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Tiki Central / Locating Tiki / Orchid Isle [then under new mgmt as Orchid 7], Bethesda, MD (restaurant)

Post #764545 by Johnny Dollar on Thu, Jun 2, 2016 7:41 AM

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The following was submitted to me through a local history page on FB:

My husband and I were aficionados of Orchid 7 on Elm St. from our early dating days in 1972-74, in fact, he had his bachelor party there in 1974. We were there because it was founded by Gregory Tu and Everett xxx. They had been maitre d' at Trader Vics at the Capital Hilton downtown. Husband's parents went there a lot and when they opened up their Bethesda restaurant, we went there - it was as convenient and slightly cheaper for the same Traders food and drink.

Gregory was a great dreamer and schemer. With the success of Orchid 7, they wanted to have a downtown restaurant, so they opened an ill-fated Orchid 7 in 1977 in the Georgetown Mall on Thomas Jefferson Street. It was a horrible location with no parking. The expected tourists did not come and the rent was high.

Needless to say, things went south and as they did, Gregory apparently did things fast & loose. He transferred property to his common law wife Lisa. Things continued downhill. Soon, Lisa was missing, blood was found, Gregory was apprehended in Las Vegas. Doug Gansler won a murder trial putting Tu in jail, even with a missing body. (Much written about the case, just google).

We still love the food & drink. We now go to Shanghai Village on Bethesda Ave, where chef Kwok (who was a Trader Vic bartender) has a great Peking duck and mean mai tai!

Bonnie