Trader Vic’s restaurants are known for their decor, excellent service, wonderful drinks, and fine food. They’re also few and far between, sparingly spead out in major cities across the United States (and the rest of the world). Exclusivity isn’t always a bad thing, as the rise, overpopulation, and fall of themed restaurants like Planet Hollywood can attest, but the folks at Trader Vic’s have been trying to figure out new ways to bring the TV experience to a wider audience. Their “Mai Tai Bar” concept, selling only drinks and appetizers, has been successful in resort locations — now the company is taking on tropical-themed chain restaurants such as “Bahama Breeze” with a new concept restaurant, Trader Vic’s Island Bar & Grill.
Nestled away in Sarasota, Florida, just off I-75, this is not your father’s (or grandfater’s) Trader Vic’s: jackets and ties are no longer required to dine; shirts and shoes are the new minimum requirements. The exotically-tinged pork and fish entrees are exchanged for exotically-tinged pork and fish sandwiches, but the atmosphere and drinks are 100% classic Vic’s (or at least modern Vic’s). Which as a day-trading jailbird once said, is a good thing.
The decor: Trader Vic’s locations are known for having a high TiPSY (tikis per square yard) score, and the Island Bar & Grill is no exception. Whoever did the restaurant’s interior is well-schooled in modern tiki-ism: copies of Tiki Magazine are framed in the waiting area and a vintage August Holland “The Pearl of Wisdom” print is hung in the men’s restroom.
Although it’s not dripping in carvings like older Vic’s locations in Atlanta and California, tiki fans will easily recognize all the elements of tiki decor: glass floats, coconut husk animals, seashells, thach, those ceramic wall squares in Chinese restaurants (do they have an actual name?) and of course, carved tikis. These element are remixed in a contemporary way which I think will satisfy the purist in us all while attracting non-tiki fans as well. Also noteworthy are several nods to Florida, such as signs pointing to Jacksonville rather than other more exotic locals (probably not a bad idea to help keep the locals grounded).
I know someone will ask, and yes, they play Jimmy Buffet songs over the loudspeakers. But they also play a fair amont of exotica (I swear I heard Waitiki), hapa haoele, and Hawaiian music as well. Again, the idea seems to be to make the atmosphere “just exotic enough” to appeal to as wide as an audience as possible.
The drinks: it wouldn’t be a Trader Vic’s without great drinks and this location serves them up. The drink menu, at least for now, shows only a few of the restaurant’s signature drinks (Mai Tai, Navy Grog, Potted Parrot, Chi Chi, Scorpion, Rangoon Ruby, Kava Bowl, Tiki Bowl) but the bartender welcomed my “off the menu” orders of a Fog Cutter and Menehuene Juice. There are also several Margaritas listed, Breezers, Martinis, flavored variations on the Mai Tai, and, gasp, beer.
The food: Since this is a casual-dining restaurant, don’t expect the usual Trader Vic’s fare. There’s still a lot to choose from and a few favorites have made it to the menu here, including the Asian Pot Stickers and Beef Cho Cho appetizers. There’s a wide variety of entrees: Sushi rolls, salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, steak, and fish dishes. Again, there’s a lot of non-exotic selections, but that means that there is something for everybody available. There is also a kid’s menu; all kid’s meals come with a fudge sundae, which made my son very happy.
I had the Luau Pulled Pork Sandwich and my wife ordered the Grilled Tuna Ciabatta. Both sandwiches were excellent — and gigantic! Every order comes with a choice of sides: I recommend the Sweet Potato Fries. For desert we split the amazingly-good Maui Pineapple Chips, which are fried slices of pineapple covered in caramel served with a side of coconut-flavored ice cream.
The swag: One of the highlights of my visit to any Trader Vic’s is taking home a souvenir mug or two to add to my collection. Merchandise is on the way, but not available yet. Expect mugs, shirts, and syrups. I’ll update this post with details once they arrives.
The verdict: this concept is going to be a winner. Trader Vic’s Island Bar & Grill strikes a wonderful balance between the exotic and the ordinary, clearly by design. Tiki fans will find plenty to love and can bring friends, parents, and even grandparents with them assured that everyone will leave happy. Woe be to my parents, who live less than 10 minutes away from the one and only (so far) Sarasota location, who will now be forced to make bi-monthly trips to the restaurant with my family.
The only challenge this restaurant will face is the location. While easily accessible off the highway, the building is tucked behind a series of much larger structures. It’s going to take a fair bit of advertising to get the word out. I hope, for my sake, they do. I’m looking forward to never having to set foot in the Bahi Hut again.
351 N. Cattlemen Road, Sarasota, Fl 34232 | Phone: (941) 378-3900 | map
Visit the Trader Vic’s Island Bar and Grill website | Download the menu | Download the kid’s menu
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