Bamboo Terrace, Costa Mesa, CA (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

K kenbo-jitsu Tiki Socialite Southern CA Joined: Jul 27, 2011 Posts: 367	K kenbo-jitsu Posted posted on Tue, Jun 5, 2012 5:54 PM Here is what I know about it: The restaurant was opened in 1971 by Katherine Young when she “moved” the Chinese restaurant her father had originally opened in San Francisco (Fay Ling Restaurant, opened 1950) to Costa Mesa. According to this article, http://articles.dailypilot.com/1999-11-20/news/export65097_1_beer-dave-matthews-band-asian-appetizers the restaurant closed in 1983, “when its location at 17th Street and Newport Blvd. was widened.” I know this to be false because I went to the Bamboo Terrace several times in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. I think the article’s author might have meant 1993 which was when Caltrans started extending the 55 freeway south and really screwed all the businesses along Newport Blvd. for a while in the process. I’m interested if anybody has any photos, matchbooks, etc. because I don’t remember how tiki (if at all) the Bamboo Terrace was. I remember the menu was Americanized Chinese food and that it was notably good. I remember the interior did have quite a bit of bamboo and I remember they had a lot of tropical drinks including a multi-person Scorpion which they served in a large shell (or maybe a large shell-shaped bowl). Anyway, assuming the restaurant was closed in 1993, it was reopened around 1997, this time with the involvement of Katherine Young’s daughter Deborah and her husband. This new incarnation was called, “Din Din at the Bamboo Terrace” and had more of a club atmosphere with live bands and dancing. The restaurant closed for good in 2006 and it is now an Italian restaurant called Roman Cucina, although I believe the owners are still the same. There are three other Roman Cucina locations in Southern California so the Young family might own all those as well.

Here is what I know about it:

The restaurant was opened in 1971 by Katherine Young when she “moved” the Chinese restaurant her father had originally opened in San Francisco (Fay Ling Restaurant, opened 1950) to Costa Mesa.

According to this article,
http://articles.dailypilot.com/1999-11-20/news/export65097_1_beer-dave-matthews-band-asian-appetizers
the restaurant closed in 1983, “when its location at 17th Street and Newport Blvd. was widened.”

I know this to be false because I went to the Bamboo Terrace several times in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. I think the article’s author might have meant 1993 which was when Caltrans started extending the 55 freeway south and really screwed all the businesses along Newport Blvd. for a while in the process.

I’m interested if anybody has any photos, matchbooks, etc. because I don’t remember how tiki (if at all) the Bamboo Terrace was. I remember the menu was Americanized Chinese food and that it was notably good. I remember the interior did have quite a bit of bamboo and I remember they had a lot of tropical drinks including a multi-person Scorpion which they served in a large shell (or maybe a large shell-shaped bowl).

Anyway, assuming the restaurant was closed in 1993, it was reopened around 1997, this time with the involvement of Katherine Young’s daughter Deborah and her husband. This new incarnation was called, “Din Din at the Bamboo Terrace” and had more of a club atmosphere with live bands and dancing.

The restaurant closed for good in 2006 and it is now an Italian restaurant called Roman Cucina, although I believe the owners are still the same. There are three other Roman Cucina locations in Southern California so the Young family might own all those as well.

Post #639408 by kenbo-jitsu on Tue, Jun 5, 2012 5:54 PM