Kho Wah Chinatown bucket mug...

Hello fellow tiki collectors!

I just wanted to share a recent find with you all, and to hopefully get some history/info. I searched through ebay, TikiCentral, and Google for any mention of "Kho Wah Chinatown", but did not find anything.

They are similar to this bucket mug I saw in Humahuma's Ooga-Mooga collection. They say "Kho Wah Chinatown". Any ideas or info?

Mahalo :drink:

I have a Kwo-wah mug which is taller and brown...I beleive the place was in san francisco...probably the same place your mug is from......

Jawa, I think you had trouble finding any info is that the stylized print on your cup actually says "kuo wah", not "kho wah".

On 2005-08-12 10:15, ookoo lady wrote:
Jawa, I think you had trouble finding any info is that the stylized print on your cup actually says "kuo wah", not "kho wah".

Oh geez....

Thanks kind ookoo lady!!! Search results are definitely better now, lol.

On 2005-08-12 10:54, Jawa wrote:

On 2005-08-12 10:15, ookoo lady wrote:
Jawa, I think you had trouble finding any info is that the stylized print on your cup actually says "kuo wah", not "kho wah".

Oh geez....

Thanks kind ookoo lady!!! Search results are definitely better now, lol.

Forget it, Jawa. It's Chinatown.

I just found 3 mugs from this place today at an antique store. It's a tan mug with a brown dragon going around it. It reads Kuo Wah Restaurant San Francisco Chinatown. No markings on the bottoms.

So, although I'm late, I wanted to resurrect this topic for "Savage Renewal". The primary reason for this is because I recently found a God of Longevity mug from the sample restaurant.
The Sumo Flip mug in the picture is from another place in San Francisco called the Miyako hotel.
I found both mugs at a thrift store locally, and was wondering if anyone had info on either place. I think Sabu should have at least a dozen photos or postcards from each place (ha!). Anyway, here's the pics:

And here's the bottom of each:

My internet searches have turned up the following on the Kuo Wah:
A menu that just sold on Ebay for $15 from the Kuo Wah:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Kuo-Wah-Cafe-Chinese-Food-Menu-c1950-San-Francisco_W0QQitemZ6622951948QQcategoryZ1437QQcmdZViewItem

I also found a discussion board that says a restaurant called the Grand Palace in Chinatown was formerly the Kuo Wah. Can any TCers in SF verify that info?

The San Francisco Library Photo collection had the following photo in their digitized collection:

Holy Crap! That place looks so cool!

Here's another picture from the collection of Charles W. Cushman:

You can see all the info on the photo here:
http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/cushman/results/detail.do;jsessionid=002F63581A220E654A1942CC3168FA02?query=roll%3A28-52&page=2&pagesize=20&display=thumbcap&action=roll&pnum=P06520

The library at Arizona State (maybe-- domain is arizona.edu) has a photo in their collection but you have to make an appointment to see it:
GOLT, RICK S. (Note by TikiJosh-- I think this is the photographer name)
gelatin silver prints, from the Ansel and Virginia Adams Collection T71/S9A
76:423::002 [three young girls in Kuo Wah Cafe, San Francisco], n.d. 33.4 x 48.3 cm
If anyone in Arizona is willing to do a little digging, here's a link to the library proper where you can make viewing appointments:
http://dizzy.library.arizona.edu/branches/ccp/home/home.html

Additionally, it appears the Kuo Wah gave away scholarships. This judge received one in 1961:
http://pview.findlaw.com/view/1980283_1?channel=LP

Here's a link to a recipe book supposedly containing a recipe from the Kuo Wah-- only $6.25 for a vintage recipe book!:
http://www.digmodern.com/product/BCB776666

That's all I found for the Kuo Wah.

