The Imminent Demise of Chef Shangri-La or the Beginning of the End...

This is a very sad day for me and this not an easy post, but here goes...

As of 3:00 pm May 25th Betty and her husband Duane had to vacate the premises and no longer own and operate Chef Shangri-La. Here is what it reads at the top of the Chef Shangri-La FB page "The chef Shangrila business operation has been transferred to Susan fong." very tactless to say the least. This is all the ugly outcome of a long drawn out civil suit which has been in the court system for over 2 years, filed by her own mother and oldest sister. From what I know they had an agreement on paper, but not legally binding for some reason, I'm guessing because it was inner family they didn't involve lawyers or have anything notarized.

Anyone who has followed the history here on TC knows that the Chef has seen it's share of hard times especially in the mid 2000's when Paul Fong got sick and the Chef was being run solely by Susan who had a tough time keeping the restaurant going. She ran herself ragged being there every day 12 or more hours a day! Susan had a close call with her health back in late 2010. Susan's youngest daughter Betty came back home to Chicago from her life in LA specifically to help bail the restaurant out, in February of 2011 at their annual Chinese New Years celebration Susan announced she was turning the day to day operations over to the second generation, Betty and Duane and to please support them (more info here http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=39127&forum=4&vpost=578075&hilite=Chef Shangri-La Chinese New year)

Flash forward 5 years... Betty and Duane completely turned the place around sprucing things up with new décor, adding lots of fun entertainment including the huge hit that was Fong Fest. They've been on every foody show in Chicago over the past 3 years. Unfortunately none of this mattered to the courts because all the judge can do is go by the law. Because it was family made it even harder for him to make a decision but in the end he gave everything back to Susan. In other words the Chef has taken a giant step backward and it is just a matter of time now.

Most likely the Elvis and Hula performances will disappear along with the uke nights featuring Lani Aloha, and I know for a fact that there will be no more Evening in Shangri-La events or Fong Fest! :( These were events that Coalbe and I were proud to be a part of and I thank Betty and Duane for believing in us and for their clear vision of preserving the Chef's history!

The website has already been taken down and I believe the Chef FB page is soon to follow. If anyone wants to comment on FB pleas feel free to do so... https://www.facebook.com/Chef-Shangri-la-189270651119127/ please post comments under this top heading "The chef Shangrila business operation has been transferred to Susan fong."

Mark my words I am a firm believer in Karma and she can be a bitch, so it is only a matter of time before she catches up with you!

It has left a huge hole in our hearts, kinda like loosing friend or loved one... RIP Chef Shangri-La!

Sorry for the rant but this has really pissed me off! :x if I'am out of line here feel free to remove the post

BaMbOoLoDgE...where the South Pacific meets the Great White North!

[ Edited by: BambooLodge 2016-05-27 07:33 ]

That is very sad news! I've been following the posts on the Fong Fest and other events at the Chef. The Chef has always had a passionate and enthusiastic following.

Now that the law has come down on one side, is there any chance the new operators would make serious efforts to keep the place going? Even if they can't handle the effort required to keep it running, would the financial aspect possibly be enough to incentivize them to keep it running?

All these questions are aside from the fact that the hardworking, passionate, and dedicated operators have been ousted. I'm unfortunately assuming there is no going back now that the suit seems to have been settled.

My favorite hole-in-the-wall in the world collapsed similarly 12 years go due to family issues. These things unfortunately do happen.

Wishing you and everyone in your tiki community all the best for better times ahead!

Do not believe for a minute this will turn out fine - if the current owners really cared about the chefs fate they would have left well enough alone and let Duane and Betty run it. They performed the ultimate bar rescue - no one cared more for the chef than they did and now they are gone. If anyone there now tells you they are going to continue on as the chef with the same care and quality and reverence for tiki, they are blowing smoke up your ass. They are lying to you.

Why can't people leave a good thing be? This happens again and again: A place or a an event becomes a success, and someone (often an outsider - xept here) comes and fucks with it. WHY, if all people involved are gaining already, why be greedy and try to squeeze out more for yerself...

Sigh. My condolences, and thank you for your dedication and work to keep the Tiki spirit alive in Chicago!

