Aloha,

On Saturday, February 7th, the Red Palms chapter of the F.O.M. invaded Trader Vic’s Chicago for a Meet & Greet and to check out the Trader’s new digs in the Windy City. The evening started with a round of complimentary Mai Tais in the bar, and then everyone began ordering a variety of other libations to give the bartenders a real workout, including some favorites like Menehune Juice, the Trader Vic’s Sling and the Tiki Bowl. And, don’t forget the new Chicago Trader, made with over-proof rum, developed just for the new Chicago location.

Then it was time to move into the dining room to see several tikis from the original Palmer House Trader Vic's, and the traditional Chinese oven that was built on-site, all amidst a beautifully tapa-laden dining room with great old-school curved booths. The back dining room was also nicely tapa-covered, and will soon be getting even better with the addition of carvings of our very own Lake Surfer, who delivered the works during the event.

And the food! The pupus were fabulous—crispy crab rangoon, tender crispy prawns, and tasty char sui pork. And rave reviews from all on the entrees—from the Seared Hawaiian Tuna to the the 9-Spice Chicken & Trader Vic’s Curries. And even a sampling of the sushi, which was of the melt-in-your-mouth tuna variety. All topped off with a little Trader Vic’s shield chocolate with just a hint of mint. Fellows and guests got to chat with other diners who had been frequent visitors to the Palmer House location and were enjoying the return of Trader Vic’s as much as the Moai.

The cocktails, décor & service were all outstanding, and The Red Palms strongly recommend that you all check out this Trader Vic’s, which has made an honorable re-entry into the Windy City!

On a related note: Trader Vic's Los Angeles opens on April 15th. See you there!

Keep the torches burning,

—Tagata Maori Rogorogo