Trader Vic's Atlanta. In a word: AWSOME!!!!!!

Aloha-

Down here in Atlanta visiting and doing some business and stopped by TV's. Awsome!!! Had a Suffering Bastard, a Mai Tai, and a Zombie. All amazing!!! Also had some very friendly chatting with the very cool bartender Joel, who has been mentioned here before on Tiki Central. Nice guy. An amazing restaurant and bar with , of course , alot of cool things to buy!! Tomorrow I am going back for dinner and of course to buy some cool T.V. loot and probably break the bank, but what the hell!! It's Trader f''ing Vic's . A really great place, and SO worth the visit. Definitely up there with th Mai Kai.
Also, thanks to Tiki Road Trip, I'm also going to stop by the Blue Orchid , a Hawaiiana shop in the Little 5 Points section of Atlanta. Joel at T.V.'s also mentioned another tiki bar here i n Atlanta called the Boom Boom Room. His review was that the decor is cool but the drinks are just OK. Coming from a Trader Vic bartender, you gotta beleive he knows his stuff. Don't think I'm going to have time to visit Boom Boom though. Just glad that I will be making TWO visits to T.V.'s while I'm here. Soon as I have photos, I will post them.
Mahalo! :drink:

Be sure to call ahead for the Blue Orchid if that's the only thing you really want to do in Little Five Points, because they are often not there... there seems to perpetually be an "out for luch" or "be back soon" sign on the door.

Joel is great but don't get him started on philosophy (Tell him someone on TC is complaining about his philosophical ranting, hehe). My only complaint about his bartending is that his Queen's Park Swizzler and Trader Sling are just not as good as Hussein's, the last bartender. I wish Joel could contanct Hussein for his apparent secret on those 2 drinks. Joel is following the Trader Vic's recipes to the T. Hussein, according to lore, wsa fired by Manzoor for stealing. I seriously doubt that. Manzoor's such a twirp - Hussein was probably developing too big a following of "tattooed people."

It's a great place, and it's comforting that Joel, a young guy, is learning the very complex craft that is Vic Bergeron's legacy, and doing a very fine job if you ask me. Aside from that he has an interest in the place and it's history, which is also comforting. We're lucky to have it nearby. Definitely try the seared Ahi tuna skewers, cooked in the chinese ovens.

Isn't it Fine!?! I love that place with all my heart. My God, I've had some great meals there and even remember a few of them. I'm sure, however, that I remember each and every cocktail I've enjoyed there perfectly.
Took the wife for her first time not long ago and she now bugs me to go back on a regular basis.
The Blue Orchid was, as usual, closed during our last trip, but we got some cool stuff (Martikis, as a matter of fact) at the Junkman's Daughter.
Joel is Great! I wish he'd been there when I lived there (except for the fact that he would have been, like, 12 at the time). He does seem to have a deep sense of respect for where he is and what he's doing and it can't hurt that we turn up there and remind him of that on ocassion.
Glad you got to experience it, DonHo! Come back anytime!

Yeah, the place really is amazing. We were there at last call the other day and I saw those cool sliding doors they put over the booze shelves behind the bar. Very cool and 'Hefner-like' if yaknowwhaddimean.

I was back there tonight with my family and had dinner. The food was REALLY good, and my family, who are not at all tiki freaks, enjoyed the place as well. I had the BBQ chicken. Very good!!! Joel was also there this time, but we were mostly in the dining area so we just went by and said hi. I bought a couple of the really cool Mai-Tai glasses, salt & pepper shakers, and a bottle of T.V. Mai-Tai mix to check out what it tastes like at home. Gonna be leaving Hot'lanta on Tuesday night. Guess where I'm going before I hit the road?? Hey, I have to anyway...the salt and pepper shakers they gave me , as I found out when I got home, are both salt shakers, so I gotta go back and get a good pair anyway.

One last thought for now: why the F' don't they have a place like this in New York friggin' City???? I can't believe that the one at the Plaza closed over 10 years ago! Why?? Was it that lame , or was NYC 'too cool' for T.V.'s? NYC is a cool town, but sometimes I go outside of it and think, what the hell ?? why isn't this in the so-called 'greatest city in the world'. Hopefully NYC will get it's sh*t together on Tiki soon. 'Til then I'll see yaz in the bar at T.V. before I split the ATL.
mahalo! :drink:

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2003-08-17 23:21 ]

Aloha all...

Well,back from my trip to Atlanta. Great time. A total of three visits to Trader Vic's in the 6 days there. That's half my trip! Hey..if I had a room at the Atlanta Hilton, I would have checked in there everyday. Here's a few photos for y'all (picked the accent up down there) to look at. In retrospect, maybe I should have taken some more detail photos, but I didn't want to spoil it for you guys either.

Once again props to Joel (pictured here), the bar manager, and ace bartender. Very cool dude. Told him he should get into voice over work. Not that he's not a totally ass kicking bar tender. He's got a cool low, resonant tone. Even showed me how to make a Zombie, but alas, I forgot. We all know that you can't learn how to make one, drink it, then try to remember how it is done.

I did buy a bottle of TV Mai Tai mix and made some at home. Good, but not as good as the ones at the bar. I also took Joel's advice and used fresh limes instead of Rose's Lime Juice. It does make a big difference!! Also did a taste test of the TV mix versus the Mai Tai recipe from Grog Log. Maybe it's the Orgeat I'm using (Torani brand) because the Grog Log recipe has such a Orgeat-ie taste. Kinda aggravating after having the real deal at the TV bar. Maybe I'll try buying the TV Orgeat from the web site and see how that goes.

