Post #764455 by Ragbag Comics on Tue, May 31, 2016 9:41 AM

Personally, I DO give a shit about the drink recipes... and also the whole history of this great place. I think all of us who have called the Chef a home away from home feel exactly the same way.

But I think it's kind of two different conversations.

Since Betty has the drink (and food) recipes, there's not much to worry about there... they're in good
hands. In terms of publishing them in some way, I think especially given the precarious nature of things
at the moment, they're smartly holding whatever they've got pretty close to the vest (the old Don the Beachcomber method of making sure no one could wander off with the recipes.)

In terms of the inventor's story, I think that's what's so disappointing about this situation. Duane and Betty were all about telling the Paul Fong story... all the old photographs in the entryway of the restaurant (and the naming of Fong Fest) were a testament to that.

Surely, the man's Midwestern Tiki history runs very deep. My parents both remember visiting the original Shangri-La in downtown Chicago in the 1960's and being absolutely floored by it (I'm proud to own several menus, matchbooks and other ephemera from that original location)

The big hope would be that those recipes (both food and drink) can play a starring role in wherever Duane and Betty land next and continue the story.

--Pete