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Tropical Bistro, Hilliard, OH (restaurant) |
Jeff Central
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2002
Posts: 1528
From: Columbus, Ohio
|  Posted: 2006-03-05 5:38 pm Permalink
Name:Tropical Bistro
Type:restaurant
Street:3641 Fishinger Road
City:Hilliard
State:OH
Zip:43026
country:USA
Phone:614-527-8582
Status:operational
Description:
Holy Crap!!! This place is AMAZING!!! It just opened up a few weeks ago and I finally had a chance to go there and check the place out. At first site it doesn't look like much, a typical Asian restaurant in a dilapidated strip mall. More work needs to definitely be done to spruce up the outside. This would probably be my ONLY complaint if I had to have one. Once inside though things begin to change. The first thing you see upon entering, I am happy to report, is a tiki mask that once graced the walls of the Kahiki restaurant. After be happily greeted by the hostess we were sat down next to the Sunday buffet brunch area. Also close by was Francis Llacuna a hawaiian born guitarist and vocalist. I am not kidding here folks but a couple minutes after settling in to our seats, Francis went into the Hukilau song! My wife Deb and I laughed and started clapping much to the bewilderment of the rest of the people in the restaurant. It was simply unbelievable! This is the first place I have ever visited in Ohio that makes you feel that you are home. That warm fuzzy feeling you get when you enter a good Polynesian restaurant. I talked to both owners and found out that Alice Tsao was going to make an appearance as well this afternoon. I just couldn't get over how things were clicking. Next a 20 year old veteran of the Kahiki stopped in to say hello. They have a big staff of Kahiki restaurant workers here. Seong Thong, partner in the Bistro, was a former cook at the Kahiki.
Lots of Aloha Spirit too!!! The food was even BETTER than the Kahiki. They classify themselves under the Pan-Asian banner and it is very good. The buffet was fantastic! They even have food items from the Kahiki as well, such as my ultimate favorite dish The Tahitian Mermaid. I am still trying to calm down over here. Oh shit, the drinks!!!! They have a full tiki drink menu and it uses the exact same image as the Kahiki drink menu. Color pictures of all the drinks are inside as well. Seong made me a Mai Tai and made Deb a smoking eruption. It was very tasty and not overly fruity. The Mai Tai packed quite a punch as well. I am felling no pain right now, Ha! He even gave these to use \"on the house!!!\". They also have a number of other \"smoking drinks\" that are served up in Tiki Mugs designed by our good friend Mario from Hoffman Pottery.
We have to really support a place like this. I truly believe that the owners have a vision. It was an incredible experience that I won't forget. Now if we can just get a few more tikis in there and some hula girls too, hmmmm................
Go there NOW!!!!!
Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2085 | Posted: 2006-03-05 8:34 pm Permalink
Wow, I saw this place and would never go in unless you posted this! They need to wash off the wall where the sign is, you can see the dirt stains from the old sign. I always said if its dirty in the areas you can see, look out! Because the back of the house is twice as dirty. But I will give it a try on your advise.
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pappythesailor
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 07, 2005
Posts: 1563
From: Mass.
| Posted: 2006-03-06 01:57 am Permalink
Somebody get pictures!
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10561
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2006-03-06 04:47 am Permalink
Looks like the SPIRIT of the Kahiki may have survived, after all! Congrats Jeff!
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Jeff Central
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2002
Posts: 1528
From: Columbus, Ohio
| Posted: 2006-03-06 10:38 am Permalink
Hopefully this link will work. These are the pictures I took yesterday!!!
http://www.fraternalorderofmoai.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=92
Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff
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KuKuAhu
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Dec 23, 2002
Posts: 567
From: Kahiki, Ohio
| Posted: 2006-03-06 12:03 pm Permalink
Please copy and paste the link to the pics into your browser. Otherwise you will get kicked to the kapu curb by the HTA files anti-hotlinking script that prevents spammers from eating up our news page with referals.
Ahu
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rugbymatt
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: Jun 03, 2005
Posts: 1201
From: Sacramento
| Posted: 2006-03-06 3:38 pm Permalink
Great news! Mahalo. Keep the info/ reviews coming. I will take my Mom there next time I get home to Mt. Vernon.
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Jeff Central
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2002
Posts: 1528
From: Columbus, Ohio
| Posted: 2006-03-08 03:43 am Permalink
A whole bunch of Moai's will be there this Friday 3/10/06. If anyone else wants to join us come on over. The rum will be flowing!!!!
Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff
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TelefunkenU47
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jan 07, 2005
Posts: 17
From: Cowtown,Ohio
| Posted: 2006-03-11 12:30 am Permalink
WOW!!
I had a great time!!!! I'm so bombed by rum cocktails.
Thanks to all that attended.
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Jeff Central
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2002
Posts: 1528
From: Columbus, Ohio
| Posted: 2006-03-11 06:01 am Permalink
A BIG thank you to everyone who came out to help celebrate and support this new establishment. The rum was indeed flowing until the wee hours in the morning. Tikiskip Rocks!!! Ahu was thee undisputed mixocologist of the evening! WOW!!
Thanks for showing a big round of support for the new mini Kahiki!!!!
Cheers and Mahlalo,
Jeff
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2085 | Posted: 2006-03-11 7:24 pm Permalink
[ This Message was edited by: tikiskip 2012-07-10 13:39 ]
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Jeff Central
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2002
Posts: 1528
From: Columbus, Ohio
| Posted: 2006-03-12 03:19 am Permalink
Great pictures!! Thanks for posting these tikiskip! What a grand time. Looking forward to more nights like this. Next time without having to work the next morning. Boy, it was rough.
Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff
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Sabina
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Apr 08, 2002
Posts: 367
From: The Lounge of the Seven Pleasures!
| Posted: 2006-03-12 09:41 am Permalink
Oh Sweet!
This is too good! Oaktiki and I had explored the place prior to the rename, I'm trying to remember what it was then, a Mark Pi's China something or other I think? In the eariler incarnation they also offered cocktails, but not the Kahiki treasures like the smoking eruption!
The 'bones' of the place are the same as the earlier, the furniture, the gates, the foo dogs, but trust me, before, you were not greeted by Tikis in every direction!
I am so thrilled to see where the spirit of the Kahiki has landed!
Our next Columbus trip is already under big time contemplation! MAHALO!!!
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Unga Bunga
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 06, 2003
Posts: 5734
From: CaliTikifornia
| Posted: 2006-03-12 10:14 am Permalink
Hello,
Great pics.
Is there a little glass within the glass that holds the dry ice?
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tikiskip
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2085 | Posted: 2006-03-12 10:30 am Permalink
Yes there is a small glass in the larger glass. The larger glass is a brandy snifter type, And the small glass holds the dry ice. Hey sabina, let me know when you will be at the tropical bistro and we will meet you there. We live 7 mins from the place. If you have time we can show you our tiki digs.
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