But don't forget the Sumo Flip from the Miyako Hotel!
Here's what I've been able to find:
The Miyako was apparently owned by Radisson for a while based on all the web pages, but Radisson claims they're not managing the property anymore.
The address is 1625 Post St, San Francisco, 94115 - (415) 922-3200
I believe this might be the source of the Sumo Flip mug. The following article explains that the hotel was recently sold:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2006/03/15/BAG9HHOBUF1.DTL
That might explain why Radisson is no longer managing.

but there's also a Best Western Miyako Hotel:
1800 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94109
and they claim to have a restaurant and bar on site. Based on the info available on the best western website though, the restaurant looks more like a small cafe. It could still have been the source of the mug, but I think the Radisson hotel is more likely.

Based on the info I've collected I think the old Radisson is the best bet, but I just have to ask--
Do any TCers in San Francisco know anything about either location? Anyone have any old photos?

Thanks for the research, TikiJosh. I know the Kuo Wah also produced a smaller bucket mug with the peanut-mug face like this one from the Stockton Islander:

Sabu

On 2006-05-03 14:23, Sabu The Coconut Boy wrote:
Thanks for the research, TikiJosh. I know the Kuo Wah also produced a smaller bucket mug with the peanut-mug face like this one from the Stockton Islander:

Sabu

yep. the kuo wah is the version shown in tikiquest(a little more angular and it has a smaller rim). it says mini mai tai on the bottom.

[ Edited by: the drunken hat 2006-05-03 14:44 ]

I found this at a swap meet in a box full of buttons, pins and other stabby things. I wasn’t sure at first if I needed it but when I opened it up it was definitely coming home with me.

Outside Front “KUO WAH CAFE • CHINATOWN • SAN FRANCISCO CALIF.”
Outside Back “KOU-WAH CAFE FAVORED BY VISITING DIGNITARIES AND CELEBRITIES • 950 GRANT AVE SAN FRANCISCO

INSIDE “LIONS DEN Cocktail Lounge COCKTAILS So Refreshing GUM MON HOTEL 942 Grant Ave San Francisco”

According to a Chinese friend of mine the characters on the front say Golden Gate Hotel or that Gum Mon Hotel in the Cantonese dialect translates to Golden Gate Hotel.

I couldn’t find anything on Google for 942 Grant Ave San Francisco but 950 Grant Ave was the Grand Palace Restaurant until recently. I've called the number and It is no longer in service or has been disconnected. :evil:

So I think we can say the Lions Den was the bar of the Gum Mon Hotel which was also home to the Kou Wah Café and the Kou Wah Café had it’s own address at 950 Grant Ave.

I had lots of fun with Italics in this post.

The Kuo Wah buckets are my favorite "non-tiki" mugs. I really like the outside green and inside yellow glaze.

Picked this up yesterday.

Bottom of the mug.

Now on my shelf with some other 'non-tiki" mugs.

Psycho Tiki D (I know I am and sometimes I am Psycho "Non-Tiki D)!

Well guys and gals, I finally have some time to chime in on the discussion of the Kuo Wah Restaurant in San Francisco's Chinatown. My name is Andy Young, and I am the grandson of the original owners of the Kuo Wah.

My Grandfather Chin Mon Wah and his childhood friend Chin Kwok Yen purchased the building in the late 30'. Prior to placing a restaurant in this location it had at the ground floor a photo studio at 942 and stores at 946, 950 Grant Ave. with the remaining two floors above being the Gum Mon Hotel.

At this time they remodeled the building to house the Kuo Wah Cafe at 942 Grant Ave which served American Style food and 946-950 to serve Chinese food. The Lions Den Nightclub was in the basement and its entrance was at 942. This is where the bar was located at that time. The Lions Den had shows featuring Chinese performers that would sing, dance and tell jokes just like all the mainstream nightclubs of the era. The Gum Mon Hotel still remained. Sometime after WW II, I'm guessing the late/mid 50's the Lions Den Nightclub ceased to exist due to the changing times and became a dining room. It's Bar was relocated from the basement to main floor location of the Cafe which served American food. Many politicians, heads of state and other dignataries were hosted. We have the names of the signatories to the United Nations written in Chinese charactors when my grandfather hosted dinner for them when they met in San Francisco in 1945. The Kuo Wah I'm told was the premier restaurant in Chinatown and was know world wide, as we had very good P.R. people.

