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samuelo
Ranter
Joined: July 18, 2004
Posts: 579
Status: Offline
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 Posted:
Dec 14, 2006 - 05:32 PM |
 
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| Post subject: Trader Vics |
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afxduffy
Barker
Joined: Nov 24, 2004
Posts: 143
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Dec 15, 2006 - 01:49 PM |
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Don't think so. Gather the location is close to Paulaners in Puxi.
Went to the Trader Vics in Taipei last week, no customers there but still the best (read strongest) cocktails in Taiwan! |
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samuelo
Ranter
Joined: July 18, 2004
Posts: 579
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Dec 18, 2006 - 09:44 AM |
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I think that it's not near Paulaners. The confusion arises because there are 2 streets in downtown Shanghai that are spelt almost the same in pinyin and pronounciation can also be very similar. One is Fenyang lu which is near Hengshan lu and has the Paulaners. The other is Fengyang lu and just north of Nanjing Xi Lu.
I think the new Traders is on Fengyang lu or at least that's what the announcement on this website had it listed as.
http://www.shanghaiexpat.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=art icle&sid=1103759 |
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binmaster
Barker
Joined: May 17, 2006
Posts: 125
Location: YuYuan & Wulumuqi
Status: Offline
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Dec 18, 2006 - 10:00 AM |
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i think they started their soft opening last friday, and the grand opening will be around mid-january |
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HK2ShviaUSA
Reacher
Joined: Feb 14, 2006
Posts: 274
Status: Offline
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Dec 31, 2006 - 05:39 PM |
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I saw their menu when I was in Bangkok - WOW REALLY EXPENSIVE. I don't know anyone that's ever eaten in one although the name is somewhat well known. Can't imagine why anyone would want to go there. |
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winopete
Rocker
Joined: May 12, 2004
Posts: 783
Location: Jiving Jing'An
Status: Offline
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Jan 02, 2007 - 09:14 AM |
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I went there last night. Their soft opening was December 29th, with the grand opening scheduled for end January. Has a great range of fancy cocktails, mostly around 65-85RMB. Their 'bar bites' and snacks are pricey indeed; I tried a pseudo spring roll at RMB55 which was nice. Ask the bartender to make the drinks strong and you'll be satisfied. |
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Kiwi
Post Boaster
Joined: May 07, 2003
Posts: 4763
Status: Offline
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Jan 08, 2007 - 11:19 AM |
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I went in a couple of nights ago.
The Maitai was not up to much. Allegedly it has 12 year old rums in it, but the only bottle I saw go in was Meyers, plus the Trader Vics Mai Tai mix, which I guess supposedly contains a dribble of 12 year old rum. The pineapple garnish wasn't ripe - unacceptable IMHO when you are charging 75 RMB for a drink. The drink was very borderline in terms of strength. After I'd ordered it the bartender mentioned that they make their drinks stronger if people request it. Hmm. . . they might as well just make them strong to start with. Tiki drinks are full of ice anyway and get weaker after sitting for a minute or two.
Next I had a Suffering Bastard. It didn't taste like any Suffering Bastard recipe I've ever seen but it wasn't a bad drink at all, and this time was reasonably strong.
The place has nice decor (giant tikis, little canoes hanging in corners, woven mats, etc.) and about a million staff standing around doing nothing very much. They have a Cuban band. They were playing too loud given that it was still early in the evening and the place was almost empty. They sounded OK though.
The food looked to be well presented. I wonder what the Chinese will make of this food though? I think the original chef at the first Trader Vics in the US was a Chinese guy. The food was really bastardized Cantonese served up as 'polynesian'. How are 21st Century Chinese going to react to a kitsch 1950s American vision of of Polynesia created by tweaking Cantonese food? Or maybe the Trader Vics food has changed since the chain started? The local woman along the bar from me was eating what looked like deep fried chashao and seemed to be enjoying it though.
They have a happy hour from 5-7pm. At 1/2 price the drinks would not be a bad deal. I used to sometimes pop into the Taipei branch for happy hour.
All in all a nice escape from the grime of Shanghai, but too pricey for what you get to be a regular haunt for me. |
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frenchlover1999
Shanghai Royalty
Joined: Sep 18, 2004
Posts: 8730
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Jan 08, 2007 - 11:56 AM |
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Interesting. I know nothing of this place but the comments above remind me of a very expensive fried rice in Bourbon Street on Hengshan Lu. That was in the late 90s, before they dropped their price and the place became a whorehouse. |
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kiwikells
LoopKicker
Joined: Oct 23, 2005
Posts: 938
Location: Jing'An District
Status: Offline
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Jan 08, 2007 - 01:12 PM |
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Ok all sounds interesting and I'd like to check it out myself as used to visit the Dubai Trader Vics on the odd occasion and it was always good...
