and some Cosmo Tidbits (and getting very relaxed looking out the window at the Chao Phraya river) we decided to forget about Benihana and eat a proper meal at TV's.

It was a GREAT evening and made me want to go back to the Tokyo location once I got back home.

Went there in mid-January and really took in the atmosphere. Had a Mai Tai and learned more about their Sunday/holiday brunch (all-you-can-eat buffet and all-you-can-drink sparking wine).

So, my friend Hiromi and I went there on "National Foundation Day" (Feb. 11), while there was a rare snowstorm hitting Tokyo.

What a perfect afternoon! The food was fantastic, and the warm restaurant (with the slight scent of wood smoke from the Chinese oven), made the nasty weather outside seem so beautiful.

Neither of us like wine, so we also bought a couple of cocktails to go with our lunch. (Trader Vic's Sling & Samoan Fog Cutter for me, and she had a Mai Tai and a Navy Grog.)

After lunch I needed to tell the manager how wonderful our waiter had been, so he came over and I did.

I then learned that the manager was an ex-pat American who's been running the Tokyo location for many years. Larry (never got his last name) is a real gentleman and he spent some time telling me all about the Tokyo location and how he always tries to keep the menu authentic, with many classic Trader Vic's dishes that other locations no longer prepare. He said the Tokyo restaurant has been at the New Otani for more than 36 years and that its rather fancy interior wouldn't be allowed if built today due to more modern fire codes.

Larry also makes sure to decorate the restaurant for each public holiday (both Japanese and American) and other seasonal events. The music played in the bar area is classic island music, which is loud enough for you to enjoy, but not to the point where you cannot have a conversation.

The restaurant doesn't have a shop to buy merchandise at, although you can still get the small doll with your Menehune Juice. The Tahitian Pearl (which is unlike the one shown on the Trader Vic's website) includes an orchid with a real (cultured) pearl inside! :)

I've grown to really like the Tokyo branch of Trader Vic's and imagine it's one of the more authentic ones operating today. It's a bit pricey, but it is in an exclusive hotel, so what can you do? (To save myself 10%, I joined the "New Otani Ladies" club. It's free to join, and 10% is a nice little discount. (But sorry guys, it's for gals only.)

Here is the English version of the Tokyo branch's website: http://www.newotani.co.jp/en/tokyo/restaurant/vics/index.html

The pics (if they show up) are as follows:

The view from my table at the brunch

the Chinese oven (taken with a 4-second exposure as it's really dark in there)

the bar

a puffer fish hanging from the ceiling

the Tokyo version of the Tahitian Pearl.

[ Edited by: Michelle66 2011-03-06 04:43 ]