Trader Vic's, Palo Alto, CA (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

T TropicDrinkBoy Member Joined: Feb 27, 2011 Posts: 277	T TropicDrinkBoy Posted posted on Sat, May 4, 2013 9:31 PM Here are some professional photos I found on-line of my beloved Trader Vic's Palo Alto. Some of you may say it was not tiki but in some ways it was more authentic tiki than any other tiki restaurant past or present. For starters they had the "Old School" Trader Vic's cocktail menu with over 45 classic Trader Vic drinks in the strong category, and they would make any old off-menu Trader Vic drink you requested. Mr. Raymond Handley, who was responsible for opening this, the first new Trader Vic's in approximately 28 years, was a world traveler who collected many authentic carvings from Papua New Guinea. He used the restaurant to showcase some of his collection. While these photos don't highlight the collection, believe me, drinking there was like visiting the De Young Museum Oceanic Arts collection where the docents wondered around serving stiff exotic cocktails! One of the bartenders was a Hawaiian entertainer. He was also responsible for the pre-recorded background music which was mostly modern Polynesian artists. This is the upscale dining room known as the "Captain's Cabin". There were two paintings on the right wall (one seen here) that were painted by Trader Vic himself. The tapestry on the left wall is by Henry Moore, a famous British artist. The main dining room (not pictured) was to the right, beyond the intricately carved wooden partition wall. A picture of their single Chinese Oven. These are built on site and must be demolished when the restaurant ceases operation. There is no practical way to move them! Next to the bar was the Mai Tai Lounge. The imposing tiki in the right corner is actually a chair, facing backwards. It is a Papua New Guinea "Shaman's Stool" that the village elder would sit on when hearing and deciding upon concerns of the village. The bar, which was the first room you would see upon entering the restaurant. The Mai Tai Lounge was behind the far mask wall. For you south bay tikiphiles, you can still get a Trader Vic style Mai Tai at the adjoining Dinah's Poolside Restaurant, part of Dinah's hotel that owned Trader Vic's Palo Alto. Octavio, who worked at Trader Vic's Palo Alto, makes easily the best Mai Tai in the south bay. It is only $6 at lunch time and the food is great. If you go be sure to ask for Octavio's Mai Tai! [ Edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-05-05 16:53 ]

Here are some professional photos I found on-line of my beloved Trader Vic's Palo Alto. Some of you may say it was not tiki but in some ways it was more authentic tiki than any other tiki restaurant past or present. For starters they had the "Old School" Trader Vic's cocktail menu with over 45 classic Trader Vic drinks in the strong category, and they would make any old off-menu Trader Vic drink you requested. Mr. Raymond Handley, who was responsible for opening this, the first new Trader Vic's in approximately 28 years, was a world traveler who collected many authentic carvings from Papua New Guinea. He used the restaurant to showcase some of his collection. While these photos don't highlight the collection, believe me, drinking there was like visiting the De Young Museum Oceanic Arts collection where the docents wondered around serving stiff exotic cocktails! One of the bartenders was a Hawaiian entertainer. He was also responsible for the pre-recorded background music which was mostly modern Polynesian artists.

This is the upscale dining room known as the "Captain's Cabin". There were two paintings on the right wall (one seen here) that were painted by Trader Vic himself. The tapestry on the left wall is by Henry Moore, a famous British artist. The main dining room (not pictured) was to the right, beyond the intricately carved wooden partition wall.

A picture of their single Chinese Oven. These are built on site and must be demolished when the restaurant ceases operation. There is no practical way to move them!

Next to the bar was the Mai Tai Lounge. The imposing tiki in the right corner is actually a chair, facing backwards. It is a Papua New Guinea "Shaman's Stool" that the village elder would sit on when hearing and deciding upon concerns of the village.

The bar, which was the first room you would see upon entering the restaurant. The Mai Tai Lounge was behind the far mask wall.

For you south bay tikiphiles, you can still get a Trader Vic style Mai Tai at the adjoining Dinah's Poolside Restaurant, part of Dinah's hotel that owned Trader Vic's Palo Alto. Octavio, who worked at Trader Vic's Palo Alto, makes easily the best Mai Tai in the south bay. It is only $6 at lunch time and the food is great. If you go be sure to ask for Octavio's Mai Tai!

[ Edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-05-05 16:53 ]

Post #676651 by TropicDrinkBoy on Sat, May 4, 2013 9:31 PM