Kona Kai, Philadelphia, PA (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

K KonaKaiBaby Member Middlesex, VT Joined: Jun 05, 2015 Posts: 119	K KonaKaiBaby Posted posted on Sat, Jun 6, 2015 11:35 AM Wow. I know this thread has been quiet for quite a while, so maybe no one will actually see this! But I just had to say thank you to everyone. I was actually in tears looking at all of the fabulous pics. Soooooo wonderful. I pretty much grew up at Kona Kai. Born & raised in Philly, it was my favorite place in the world from my earliest memory. Every birthday, family celebration, special occasion was spent there. It was like walking into a magical land where the rest of the world's worries couldn't reach you. I've carried that with me throughout life & at 20 I was married at the Polynesian Resort in Disneyworld. I finally have enough space now to build an in-home tiki lounge--my own little Kona Kai. Been hunting for bits and pieces from it on eBay--a pair of salt & pepper shakers, a mug, a postcard...your pics will really help me re-create the magic in miniature! It was a total trip to see the menus. I always got the Lobster Cantonese. And I always wanted a giant Paradise Punch, served in an Orchids of Hawaii 3 tiki scorpion bowl! It looked so decadent. BTW, the long waterfall depicted in the rainforest sketches did materialize and was not scaled down. It was in the lobby, right inside the main doors, before you took the big stone staircase up to the actual dining rooms. I've been hunting all over the Internet for a photo of that fabulous waterfall, but still no luck. One of the pictures posted showed the top of the staircase, but not the base of it, where the waterfall was. How I wish my mom had taken more photos. And since y'all brought up the very silly In Crowd movie, I'll throw into the conversation that I'm one of the teenage extras in that movie in the dance scenes (which were all filmed in one of the auditoriums at Temple U). Just look for the really goofy gal with the horrifically teased up hair, ugly green blouse, and pleated white skirt. Or better yet, don't look...it's just too silly. The film is truly ridiculous, but it's worth sitting through to get a glimpse of my Kona Kai again :) Thanks again everyone for posting all of this! Tara

Wow. I know this thread has been quiet for quite a while, so maybe no one will actually see this! But I just had to say thank you to everyone. I was actually in tears looking at all of the fabulous pics. Soooooo wonderful.

I pretty much grew up at Kona Kai. Born & raised in Philly, it was my favorite place in the world from my earliest memory. Every birthday, family celebration, special occasion was spent there. It was like walking into a magical land where the rest of the world's worries couldn't reach you. I've carried that with me throughout life & at 20 I was married at the Polynesian Resort in Disneyworld. I finally have enough space now to build an in-home tiki lounge--my own little Kona Kai. Been hunting for bits and pieces from it on eBay--a pair of salt & pepper shakers, a mug, a postcard...your pics will really help me re-create the magic in miniature!

It was a total trip to see the menus. I always got the Lobster Cantonese. And I always wanted a giant Paradise Punch, served in an Orchids of Hawaii 3 tiki scorpion bowl! It looked so decadent.

BTW, the long waterfall depicted in the rainforest sketches did materialize and was not scaled down. It was in the lobby, right inside the main doors, before you took the big stone staircase up to the actual dining rooms. I've been hunting all over the Internet for a photo of that fabulous waterfall, but still no luck. One of the pictures posted showed the top of the staircase, but not the base of it, where the waterfall was. How I wish my mom had taken more photos.

And since y'all brought up the very silly In Crowd movie, I'll throw into the conversation that I'm one of the teenage extras in that movie in the dance scenes (which were all filmed in one of the auditoriums at Temple U). Just look for the really goofy gal with the horrifically teased up hair, ugly green blouse, and pleated white skirt. Or better yet, don't look...it's just too silly. The film is truly ridiculous, but it's worth sitting through to get a glimpse of my Kona Kai again :)

Thanks again everyone for posting all of this!
Tara

Post #744359 by KonaKaiBaby on Sat, Jun 6, 2015 11:35 AM