This was definitely the worst news I'd heard in a long time.

The Chef was the clubhouse for Chicago Tiki folks... We met all of our Chicago Tiki friends at the Chef starting over a decade ago. Watching the place go from clutter and musty carpeting, often questionable food and an occasional cockroach to what Duane and Betty turned it into was fantastic. I NEVER thought I'd see the day where the Chef was on TV (!) and yet, in the last year, not once, not twice, but THREE times on local shows.

We used to go just because it was a cool, vintage hole in the wall. We went for kitsch and to wonder what it used to be like more than anything... the last five years we've gone because we WANTED to go there for the food, and the drinks, and because you felt like you were amongst friends and family the moment you walked in the door. They were constantly adding new menu items, trying out new drinks, adding new layers to the Tiki-ness. The crappy old rusty buffet cart was replaced with cool bamboo dining huts. They added outdoor seating. They REALLY cared and they always appreciated that WE all cared. They were excited about it. Watching so many vintage places close up shop or fall into shabby disarray, it meant something to all of us to watch this little corner in North Riverside blossom into something everyone cared about.. It was ever changing in the best way possible, always with reverence for the history of the place.

We had some really cool things in the works that will not happen now, I'm sad to say. I was working with Duane on new Tiki mug designs, Evening in Shangri-La bands were booked through October, and Dave and Coalbe were hard at work getting the lineup set for Fong Fest 2016 (last year was a MAJOR success.) I'd already begun sketching out this year's artwork, hoping for a positive outcome with all this mess.

But so it goes.

It's heartbreaking... in an era when new Tiki bars are opening up left and right, somehow it makes the original era places even MORE special than when they were the only vestiges. Is the food always "artisan" and are the cocktails "craft?" No... but that used to be part of the fun of it. The less of these places we have around, the sooner we lose a vital connection to what makes Tiki "TIKI" and we lose sight of why it was ever a "thing" in the first place.

A dozen years ago, my wife and I took a long drive out to Berwyn from our apartment in Chicago on the promise that there was a weird little original survivor of Chinese-Tiki hiding in North Riverside. Up to that point, our only knowledge of Tiki was a couple of trips to the Palmer House Trader Vic's and seeing a stray Tiki mug at an antique store or a flea market. We had dinner at Chef Shangri-La that night... We were the only people in the dining room. Halfway into my first Dr. Fong, tiny bit of a bottom-shelf rum buzz starting to kick in, we both looked around the restaurant and thought "Wow. How did this survive?" Our next stop was Hala Kahiki... minds. blown. This whole world existed we knew almost nothing about when we left the house... here we are now, 300-and-some Tiki mugs, many miles traveled seeking out vintage Tiki bars, with a basement full of carvings and paddles and fish floats and all else... Our lives have been totally different since that night.

Since then, we went to the Chef and Hala Kahiki so....many...times. Any time we could justify making the trek. We watched both just get better and better and only in the last couple years did it seem like anyone outside of us and our Tiki friends we'd met along the way had any idea these places were special. Finally the national spotlight has started to pay attention... they're on TV. Both places are packed every time we visit.

And then this awful news about the Chef.

Even if the drinks kinda stink, or the servers are surly or whatever your hangup... go out and visit your local vintage Tiki bar tonight and savor the experience, whatever that is.

Cuz like Joe Tex said, you better hold on to what you got...

--Pete

Thanks Pete very well put my friend!

Welcome to Post Tiki Chicago. Between this, Three Dots and a Dash already having checked out, and now video gambling at Hala Kahiki, these are dark days indeed.

TT

On 2016-05-27 10:09, Tonga Trader wrote:
Welcome to Post Tiki Chicago. Between this, Three Dots and a Dash already having checked out, and now video gambling at Hala Kahiki, these are dark days indeed.

TT

The chef had video gambling for a couple years and no one complained - hardly the kiss of death people make it out to be.

Once again, in case my meaning wasn't clear earlier --

So the building (and the new operator) lost their talent. But that talent can relocate and thrive elsewhere, free from all the family ties and BS. Try to harness the enthusiasm and affection for the place and try to move up (or sideways at least) to help keep the Chef's tiki flame burning brightly in the Chicago area. Can Duane and Betty take a break, then look around with the help of their fans, and find a new place?

