What is this Aloha dish, and is it a chain or a one-of-a-kind ?

Can anyone tell me whether this dish is from the Aloha Lounge in Rochester, Ny? What was served in this dish? (It is about 4" tall, and 8" in diameter.) Also, was Rochester's "Aloha" part of a chain, or a local establishment? Any info is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/annaisaac/DCP_9003.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/annaisaac/DCP_9011.jpg

[ Edited by: starkist on 2005-02-07 09:55 ]

[ Edited by: starkist on 2005-02-07 09:59 ]

Starkist - that's a compote from The Aloha, at 2775 Monroe Ave. in Rochester, NY. Puamana has a menu from that place and I have a small rice bowl. Our picture links are long dead, but maybe we can resurrect them. That was an old Chinese-restaurant turned Tiki. Probably long gone now.

I don't know what exactly they served in those compotes. Kon Tiki had them too. Fruit maybe? Table centerpieces? Fresh gardenias? Anyone else have any ideas?

Here in a vintage photograph of the kitchen at Sam's Seafood you can see similar compotes stacked and ready to go to tables. They are two-tiered though. Very strange.

Sabu.

PS: That's a nice find. Congratulations.

[ Edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy on 2005-02-07 12:40 ]

[ Edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy on 2005-02-07 12:44 ]

Dear Sabu,

Thank you so much for all the information. I did not even know this board existed, a kind soul on the PPG board on Ebay supplied this link. It is nice to know of people "in the know"!

At some chinese restaurants I think I have eaten from dishes like this, but metal. They just put your dish in it (sizzling beef, scallops in orange sauce, bok choy in ginger, whatever), and then you spoon it onto your rice.

minnies in modesto, ca also uses these to serve "finger foods".

if i had to guess i would say that is what they are made for. it puts the appetizer up higher for access to the whole table but if the main course came there was still room to serve it on the table because of the pedestal.

Thanks Hat,

That makes sense. It's satisfying to decipher any new piece of tiki knowledge and to know that this was a standard piece of china in many Chinese and Polynesian restaurants. Thanks to you and tikifish for the info.