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| - I desperately wanted to like the new Trader Vic's in Scottsdale.
The old Trader Vic's restaurants were legendary in 20th Century tiki-Polynesian lore, and I was hoping that the new location would not only feature awesome food and drink, but also totally nail the oldschool tiki vibe with the right decor, vibe and music.
And on most fronts, this place succeeded. The interior and exterior was pretty awesome: more upscale and hip than kitsch. The music wasn't old school exotica, but there was a circle of guys playing guitars and bongos in one of the exterior patios.
We ordered a PuPu platter, which was quite expensive - if I remember, about 40 dollars or so. And the servings were enough for one or two people. Maybe I'm spoiled by most of these old tiki places that mostly serve bad Chinese food, but I was hoping for a little more in the food department.
Having said that, all the food was good. The drinks were decent, not as great as I was hoping. Again, this is Trader Vic's. Vic created the mai tai, and I wasn't all that much impressed with theirs.
It seems that a number of the new Trader Vic's locations (Scottsdale and Chicago) have since closed down, which is unfortunate. While I wasn't completely won over on this place, I did appreciate it and was hoping to go back and give it another go in the future.
Bon Voyage, Trader Vic's (Scottsdale)!
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