I know that's much easier said than done, but since the news is so new, and more outcries are coming, it would be great if you could coalesce it and redirect the energy to something as positive and constructive as possible. Help out another existing venue and resurrect or "plus" something that is already there? Find and create a new venue from scratch, maybe at another abandoned restaurant site where the landlord is desperate to fill unused restaurant space? Or maybe start building a fan list and simply organize a Fong Fest of your own every six months?

You've still got some momentum right now, and you've got memories. Try to avoid letting that momentum fade, keep the memories alive, and encourage Duane and Betty to do some brainstorming and see what they might be up for. Maybe they can come up with something they can do together with the tiki community -- not overnight, but over time, with love and care.

I'm taking a longer-term view. All is not lost. Nobody died, fortunately. Other businesses and other available real estate exists, so you still have talent and enthusiasm which might be able to find a new home.

Hang in there, don't give up, you're in a major population center and there are options.

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

Pete, you hit exactly on some of the things I was thinking as well.

There's no telling what the Chef's tiki ohana can come up with to support Duane and Betty. I'm hoping to hear good things down the road when the shock wears off. The tiki community is known to be quite creative and resilient, and fortunately all the "people" and talent are intact - only the building itself was wrested from their hands.

Don't let the craft/hipster places intimidate anyone. They've got their style of gig, and the Chef's ohana may be able to find a new place for their style of gig.

Those are words of encouragement, I hope. I'm raising my glass to new beginnings and a bright future in Chicago!

:drink:

I have always hoped that the family would write a book on Paul Fong and publish his drink recipes. I know their "secret" the Mai Tai and the Dr Fong, but I personally think it would be great to actually have these recipes documented that Mr Fong was the creator and that these are his recipes, give due credit. Like the trader Vic Mai tai, we know the recipe and we can enjoy this recipe at home, and reflect how genius vics recipe really is.

I guess I am worried that there will come a time where Paul Fongs recipes will be lost and he won't receive the credit due to his cocktail inventions! And....won't be able to enjoy these cocktails any longer since no one knows how to make them.

Sad news for sure......

[ Edited by: Maui Chimes 2016-05-27 16:55 ]

Sad News....I'm so happy I got to see it during last years Chicago Tiki Tour......I was only there once but you could feel the passion that was there, I wish the best to everybody that made it what is was, thank you for letting me enjoy it on my single trip there and hope that passion gets to live on somewhere else.

I heard about this the other night an it felt like I had been punched. I'm sad because the Chef was a great place (even if we couldn't get up there as often) and I don't think it will retain that glory. I'm glad that we got to go one last time recently.

I will miss the people, the food, the decor... everything.

I do have a piece of Chef history hanging in my dining room and I will forever cherish it. This is actually my old living room and it went quite well with the wood paneling.

I'm curious why everyone is talking as though it's closed. Is that the mother's intent? I understand that a decline is likely. As someone who loves the place but doesn't go for the weekend entertainment, I'm mainly interested in knowing whether the cooks, bartenders and wait staff will remain.

For those of us interested in the backstory, does anyone have a copy of the court decision or know where it might be possible to find the court papers?

Certainly, the Chef itself as a physical structure isn't necessarily closing right now...

I think it's safe to say, though, that for most of us who have spent so much time there and gotten to know Betty and Duane and all the blood, sweat and tears they poured into the place over their tenure there (and how generally terrible the restaurant had become before they took over... it very nearly closed more than once) and knowing what underhanded, greedy, unnecessary and generally shitty shenanigans took place to oust them, I can say I would have a very hard time giving one red cent to the people now in charge (which extends beyond the mother, who herself is elderly and not in good health. It's not my place to get into it any more than that.)

Between when the original owner became ill and when Betty and Duane stepped in to rescue the place, it was rough by anyone's standards... dirty, cluttered, rampant issues with cockroaches and other pests, ongoing maintenance and safety issues, multiple instances of being shut down by the city, issues with the health department, having their liquor license revoked at one point.... it was not pretty. Dig back through old Yelp reviews (or the Chef page in "Locating Tiki" here on TC) and you'll see 6 or more years ago, it was not good. This is what we're returning to.

