MAKING HISTORY: NOT YOUR FATHER’S TRADER VIC’S — THE RE-INVENTION OF AN ICON

Mai Tai "Wave"

A Revitalized Trader Vic’s is set to reopen at its Emeryville location - Tuesday September 28, 2010!


The year is 1934: Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow die in a bloody shootout in Louisiana. Babe Ruth played his last game as a Yankee. Hitler’s Third Reich is beginning its rise to power in a troubled post-WWI Germany. An America struggling with the Great Depression finds escape at the cinema with the likes of young Shirley Temple.

It is against this background that “Trader Vic” Bergeron opened his first eatery, titled simply “Hinky Dink’s” (legend has it that the title came from his favorite World War One ditty, “Hinky-Dinky Parlez Vous”). Trader Vic’s unique vision for his venture was that it should be an escape to paradise for his patrons. The singular “themed” nature of his restaurant, coupled with great food and his engaging personal style, all combined to increase the popularity of what had now become Trader Vic’s. In short order it became one of the Bay’s hottest eateries.


In a few short years it was 1940. Sinatra had begun his remarkable singing career. Walt Disney’s “Pinocchio” debuted in theaters. Mussolini and Hitler were joining forces, Lucille Ball wed Desi Arnaz, and a second Trader Vic’s opened in Seattle, Washington.


Another decade passes; the year is now 1950. Einstein warns against the dangers of the hydrogen bomb. The Great Brinks Bank Robbery occurs in Boston. Joe McCarthy is hot on the trail of communists in the U.S. State Department. Jackie Robinson signs with the Dodgers. Trader Vic’s restaurants are thriving as the Trader opens a third location in Hawaii — a year later he adds a fourth venue in San Francisco.

In 1972 the Trader closes his original location, moving the party to the current site on the waterfront in Emeryville. Janet Lynn wins the US Women’s Figure Skating title. On Bloody Sunday British Troops fire on the Catholics in Londonderry. East Pakistan becomes Bangladesh.

History happens around us, moving us forward in time, forever changing the world around us. To cope with the chaos, we identify with, and cling to, that which is familiar. It is human nature. When we find those places that comfort us, we revisit them. They become a safe haven, that familiar place where we can come together with others to share that which we are experiencing. We discuss the events that are happening in the world. We share the things that make us happy and bond over the things that make us sad. At the core of most human gatherings is the breaking of bread and the consumption of libations. A savvy restaurateur can capitalize on this tradition to draw patrons into an environment of his creation. Successful from the get-go at establishing the right blend of food, drink and welcoming space, Trader Vic’s has long been such a haven, relied on by its patrons to carry them through over seventy years of change.

Yet after so many decades, that which was once seen as a constant can become perhaps too familiar. The icon can get a little dusty. How to polish it up? Straddling the past while welcoming the future — this was the task at hand for the group currently charged with the Trader Vic’s legacy. They needed to take a restaurant that had grown so familiar to generations of patrons that it was almost revered and move it solidly into the twenty-first century so that it would continue to welcome the next generations. The challenge became how to introduce their particular brand of magic to a new generation of patrons, while preserving intact the legacy of the Trader himself.

It should be acknowledged that the Trader was possessed of a foresight and vision remarkably similar to that of Walt Disney. He understood that in creating a uniquely distinct Polynesian setting and realizing it with the utmost attention to detail, his restaurant would become so distinct that once his patrons had spent some time within its walls, it’s very distinction would evoke a strong flood of memories that brings visitors back time and again. No one who approaches the familiar tiki-themed doorway can keep from being imprinted with an image of the gates to paradise. Over time, the sight of iconic structures inevitably recalls the lifetime of shared events that have taken place inside them. So changing anything requires enormous care and attention to detail.

Restaurants that have endured as long as Trader Vic’s, provide an authentic voice for the history that has transpired within their walls. They are an echo chamber, a stage for the play of life. Trader Vic’s has become a time capsule of its own history.

You may find yourself asking at this point, “What have they done to change it up?” The answer may more accurately be “what haven’t they done?” The space within the restaurant has been reconfigured to allow for a more natural flow of traffic by its guests. The menu is re-envisioned. The bar areas have been reworked, and the new monkey wood fairly gleams. The Beverage Manager has taken the classic Mai Tai and — guided no doubt by the spirit of its inventor, Vic Bergeron himself — has created many new varieties of the Mai Tai, including a particularly intriguing Mango version I personally sampled. It was a delightfully tangy, citrus-y and refreshing take on the classic rum concoction.

Perhaps the biggest continuing struggle in the overhaul of Trader Vic’s was how much of the current food menu to retain and how much to change. At the end of the process, the balance they struck was near perfection. The new menu retains the flavors of the Pacific Islands, keeping a few of the favorite dishes and introducing many new ones, including a contemporary refocus on seafood dishes. That refocus will feature a Friday Fish Night where fresh fish specials will be offered in collaboration with the world-famous Honolulu Fish Market.

