Post #764300 by Ragbag Comics on Fri, May 27, 2016 11:26 AM

I could see a Fong Fest happening elsewhere as a real possibility.

Duane and Betty will certainly land on their feet - they're creative, hardworking people... there may actually be some things percolating as we speak.

In terms of starting a new Tiki place from scratch, I'd be a wee bit skeptical. So far the only "new" Tiki places that have taken off in Chicago are of the trendy/hipster/crafty variety, and I think the more old school approach that worked at the Chef might kind of be lost on that crowd. I'd be afraid it might be akin to what happened when Kahiki closed, and Tropical Bistro opened briefly... a big part of the magical formula is the people involved, no doubt, but another aspect is certainly the history and ambiance of the physical place itself. It would be difficult to recreate that.

Now, that being said, certainly in the outer burbs of Chicagoland, there are a handful of old school Chinese places with Tiki ties (and aged tropical drink menus...) I would think intelligent and enterprising folks like Duane and Betty might find a place that would be perfectly suited for a Fong Tiki Takeover.

We shall see what happens. I truly hope the absolute best for them, and this is rife to be a "door closes, window opens" kind of situation. They have an opportunity to truly flourish again, that's for certain. This could be an opportunity to EXPAND the Tiki Ohana in the Windy City.

But, all that being said, I'm still going to mourn this loss, and it's still so incredibly nauseating and heartbreaking to see 40 years of history at the Chef being flushed away for no other reason than good ol' fashioned all-American greed, plain and simple.

--Pete