It's complicated. I know there are undoubtedly many, many intricacies and layers of detail I can't speak to that I know nothing about, but on the once-over, given the few facts I DO know and based on my own experience with the place over the last 12 years, I can say that for me, it may as well be closed..

You can see the outpouring of grief from Tiki fans, regulars and customers on their Facebook page.

--Pete

(Since the Chef Shangri-La website has been taken down, no doubt for editing, I thought I'd post the copy from the 'About Us' page, while it is still available in Google's webcache):

**About Us
35 YEARS AND STILL “TIKI-ING”!!!

History of Master Chef Paul Fong**
His story dates back to 1934, when small villages in China were under attack. A young couple found the 2-year old boy mourning beside his family who were killed. He was abandoned on a hillside road, where the young couple welcomed him as their own and ran for safety. They referred the little boy as Som Min Jie (which means baby boy in Cantonese.)
In 1945, Som Min Jie and Fong Sowng arrived in Chicago in hopes of living the American dream. His father worked as the Head Chef at a Chinese restaurant, while Som Min Jie did everything he could to adapt to the American culture. Neighborhood schools did not accept him, so he took the alternative route, through self-discipline and self-teaching.
Som Min Jie now known as Paul J. Fong, lost his father a couple of years later. Paul was left to fend for himself, while responsible to send money back to his mother in China. He worked multiple jobs as a busboy, a dishwasher, a waiter, a bartender and finally worked his way up as a chef.

Suzie “The Fierce Hawaiian Tiger” Fong also has a very interesting history. Over 100 years ago, Suzie’s grandfather and a group of college students flew to Hawaii to study. Her grandfather met a native Hawaiian, married her and brought her back to China to raise their family. Hence, the Polynesian ambience of Chef Shangri-la.
Suzie arrived in the US in 1958, she too has always been involved with the restaurant business. As an immigrant and a young Asian woman, she knew how hard it was going to be to survive in America. She had a family to support, in addition to sending money back to China to bring her parents and other siblings to America. In just 5 years, Suzie owned her first restaurant in Milwaukee, WI. Five years later Suzie and Paul met in Chicago, married in 1972 and operated their first restaurant in Chinatown, called Cantonese Chef.
Paul & Suzie were very successful in Chinatown, where Paul was featured in a number of Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times articles, he was rated as the top chef in Chinatown for many years. He was truly a “Master of Creations”. Paul & Suzie were determined to open up another restaurant, but had difficulty finding the right location. In 1975, Suzie was dealing with the loss of her mother and was emotionally drained; on one odd night, she had woken from a dream, where her mother’s spirit had guided her to this exact location, which has been the home of Chef Shangri-la ever since.

35 years later, Betty, the youngest of Paul & Suzie and her husband, Duane are now the 2nd generation owners. Betty & Duane will continue to operate the Fong tradition. They welcome you to a more enhanced tropical setting, featuring our 35 year original recipe on all signature dishes and cocktails. They will also be featuring a “SPECIAL MENU” that includes ASIAN FUSION DISHES like Thai curry, Spicy Korean chicken wings, Vietnamese Pho noodle soup, and much more.

For more information, please call (708) 442-7080, located at 7930 W. 26th Street, North Riverside, IL. Hope to see you soon!

I loved Fong Fest and the other events at the Chef. With all this going on, has anyone approached the owners of Tong's Tiki Hut to pick up the tiki torch and run with it? It's another great vintage venue.

Heck, maybe Betty and Duane could make an offer on Tong's? Betty, Duane, if you're listening I would be willing to invest in that proposition.

[ Edited by: Tiki Flange 2016-05-28 13:32 ]

This is very sad to hear and I'm heartbroken on behalf of you loyal customers and fans who helped keep the place going. I never had the opportunity to visit but as a transplanted Chicago boy it was high up on my to do list for my next trip home. Hoping for a positive outcome but that seems unlikely based on what is being shared here.

:( :( :(

I still don't get why nobody seems to give a $hit about Paul Fongs cocktail recipes.... Ones that could be lost to the ages... Nobody even comments on his creations.....I don't get it. I get that a lot of people think (for instance that the Mai Tai) is a ton of cheap rum topped off by a shot of limosa (Jero brand non sweetened lime juice) but there is more too it then that.....

