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Mark Thomas Outrigger, Monterey, CA (restaurant) |
Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4024
From: Santa Barbara, CA
|  Posted: 2008-12-01 5:35 pm Permalink
Name:Mark Thomas Outrigger
Type:restaurant
Street:700 Cannery Row
City:Monterey
State:CA
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct
Description:
Polynesian restaurant located at the site of the old Monterey Canning Company on Cannery Row in Monterey, California. Famous for its one-of-a-kind Tiki mug.
My research found that the Outrigger was opened in 1959 by Robert Wind through a partnership. The date is also verified on the menu I have. Wind was a butterfly collector and the front part of the Monterey Canning Company building was a wholesale and retail butterfly shop. The building burned in a fire in 1978, and the Outrigger was rebuilt. Don't know when it changed names to the \"Mark Thomas Outrigger\". The last date that I found a reference to the Outrigger restaurant was 1984. In 1994 the restaurant became the Fish Hopper.
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4024
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2008-12-01 5:42 pm Permalink
The Tiki face mug from the Mark Thomas Outrigger has always been one of those iconic Tiki figures. I have acquired a few different items from this place and put this post together from my collection and from the internet.
The famous Tiki face mug
A bucket mug
A pineapple mug
Some nice postcards showing inside and outside views
I have two drink menus that have great illustrations. The first one is dated 1959 and does not have Mark Thomas in the title and does not show the signature mug in the drink illustrations.
The second one has Mark Thomas in the title and now has the mug. No date on the menu to track the change unfortunately.
I have never seen one of the tiki bowls shown on the menus that is marked with the Outrigger logo.
Here are some matchbooks
A serving plate with the lackluster "Pier" logo that was also used on the matchbooks. It's interesting that a place with such a great mug design created such an lame logo.
This is a photo of the building exterior I found on the internet - what a great view of the Monterey Bay out those windows.
Any more info out there on this place?
DC
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Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 2488
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2008-12-01 6:45 pm Permalink
It looks like Mark Thomas was the King of Monterey. He also had the Mark Thomas Inn (Not Tiki)
and there is now a Mark Thomas Drive in Monterey.
The Fish Hopper is still there and it looks like they still serve the Bucket of Fire. I’ve never been but maybe Unga Bunga has? Hey Unga, what’s the Fish Hopper like? Any pieces of it’s Tiki past left in there?
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bigtikidude
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 10, 2004
Posts: 8581
From: Anaheim,Ca.
| Posted: 2008-12-01 10:05 pm Permalink
Wow Great post guys.
thanks,
Jeff(bigtikidude)
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4024
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2008-12-15 4:03 pm Permalink
Here is another matchbook from the Mark Thomas Outrigger
Tiki Shaker, How about posting a shot of that postcard from the Outrigger you showed on Tiki Finds the other day?
DC
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10905
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2008-12-15 9:29 pm Permalink
Fine archeological research there, D.C. By the style of the typeface I would always have guessed the M.T. logo to be from the 70s, but the couple in the postcard looks more 60s, and the logo is already above the entrance. Then again, some "nice young men" still wore buzz cuts in the early 70s, no?
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Unga Bunga
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 06, 2003
Posts: 5770
From: CaliTikifornia
| Posted: 2008-12-16 1:51 pm Permalink
I'm amazed that the Outrigger has not been submitted in "Locating Tiki" by now.
I always just assumed it was there.
Great job Dustycajun!
Quote:
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On 2008-12-01 18:45, Bora Boris wrote:
and there is now a Mark Thomas Drive in Monterey.
Hey Unga, what’s the Fish Hopper like? Any pieces of it’s Tiki past left in there?
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The Fish Hopper still serves "traditional" (not precise) Tiki drinks. A drink in a real pineapple is really hard to find there days.
There is a video linked in here somewhere, in which Michael Nesmith of the Monkees, films a spoof that takes place inside the Outrigger. The only footage of the place I have ever seen.
Mark Thomas hotel is now the Hyatt Regency right on Mark Thomas drive.
Fish Hopper Drink List
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Unga Bunga
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 06, 2003
Posts: 5770
From: CaliTikifornia
| Posted: 2008-12-17 09:25 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2008-12-16 13:51, Unga Bunga wrote:
There is a video linked in here somewhere, in which Michael Nesmith of the Monkees, films a spoof that takes place inside the Outrigger. The only footage of the place I have ever seen.
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Here it is. Tikibars found this vid.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MvKXnCkKRYk
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bigtikidude
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 10, 2004
Posts: 8581
From: Anaheim,Ca.
| Posted: 2008-12-17 09:41 am Permalink
classic, thanks guys.
Jeff(bigtikidude)
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Tiki Shaker
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Jun 28, 2008
Posts: 695
From: Menifee, CA
| Posted: 2008-12-20 3:13 pm Permalink
Here's that postcard, finally. Sorry it took me a bit to post it... busy with the holidays!
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4024
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2008-12-21 10:46 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2008-12-20 15:13, Tiki Shaker wrote:
Here's that postcard, finally. Sorry it took me a bit to post it... busy with the holidays!
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Thanks Tiki Shaker, first time I have seen this card.
Here is the menu with the pier logo. The Outrigger obviously began to embrace the Monterey Bay theme over the Polynesian/Tiki theme later in its life.
DC
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2787
From: Carson, California
| Posted: 2008-12-21 12:45 pm Permalink
Here's a 1970s view of Cannery Row, showing the Outrigger in reference to its neighboring buisinesses:
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 4024
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2008-12-21 1:08 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2008-12-21 12:45, Sabu The Coconut Boy wrote:
Here's a 1970s view of Cannery Row, showing the Outrigger in reference to its neighboring buisinesses:
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Sabu,
Nice photo, really puts the location in context compared to the postcard images. What's up with the canon on the roof? A signal for Mai Tai happy hour?
DC
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Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 2488
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2008-12-28 07:07 am Permalink
I like the Tiki in these screen grabs. I hope he ended up in a safe place.
I'm not concerned about the piano player. 
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MrBaliHai
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 01, 2002
Posts: 788 | Posted: 2008-12-28 07:30 am Permalink
A while back, I tried remaking the Sneaky Tiki cocktail using the menu illustration as a guide. I couldn't find any record of the original recipe, so I used the Harvey's Sneaky Tiki recipe from Taboo Table.
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Weblog: Eye of the Goof
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