TheSnackHound

I was musing the other day on how casually large and imposing tikis are used in the hotel and restaurant business.  Didn’t they learn their lesson from the Brady Bunch about messing with them?  Actually, sometimes, a business moves in and “inherits” a large and impossing tiki element to their building as left over from an establishment built somewhere between after WWII and the mid 60s with a polynesian theme that was so wildly popular.  They are forced to tie it in and make sense of it in some way. Maybe they put a tiki bar in the back even though its a Mexican place now.

This was particularly intersting to me. Here is the Best Western Aku Tiki in Daytona Beach. At right is what they show on the Best Western site. Looks like they are trying to minimize something rather than to play up its kitschy, nostalgicness?

If you have ever driven on Route One, you will not be able to miss the giant Tiki looming over the parking lot of Kowloon’s. The building itself is an area landmark and very common feature of driving directions. “If you pass the building with the giant tiki, you have gone way too far.  What is inside, you are greated by autographed photos of every wrestler Killer Kowalski seemed to have trained plus other celebrities who have come to Kowloon over the years. Plus a brain explodingly large menu.

Your brain will be in a whirl over the extensive menu featuring chinese (various regions), thai, polynesian, and Japanese cuisine.  You can indulge in sushi while your friends go for Pad Thai or a Pu Pu platter.   At any other restaurant, the variety would seem like a huge mishmash.  Kind of like “Pizza and Mexican.”  Because their menus of each ethniity are so large and complete, it is like several restaurants in one.  The rooms are slightly themed differently and there is also a comedy club on the premises.While some culinary experts may say the choices at Kowloon’s are way too high in number, patrons clearly don’t mind and it is part of the attraction. In fact they do have a Thai themed room, etc.  Try the famous Scorpion Bowl for two as long as you aren’t the driver. If you go, bring a LOT of cash. There are many economical choices on the menu to be had, but you will want to try everything.  I recommend that those in your party order different items so everyone can share or sample them all in order to try the most dishes.

This restaurant is definitely proud of their tiki.  You won’t see them trying to hide it in brochures like the best western.

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