Shouldn't the guy that invented these great drink variants (Dr Fong, Mai Tai) get more credit then what has been given so far.....

[ Edited by: Maui Chimes 2016-05-30 20:39 ]

[ Edited by: Maui chimes 2016-05-31 04:38 ]

On 2016-05-30 20:38, Maui Chimes wrote:
I still don't get why nobody seems to give a $hit about Paul Fongs cocktail recipes.... Ones that could be lost to the ages... Nobody even comments on his creations.....I don't get it. I get that a lot of people think (for instance that the Mai Tai) is a ton of cheap rum topped off by a shot of limosa (Jero brand non sweetened lime juice) but there is more too it then that.....

Shouldn't the guy that invented these great drink variants (Dr Fong, Mai Tai) get more credit then what has been given so far.....

It isn't that we don't care about his drink recipes, it's just all of us care more about the historical value of the restaurant and it's contents than we do about drink recipes! Read the posts again if you don't get it.

Sorry to come off with an attitude, but I am pretty sure I speak for all the tikphiles in the area. In other words the future of the restaurant is in extreme jeopardy, and that is more important to any of us than drink recipes. Besides his daughter Betty has those recipes, so not really worried about that! :wink:

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

Thanks Pete, you understood where i was coming from. The drinks are another aspect of the historical value, its the sum of the parts. Don't know whats so hard to understand about that.

Curious, Pete, what's the basis for the suggestion that Betty took the food and drink recipes with her? Do you know this for a fact? Susan wouldn't know her husband's recipes? Weren't those drinks being served prior to the recent revival?

Has the kitchen staff departed also?

Apparently there's now an issue with the liquor license, but if they get it back I had been hoping it'd be possible to still get the same basic food and drink at CSL. Is that hope in vain? :(

Moreover, it Seems to me everyone is blithely assuming that Betty and Duane can whip up a new place just like that. But even if they have such interest and could get the capital, I big part of CSL at least for me was its bones ....the authenticity. Most of that decor can no longer be purchased.

[ Edited by: IUSteve 2016-06-01 04:36 ]

[ Edited by: IUSteve 2016-06-01 04:41 ]

"assuming that Betty and Duane can whip up a new place"

It can be very expensive and places like these are built over many years, the new
versions many times just are not as good.

Too bad hope it all works out.
Wonder how many "family owned" Restaurants go down this way in the end, Mine kinda went this way.

For the love of money
People will steal from their mother
For the love of money
People will rob their own brother
For the love of money
People can't even walk the street
Because they never know who in the world they're gonna beat
For that lean, mean, mean green
Almighty dollar, money

Steve-

For the recipe situation, I defer to Bamboolodge's post above. Dave and Coalbe have been deeply intertwined in this whole mess since the get-go, so if anyone would know about that, they would know.

I would assume the kitchen/bar staff would still be using those recipes as well (the mother would certainly have them), once they get the liquor license sorted out. Personally, I can't justify giving any money to the current owners whether the food is the same or not.

As far as the staff, I'm sure some people left... the bartenders, obviously, would not have much to do right now without a liquor license. I couldn't say for sure, though, because since the takeover, I haven't been back there, none of our friends have been back there, and Duane and Betty haven't been back there. And none of us plan to go back there.

The important thing to understand with all this was that it was unbelievably sudden. I know I didn't really expect there was a snowball's chance in hell things would go this way... most were operating under the assumption it would pass and things would go back to normal.

But they didn't.

And as far as "blithely assuming" they'll "whip up a new place just like that" no one has said that.

If you go back and read the rest of the thread, that point is EXACTLY why we're all so incredibly upset about all this. It will NEVER be the same.

Are we optimistic Duane and Betty will land on there feet with a new place? Absolutely, and they are great people and friends, so I will patronize that place and support them. I want them to succeed, whatever they decide to do.