Even more exciting, there will be a monthly menu with options from the Trader Vic’s archives.  As yet untitled, this menu will rotate many of the old favorites, allowing the patrons who miss particular items to re-experience them, while reviving dishes for new visitors who may never have experienced them previously. They will honor the heart of the old recipes, yet present them in a modern context.

The lounge will feature small plates: “Menehune” and “Vickies” both with price points designed to be accessible to a family budget. Several of the bar menu items were served at a press avail recently, and I was able to sample them to provide a preview. The Crab & Chicken Spring Rolls were still hot out of the fryer. The rolls had a perfect crunch to their exterior. Once they had cooled slightly, a hearty bite revealed the wonderfully flavorful interior. Overall, a lovely reinterpreting of the classic egg roll. Next up, the Pacific Crab Sandwich, a splendidly decadent combination of a rich, creamy crab meat, slivers of avocado, and oranges on a blissfully perfect roll, topped off nicely with a sprinkling of pine nuts. This sandwich was absolutely delectable.

In addition to the Menehunes will be smaller plates, meant to be a cross between bar snack and small plate. These little bites are aptly titled “Vickies” and include a Macadamia Nut Hummus with mango, Wok’d Edamame and Fries. The flavors of the Middle East combined with those of the Pacific Islands... nice!  The proprietors want the bar to be both welcoming and happening. The variety of foods served is intended to allow even the largest party of revelers to find items that suit their tastes. In addition to the large variety of food, there will be a new and improved selection of Mai Tais, including a sampler called “the Wave” --- a  precious little surfboard platter that features three mini-sized servings of their “flavored” Mai Tais, including Guava, Maui & Mango.


Amu w/ Macadamia Nuts

 Some of the other NEW dishes we tasted were an Amu with Mango Macadamia Nut, an absolute ambrosia of seafood ceviche with mango fruit. The delightful open-faced Steamed Bun w/BBQ Pork was likewise a light & airy perfection of pork bun, brimming over with sweet chewy pork. The Shrimp with Apple arrived on a skewer, a seafood version of the Chicken Lollipops. The sauce was strong and tangy — perfectly enhancing the hot puffs of fried shrimp. Everything we sampled was first-rate, beautifully plated, while retaining that Pacific Island sensibility we’ve come to expect from Trader Vics.

The happy hour bargains are truly impressive. Twice daily — Tuesday through Sunday, from 4pm - 6pm and 9pm - 11pm — Trader Vic’s will feature any food item with the “Happy Menehune” symbol at half the usual cost. The selection is a large one, a sizeable portion of the lounge menu.  Selected cocktails will be $5.00, including Mai Tais, with the exception of the 1944 Mai Tai, which will be $6.00.  But anyone whose had one can tell you it contains a glass full of rum, and at that price, is still a steal.

I have to say I was impressed, and that doesn’t happen often. The staff has really thought this through and come up with every possible way to refresh an icon without losing its integrity. The chef is a master whose enthusiasm for revisiting the menu archives is infectious. The bar staff are competent mixologists, eager to introduce the public to a classic Trader Vic’s Mai Tai that has been given a new flavor profile for the modern drinker.

Seventy-nine years after the Trader first opened his doors, the flagship in Emeryville will reopen for another shot at making history. In less than a week, the tiki doors again swing open for regular business, and I plan on stopping by. I suggest you do, too. Check it out, and E ‘ai ka-kou!

Trader Vic’s Emeryville
9 Anchor Drive
Emeryville, CA 94608-1510
(510) 653-3400
http://www.tradervics.com/

SEA SALT - Sail Away....

For months now, Fridays have been dedicated when possible to luncheon exploration. They have become a moon launch, of sorts. New Frontiers and Distant Horizons. On any given Friday we might venture just a little further away from the office than the usual two to three blocks radius, in search of new locations to dine in the hope of finding something wild, something new. On this occasion, a cloudy afternoon in late February, we journeyed to Berkeley. To Sea Salt.

There many ways to begin a meal. I like to begin mine these days with a cocktail. After a quick perusal of their menu, I found something called the Williams Margarita. I’m discovering a love of Tequila as I discover it’s many faces. The new silvers and golds of the liquor have charmed me just a bit with their variety of flavor in various mixed cocktails. It’s a trend I like, this ‘mixology.’ Other than the Tequila in my drink there was a subtle hint of pear and lime to bring the spice of the Tequila to a nice balance. The drink was strong, the flavors were bold and crisp.

My Better Half had another of his infamous “girly” drinks, entitled ironically enough "Aphrodite."  He’s discovered that anything fruity or flavored to his liking is uniformly named to attract a female customer, so he’s accepted his inner lush is a chick and moved on. The Aphrodite was a refreshing glass of Prosecco and Orange Blossom with a hearty shot of Smirnoff. It didn’t taste overly of liquor, which pleased the BH, but I thought it was delicious — it tasted like a giggle in a glass.

As we imbibed our drinks, we began to enjoy the first dishes we had ordered. The menu contains so many tempting seafood dishes that we probably over-ordered, but fortunately we managed to eat almost everything set down before us. Gotta say the BH is a master of consumption, and he loves my new-found avocation of food blogging allows him so many opportunities.