In the early 60' my father Andy who by that time became general manager again undertook major construction. The Lions Den basement, main floor Kuo Wah Cafe and second floor hotel rooms were remodeled into a single restaurant called the Kuo Wah Restaurant instead of "cafe". A new bar was built in the basement, the kitchen was relocated from the main floor to the basement. A second remodel of the existing bar took place and the 2nd floor hotel rooms were cleared to make way for a 300+ person dining room. An outdoor courtyard was created at the front entrance of the building so that diners could sit out on nice days to eat or have cocktails. Between 65' and 68' there was nightclub in the basement called the Dragon a' go go which featured local bands. The group that I remember the most are call "The Whispers". They still tour. We also hosted lunch once a month for a "Theater in the Round" where Hollywood movie stars that were in town met the press. I have pictures of Bette Davis, Rip Torn, Elaine May, Mike Nichols, Buster Keaton and others. The general theme of the place was that of an old rustic Chinese Village. This is the period time that we started to offer the free "Tiki" ware with any of the exotic poylnesian drinks. I think we purchased exclusivley from the Otegrei company in San Francisco to supply the Mugs. This continued until 1975 at which time we sold the restaurant to investors which rebuilt once again to make a Hong Kong style dim sum eatery. Those places that have the delicasies pushed around in carts by little old ladies and you can point at what you would like to eat. At this time the restaurant was still called Kuo Wah. Since then the restaurant changed hands two more times to the present. It's name for the last 20 yrs or so has been Grand Palace.

I found a case of the Sil Sengung God of Longevity Mugs that had San Francisco spelled "San Erancisco" so funny. Passed them out all the relatives for keepsakes.

The infrastructure of the building had taken a real beating and in 2005 we started to remodel. I hope another restaurant will take over as the history of the space is amazing.

To Tiki Josh... all your info is correct.

When I have a chance I'll post pix of some of the items I've saved.

Rgds,

Andy

SHOBASS, Thanks much for sharing your memories of your families restaurant. Keeping the history alive is what makes the Tiki hobby so much fun and always interesting. I have one of the green bucket mugs from the restaurant and now having the story behind it makes it that much more special. Thanks again.

I recently purchased a small, vintage, plastic travel magnetic chess set. Judging by the box graphics I'm guessing its from around the 1960s. Inside the box is a price tag sticker with "Kuo Wah Co 900 Grant Ave 597 Grant Ave. Would this CO. somehow be related to this same Kuo Wah Restaurant, would it have been a souvenir item like the mugs, or is any other info/background known about such a chess set?

Thanks. (Hope my question doesn't deviate too much from the Tiki theme.)

Duncan

Psycho Tiki D,
Nice mug collection. What are the two mugs with the naked woman on them? They are very detailed. Where are they from?

On 2008-11-14 09:11, Digitiki wrote:
Psycho Tiki D,
Nice mug collection. What are the two mugs with the naked woman on them? They are very detailed. Where are they from?

Those naked woman mugs are some pottery crafted items. They have the maker's initials on them and are from the 50's. I see them around for sale from time to time, in fact, saw one last weekend for $8.00 at an antique show. They are nice to have mixed in with my other non-tiki mugs. Thanks!

PTD

[ Edited by: SHOBASS 2008-11-24 08:59 ]

Hi Duncan,

There were two stores along Grant Ave. called the Kuo Wah Co. I remember seeing pictures of these stores that were probably taken in the 40' and 50'. As far as I know my Grandfather's Kuo Wah Cafe/Restaurant was not associated with the Kuo Wah Co. stores.

Andy

I can't believe i found one of the mugs from this restaurant here in Australia in a thrift store. Only my second ever tiki mug find in the wild here.