But will that place be the same as Chef Shangri La, or even kinda the same if it's brand new? Of course not. I think you're misconstruing genuine concern for the people involved who got totally shafted with concern over the physical place. The physical place is already going down the tubes (hence the title of this thread) - just look at Yelp or Facebook. The mother has only been back in charge for less than a week, and already there's a lot of complaints.

As I said in an earlier post:

"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."

I think the only thing anyone is "blithely assuming" here is that the Chef Shangri La that we knew and loved is never going to exist in the same way again.

And that is terribly depressing. Hence the references to it feeling like "a death in the family."

We have had SO many fantastic (and blurry) memories there, I just can't believe we won't be making any more.

--Pete

Very well put, Thank you Pete!

Enough said...

I think it should be mentioned here, too, how much work Dave and Coalbe put into the Chef to make it what it is (was), too.

I'd say they "volunteered" putting in all their hard work booking bands, running live events, ponying up the raffle prizes every month, even donating decor to the restaurant among about a million other things, but "volunteered" doesn't really cut it... they SPENT their own money keeping the fires burning there.

When Susan took over the restaurant, and prospects were looking gloomy, Dave & Coalbe stepped in and started setting up the Evening in Shangri La events, anniversary events, and eventually fully spearheaded Fong Fest, which for the four years it lived and thrived, was one helluva great time and something so many people looked forward to every year (I certainly did!)

Their actions were what first started to turn things around at the Chef and make the destination it became. Duane and Betty stepping in and seeing how much everyone cared about the place just kicked things into high gear.

Things were looking bright...

--Pete

Pete and Bamboolodge, thank you for the thoughtful and helpful posts and perspective.

I visited the place a few times when Susan was running it pre-Duane and Betty, and certainly agree that it's depressing to think that's what it likely will go back to.

I wish someone were able to candidly and objectively describe the exact facts, legal claims, and issues behind all this, and how it came to be that Duane and Betty were forced out. All the description of events here has been pretty vague. At some point, I'll try to get up to Chicago, go to the Courthouse, dig into the documents from the lawsuit (which does not appear to have concluded, at least from what I can tell by the online docket), and try to write up a report.

Steve

Steve-

I think the reason the facts are vague is because, indeed, they ARE vague to all of us. None of us were directly involved in all of the proceedings, so it's all a bit through-the-grapevine.

If I DID have access to something like that, it wouldn't be my place at all to share that information anyway, certainly not on a public chat board.

I feel terrible already talking about someone else's trials and tribulations (literally) especially without all the facts, but like I've said, this is just a heartbreaking development for Chicago-area Tikiphiles, past and present.

--Pete

Shifting gears a bit, here's one of the Tiki mug design sketches I was working on for the 40th Anniversary this year... he's based on the Chef Shangri-La logo tiki from the old matchbooks, menus, etc. This hasn't been cleaned up or anything yet. Just to get a rough idea.

This was one of a couple possible designs (one based on a concept Duane had) that I was kicking around and we were looking to get going for the fall Anniversary celebrations. Obviously (all) of those plans are on indefinite hold now...

I'll post up some of the old Fong Fest art soon.

--Pete

...and to celebrate 4 years worth of Fong Fests, here's the print/poster and T-Shirt art from the last four years, just to add a little something to this thread that is otherwise totally bumming me out.

The inaugural year - 2012, with the Neanderthals!

2013 poster art:

...and T-Shirt design, front and back:

2014 poster art:

...2014 T-Shirt, front and back:

2015 poster art:

...2015 T-Shirt, front and back:

If anyone has interest in prints from any of these, let me know - I have at least a few from each year still available - send me a PM.

HOPEFULLY somewhere, somehow, some way, and in some form, Fong Fest will live on in the future, even if it's not happening this year.

I'm so proud to have had even just a tiny part in any of this. It was always so gratifying to go to the Chef and see the staff and regulars wearing something I drew, even years after the fact. Fong Fest was so much fun every year!

--Pete

OK, one last one...

This was the poster for the ongoing monthly "Evening in Shangri La" event that Dave and Coalbe set up.

I was working with Duane on turning this into a standard Chef Shangri-La shirt that could be purchased ongoing. The Fong Fest shirts were always a big hit, but were super limited and typically sold out the same day as the event or shortly thereafter.