First up was the lovely Clam Chowder, a rich buttery bowl of clams, cream, bacon and cream. While there was cream present in the dish, it was poured with a subtle hand, masking nothing. All the flavors came together in a really masterful way, the bacon in the dish marrying with the clams and potatoes into a velvety ambrosia that tasted of heaven. The potatoes in the soup were cooked to perfection, not soft or mushy -- they released their flavor into the broth when bitten, and their bite gave the soup an enjoyable texture. I am a big fan of a chewy potato. In addition to these flavors, the payoff to every bite was the promise of a burst of bacony goodness as the occasional chunk of crispy, salty bacon found its way into every other spoonful or so. Simply one of the best chowders I have ever eaten.

Next the waitress brought us a dish of their French fries, which were arrived with what the chef titled a spicy “thai curry katsup.” The katsup didn’t look any different than ordinary katsup, so one of my companions was a bit taken aback at its subtly spicy, almost barbeque flavor. After the surprise it grew on him. Having read the menu a bit more carefully, I was not surprised and found it a spicy enhancement to the hot fries, and I enjoyed its’ nice subtle bit of heat as it worked on my tastebuds. The fries were thick-ish and hot. Yummy.

Our next appetizer arrived. The menu called it a Mini Maine Lobster Roll which I had imagined as something other than what arrived, which doesn’t make much sense, because it really was just what they titled it. Whatever I had in my head, their version was way better.  The dish consisted of these two perfect little sweet hot dog rolls laden with lobster meat and butter. Simple. Simple. Simple. There was a lovely herbed slaw next to these mini vehicles for perfect pink lobster meat that had been poached in butter. This method of cooking lobster was new to me, but I intend to be its new best friend. This preparation left the lobster meat fluffy and light, and when served atop these puff pastries masquerading as mini hot dog rolls, I believe they mastered the art of simple perfect food preparation. Each bite was soft and chewy ---- light and simply delicious. The house made chips were also pretty good. Not as good as those lobster rolls, but they had a nice texture to them, chewy while remaining crisp. The PFC didn’t like the slaw with the lobster meat, he said it competed with the simplicity. I don’t usually mix the slaw into the sandwich, but he likes to. I think it’s a Banh Mi hang over. In this case I’m fairly sure the two were intended to be eaten separately and I preferred it that way. That lobster was just too too too perfect on its own. Moist, buttery bitelets of (yes, again) heaven.

They served the Dungeness Crab Cakes shortly after they brought the lobster rolls. It did seem that food was brought just as it came out of the kitchen, which is always a plus. The plate they set in front of me this time contained two, fat delicious mounds of crab meat and herbs atop a rich, rewarding aioli. So pretty we dived into it before I took a picture, so in the photo here, there is a cake missing (sorry ‘bout that). The aioli seemed almost to be oozing out of the cake, in this perfect marriage of the crunch and the moisture of the meat against the fattiness in the aoili. These cakes were out of this world. Crabcakes number among my all-time favorite dishes. Sea Salt’s version had dates, satsuma oranges and almonds. The patties themselves were awash in many subtle seasonings, I tasted a hint of mint, among others, but nothing overwhelmed the crabmeat. My next bite was a mixture of the crunchy crab patty with a bit of frisee, aioli and nut — the combination made for a symphony of textures and flavors. Another bite contained a bit of date, a little more aioli, and a mouthful of the sweet crab — again working together for perfection.

Along with the Crab Cakes we received our Hawaiian Tombo Tuna Sliders — delightful little mini-burgers, full of herbs & tuna — they were stupendous. The black pepper aioli cut the slight fattiness of the rich fish and really brought this dish up a notch. Each dish had aioli, but no two were really alike. The flavorings were always suited to each dish, like the chef had prepared an aioli “pairing.” This was our last dish before dessert. We’d pretty much just eaten our way through the menu, and loved every morsel. But on Fridays... we eat dessert!

We ordered the Almond Croissant Bread Pudding and a single scoop of the Blood Orange Mascarpone Cheese Sorbet. We’d had a chocolate croissant pudding elsewhere and so I was pushing to try someone else’s variation of the dessert. Sometimes I can be persuasive. Our companion felt that it should have been served warm, but we all agreed it was delicious. We thought the sorbet was a bit icy where it should have been creamy, but the flavors were good. All in all a very successful adventure.

We wrapped up the meal with coffees. They were also really good, but they took so long the house bought them for us. That would be my one note. There was a big party there when we were, and the waitress was completely overwhelmed, and it showed. She was frustrated and cranky and ignored us, a lot. I know it isn’t her fault if they understaffed, or if there was a surprise table full of guests that required too much of her attention, but neither was it mine. Small note. Great restaurant. You should check it out for yourself, and as always ~ Bon Appetit.
 
Sea Salt
2512 San Pablo Avenue

Berkeley, CA 94702-2013
(510) 883-1720
ww.seasaltrestaurant.com

Table size: adequate
Noise Level: ONE BELL
Service: Iffy
Dining Time: It took quite awhile with the big party and the inattentive server, so I'm not sure what it would be under normal circumstances.