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Interesting Trader Vic quote

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I was at the main branch of the Denver Public Library today doing some research and found this interesting quote from Vic Bergeron. He was quoted during his visit to Denver when he was converting the Outrigger restaurant in the Cosmopolitan Hotel to Trader Vic's.

Denver Post (April 27, 1960)

"Though his tropic-style restaurants across the country (including the one in the Cosmopolitan Hotel here) feature elaborately concocted drinks, one of Trader Vic Bergeron's pet hates is "the showoff who orders fancy drinks when the bar is crowded and the rush is on."

Says T.V.., "I almost lost one of my best men one night; it took 3 guys to hold him when some nitwit ordered a 8-color pousse-cafe. The bartender sweated bullets getting the +%$*?! thing concocted - spoiled the first 2 efforts because he couldn't remember in which order you pour in the various liqueurs. (You get an order for one of these fool pousse-cafe things about once every five years.) But he finally sent a perfect one to the table with pride. It was beautiful, glowing with color."

Bergereon pauses at this point, then adds wrathfully, "And you know what the customer did with it? Tossed it down in one gulp!"

The Trader is here in town at the moment. Don't say you weren't warned what not to order while he's here."

Mahalo for posting the Vic quote and info. This is the stuff I love to see on Tiki Central, and wish we could see more often. In a related vein, I also thought the info on Vics final resting place was really cool, but didn't post on it since others expressed their appreciation for it. I wonder if the Trader was venting to the reporter because he had all these wonderful and difficult to blend concoctions on his menu, and patrons would come in and order some off the wall recipe just for the hell of it. I can see how that would be very annoying. Kind of like having a friend over to your tiki bar, and having them ask if you have any microbrews in the fridge.

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