--Pete

I was not taking the mothers or Duane and Bettys side more stating facts.

Do know from growing up in a family that had restaurants how it goes though.
The restaurant comes first, it is the family member that gets what it needs first.

The mother must be getting older and would need help do they not get along?
In the end the place will be sold or go out of business.
To cut all ties now could be bad for both sides.

But then I know from experience that people can have hard heads and would
kill the very place they love rather than give in.

On 2016-06-01 09:56, IUSteve wrote:
At some point, I'll try to get up to Chicago, go to the Courthouse, dig into the documents from the lawsuit (which does not appear to have concluded, at least from what I can tell by the online docket), and try to write up a report.

Steve

What is the case number? I searched and searched but was unable to find the docket for this matter on the Cook County website.

On 2016-06-01 14:21, HopeChest wrote:
What is the case number? I searched and searched but was unable to find the docket for this matter on the Cook County website.

I'm assuming this is the case: https://w3.courtlink.lexisnexis.com/cookcounty/FindDock.asp?NCase=&SearchType=2&Database=3&case_no=&Year=&div=&caseno=&PLtype=1&sname=Fong+Susan&CDate=. That's a link to the online docket. The case number is 2013-CH-09669.

On 2016-06-01 10:15, Ragbag Comics wrote:

If I DID have access to something like that, it wouldn't be my place at all to share that information anyway, certainly not on a public chat board.

Well, court documents are public records, so I don't see why it would be wrong or somehow an invasion of privacy to report on a public chat board what those documents say.

Steve

[ Edited by: IUSteve 2016-06-01 15:04 ]

When it comes to opening a new place, I agree a lot of the old decorations are unavailable. That's why I tossed out the idea of purchasing Tongs Tiki Hut. It has all the old time charm, a decent location and parking etc.

I don't know who the current owners are, but I'm guessing they are not too long before retirement. TTH would be a great base to build off of.

Thanks for that, mate. No wonder I couldn't find it - I wasn't searching Chancery Division. That's an interesting distinction, bringing this matter to the Court of Equity versus through the Civil Division. Chancery is something that California doesn't have at the State / Superior Court level, it's a rather old-school department.

I hadn't seen any reports since the change in management, so I thought I would post one.

I came here on Saturday night for a drink and dinner. If you didn't know about the family kerfuffle a few weeks ago, you wouldn't know anything had changed. Some different faces at the host stand, but longtime servers Annie and Linda were still on duty. My Dr. Fong, barbecued pork, and seafood combination fried rice all tasted basically the same, thank God. Annie told me there were a few new people in the kitchen, but mostly the same cooks.

The bar had a good crowd. The restaurant wasn't too busy -- maybe a half dozen tables going (I got here late, like 8:30; a large private group had just left). But it was blessedly quiet (except for the staff rearranging furniture). No raucous Saturday night entertainment. I know that would be a disappointment for many, but it wasn't for me, I prefer my dinner without surf rock bands or Elvis impersonators. To each his own.

I'm fully aware there are some on this board who curse the new management and vow never to return again as a matter of loyalty or moral principle. That's your right, of course. But for me, this place has always been about the food, the drinks, and the old school decor. So far, that's all the same. I hope it stays that way.

Who knows what the future will bring. Maybe there will be a slow decline. Maybe they won't keep enough business and survive financially without the pizazz, business and marketing savvy, and innovative spirit that Betty and Duane brought. I hope they return some day. They cleaned the place up and were responsible for the great menu and the return to tiki authenticity. But for now, I for one am not going to deprive myself of the enjoyment this place has brought me, and I'll return as often as possible as long as the menu, drinks, and atmosphere don't change.

[ Edited by: IUSteve 2016-07-02 19:37 ]

[ Edited by: IUSteve 2016-07-02 19:44 ]

[ Edited by: IUSteve 2016-07-02 20:08 ]

"I'm fully aware there are some on this board who curse the new management"

Is there new management, or is it Suzan the wife of the guy who started this place that took over?
Think I am missing something here.

That is a nice report, Steve, you make some good points there.

The old generation owners of Tiki places are a difficult bunch, and management problems are not infrequent. The owners of Bahooka for example only warmed up to the Tiki revival crowd to a certain degree, but then they saw no reason to let anybody know about the sale, and everybody felt betrayed when the place closed.