Oh yeah, if any of you are down there and want to go to the Blue Orchid shop, you're going to have to have a little luck with you. As you mentioned Kahukini, the place is ALWAYS closed!! Which is a shame, because they did look like they had some cool stuff. When I called there was no answer either. Gee....must be nice to have a business and never have to be there to tend to it. Whatever.......there was alot of cool Tiki stuff at the Junkman's Daughter. Check that place out too if you're down there.

Anyway, here's a coupla pics. I may be back down in ATL around the holidays. If any of you TC'ers are in there anytime soon tell Joel 'aloha!' :drink:

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2003-08-22 22:01 ]

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2003-08-22 22:03 ]

Just e-mailed Joel the photo of him pouring. I've gotten him to lurk on TC a few times, especially when there is a photo op!!! We got totally out of our minds there last Thursday-Hawaii Day/Exotica Lament Day. Manzoor was scrambling up the tiki poles half out of his mind because he didn't quite know how to handle 8 rum crazed professional drunks, especially with me at the helm (Brad and Holden-you know what I'm talking about baby). After several Tiki Puka Puka bowls, Solam(sp?) throwing everyone "Poison Darts"(our nickname for Joel's variation of the Queen's Park Swizzler), several half priced Mai Tai's, and some shot Joel made, we became so boisterous that another table sent over a round of shots-water!!! It was a great night!!! If anyone is ever heading to Atlanta Trader Vic's e-mail me and I'll show after 9PM.

Joel is a true craftsman...he's got that grasp of the skill, tradition, ingredients, and artistry that goes into each individual tropical drink. Everything I've ordered there has been textbook, fresh, and exactly what I asked for; everything that should be in that particular drink and nothing that shouldn't. (Many times I have been out somewhere, asked for a Mai Tai, Navy Grog, Singapore Sling, Etc. and gotten a highball full of god knows what sort of slop that tastes like lukewarm Hawaiian Punch...). He does right by Trader Vic.

Scotty...damn wish I coulda been there with you guys. I think I left town like two days before that. Maybe next time.

I've finished the bottle of TV Mai Tai Mix that I bought there and it still didn't really taste like the ones at the bar. Maybe it's the channeling of Mr. Bergeron himself through the soul of Joel (hey, it rhymes) when he's mixing that gives it that distinct butt kicking flavor. The people over at the Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai website swear by the retail TV stuff, but I prefer the Mai Tais at the TV bar. Anyway, sounds like Joel's getting so popular he should have his own website. Scotty if you could be kind enough to get that Zombie recipe from him next time you see him and post it or email it to me, that would be smashing. Aloha! :drink:

One last thought for now: why the F' don't they have a place like this in New York friggin' City???? I can't believe that the one at the Plaza closed over 10 years ago! Why?? Was it that lame , or was NYC 'too cool' for T.V.'s? NYC is a cool town, but sometimes I go outside of it and think, what the hell ?? why isn't this in the so-called 'greatest city in the world'. Hopefully NYC will get it's sh*t together on Tiki soon.

Positive thoughts, think positive thoughts, brother.
A good vibe will help the Aloha Spirit for this town. (at least until TV returns)

I'll just start chanting Manic. Maybe that'll help. Let's chant together....namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo

Next month, when the Dali Lama is in town, I'll see what he can do for NYC Tiki.
(He's expressed discontent with the state of this town's Mai Tai before.)

namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo

Ok, I hope these tiki gods respond to the chant: namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo

lemme chime in..............stay strong, y'all its coming..............namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo, namey yo rengey kyo ...

ps... atlanta TV rocks!

Here are some pics of our NYE at Trader Vic's Atlanta! It is such a fabulous place! The food was excellent and the decor, as always, was breathtaking! Tikisobayli and I got engaged there back in April, so it holds and extra special place in my heart!

some shots of the decor....

here are tikisobayli and i enjoying our drinks...notice my christmas menehune!!

Tikisobayli, looking a bit like the Fonz...

me, saying hello to the tiki doormen...

and finally me posing with the boys...

It was a great night, and NYE brought an interesting crowd to Trader Vic's...the only damper was the carribean band and some really loud Tennessee fans who insisted the band play "Rocky Top" for them. Oh well, the drinks made up for everything!

waikiki

[ Edited by: waikiki tiki on 2004-02-10 16:04 ]

[ Edited by: waikiki tiki on 2004-02-10 16:06 ]

Joel may or may not remember the large hurried man with exactly 20 minutes to drink and eat before leaving for the airport a couple years ago.

He had just started working there and after a pretty good scorpion, I asked for a Mai Tai made "The Old Vic's Way."

He wasn't familiar with the recipe so I shared the one I had learned from the older dude at Emeryville. (Don?)
Same recipe immortalized in the Vic book.

Anyway - Joel made it just right - had a sip - and bought me my next 2 rounds and a bowl of the bongobongo soup, which I occasionaly wake up craving in the dark hours of the morning.

If you read this Joel - Thanks for getting me out the door and to my plane on time - it's nice to know that you are becoming a legend.

Waikiki tiki-

Thanks for sharing the photos. Too bad you had those weirdos asking the band to play 'Rocky Top'. Yeah...that's what I wanna hear at a Tiki Bar. Still, it's TVS on NYE.!!!! Wish I was there. In fact TVs would be the only place I would leave the house for and be excited about on New Year's Eve, that and the Mai Kai. New Year's Eve has been kinda sleepy around this pad for the past coupla years. My fiancee' and I just stayed home this time around. I can't even remember what we did. If TVs was closer we woulda been there no doubt!!!!! I'll be there in April though when I go down to visit family. Woo Hoo!!!

[ Edited by: donhonyc on 2004-02-10 21:10 ]

Joel is the best. Good pics.

Brad