I for example had misgivings about the way the management at Sam's Seafood/Don The Beachcomber treated the ITMP organizers, and I doubt I will ever set foot in that place again. If I smell greed from Tiki outsiders I get offended. But that is my personal thing. As long as a an original, vintage Tiki palace exists, it should be frequented and enjoyed for its rarity, and for still being there - just that. Everybody has to make up their own mind about going or staying away.

It is a crying shame that we cannot all be one happy family that gets along bowing to Tiki our god, and that the great enthusiasm and love for Tiki that created events such as the Fong fest sometimes seem to be under-appreciated. But the fact is, we don't have to run these businesses day-by-day, what we do (most of us) is our hobby we do for fun in our spare time. The Tiki scene by itself cannot support a restaurant business, and alas, it is still a money-making venture, subject to all the human vagaries of moneymaking.

Thanks, Bigbro. And Skip, yes, by "new management" I meant "return of the mother." I didn't say "new owners," because I don't know who literally, legally owns the building and business or whether that changed in recent years. (Betty once told me they were being hindered in doing some repairs by her mom "the landlord.")

We moved away from the Chicago area decades ago and unfortunately never dined there during that time but now wish we had reading some of the threads here and looking at various photos of the place. I can understand your feeling of loss at the thought of it ending at some point. Great piece of property and the restaurant really is a jewel of tiki from an era ago. Also understand the anger over all the work that went into revitalizing it including the invigoration brought on by her daughter and son-in-law and what they gave up to move home to help out. With Suzy, the mom, now close to 80 I imagine it will be hard to know exactly what will happen to Chef Shangri La's down the road as far as ownership. Sounds like there are other children, and mom might be thinking of how to handle her inheritance affairs down the road amongst them all.

I looked up your 13-page thread on An Evening in Shangri La and see you guys had been working with Suzy and family since 2008. Sounds like there were a lot of fun nights along the way. Love the raffle idea and events that were planned. Not having been there but curious, also found a number of photos of the place from Google images, TripAdvisor (more recent photos) and a few photos from 2006 of the outside garden area ( http://electrifyingtimes.com/66/route_66_trip_tiki_bar_tour.html ). BTW was that a photo of Mr. Fong down further on the page there?

Hopefully Chef Shangri La's will still be around for local tiki fans despite the management/ownership changes for the foreseeable future even if it's not as vibrant. Just being able to dine and drink in that ambiance given its history has got to be quite special. As others have said they don't make locations like that any more. It would be nice to think that the restaurant would eventually end up in the hands of new owners who would seek to preserve it and continue its tiki heritage. Worse case I see is that it's torn down for something else. Hopefully it will stay an on-going concern. And besides who doesn't love Chinese food?!...the tiki/Polynesian influences on top of that is all just good stuff. I'll hope for the best for all involved including patrons.

BTW really nice job on the poster and promotional pieces. Like the designs.

On 2016-05-28 04:47, IUSteve wrote:
I'm curious why everyone is talking as though it's closed. Is that the mother's intent? I understand that a decline is likely. As someone who loves the place but doesn't go for the weekend entertainment, I'm mainly interested in knowing whether the cooks, bartenders and wait staff will remain.

I will second this. I know I will try to go back soon in the hopes that the quality doesn't degrade quickly though.

On 2016-07-04 12:37, Comicbookhero wrote:

On 2016-05-28 04:47, IUSteve wrote:
I'm curious why everyone is talking as though it's closed. Is that the mother's intent? I understand that a decline is likely. As someone who loves the place but doesn't go for the weekend entertainment, I'm mainly interested in knowing whether the cooks, bartenders and wait staff will remain.

I will second this. I know I will try to go back soon in the hopes that the quality doesn't degrade quickly though.

Has anyone been to Chef Shangri La since June ? Has anyone got any news about Betty and Duane ?

Has anyone been to Chef Shangri La since June ? Has anyone got any news about Betty and Duane ?

I have, it seemed almost the same but everything was a bit off. I liked going back when it was in serious decline and will continue to go regardless, even if I dislike the changes made.