Can someone please give a good explanation of the exact location? Thanks! |
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Kiwi
Post Boaster
Joined: May 07, 2003
Posts: 4763
Status: Offline
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Jan 08, 2007 - 01:18 PM |
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Fengyang Rd. (runs east-west a block north of Nanjing Rd.), just west of where it intersects Chengdu Rd. (i.e. the big north-south elevated Rd.). |
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mat
Board Royalty
Joined: Apr 26, 2004
Posts: 6929
Location: Loooooooooooose!
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Jan 08, 2007 - 01:25 PM |
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From my drunken memory, i believe the taxi was heading down Nanjing Lu towards the JW Marriot (away from the Portman direction). A couple of hundred metres before the Marriot Nanjing Lu turns a slight right, and another street forks off left. It is down there! |
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kiwikells
LoopKicker
Joined: Oct 23, 2005
Posts: 938
Location: Jing'An District
Status: Offline
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Jan 08, 2007 - 03:21 PM |
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Ok those are two completely different places. Kiwi's sounds more legit - sorry Mat!
Anyone else beg to differ or possibly agree? |
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kuldaen
Veejay
Joined: June 06, 2005
Posts: 2060
Location: Somewhere in Shanghai
Status: Offline
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Jan 08, 2007 - 04:22 PM |
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Actually mat's drunken memory describes the same place as kiwi. Feng Yang Road is the road that splits left from Nan Jing Rd, just pass Shi Men Yi/Er Lu on the way to the JW Marriot from the Portman. |
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Kiwi
Post Boaster
Joined: May 07, 2003
Posts: 4763
Status: Offline
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Jan 08, 2007 - 04:41 PM |
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Yep. Mat is describing the same place. I think Fengyang Rd. is a one way street, so best to approach Trader Vics from the direction Mat describes. If you come up Chengdu Rd. you will have to get out at the intersection with Fengyang and walk west along Fengyang for about 50 m or so. |
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mat
Board Royalty
Joined: Apr 26, 2004
Posts: 6929
Location: Loooooooooooose!
Status: Offline
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Jan 12, 2007 - 04:42 PM |
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I'm off there for a feed tonight with Mrs Mat, so will update you all on the food.
Also, will see if i can find it when i am half sober! |
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mat
Board Royalty
Joined: Apr 26, 2004
Posts: 6929
Location: Loooooooooooose!
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Jan 12, 2007 - 09:46 PM |
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ok, bearing in mind i am not a food expert, and also am a very fussy eater, here is my opinion.
We arrived about 6.30. Happy hour is apparently 5 to 7pm, which is 1/2 price cocktails. Normally a cocktail is about 75rmb, which considering their size, is priced not too bad. However, at 1/2 price, probably one of the better happy hour deals around town. No discounts on beer or other drinks though.
So we ordered a couple of cocktails (one each) and i had a beer during dinner. The two of us ordered the Calamari, Scallop Salad, smoked Fillet steak (with asparagus and potato) and a side of water chestnut & Snow peas.
The Calamari (approx 75 rmb) was probably the best value of them all. Great dish. Comes with wasabi sauce. Was a little dry, but there was a lot of it, and it was good. The scallop salad i did not try. Looked great, and my partner liked it. Price wise though at 130rmb, definitely not cheap. However, all fresh and all good. I dived into the steak, which even though i ordered med/well, came a little dry, but i think that is from the cooking method, which is a huge smoking machine, which added quite a lot of smokey hickory taste to it. However, the hickory was a little overpowering. All in all, a good steak, however, at 275 rmb, a fair bit out of it's price range. If i'd paid 160rmb at another solid restaurant, i would be reasonably happy. 275 is way over the odds. Coming with it was the snow peas and water chestnut side at 30rmb. An amazing little dish. Loved it, and could eat this by itself or in a great salad. The freshest snow peas i've had here, and just cooked to perfection.
Overall ratings. The cocktail boys know and love their stuff. The kitchen staff are obviously well talented and have access to the best ingredients around, however, for the price, it needs to be a little flashier.
We got out of there for 600rmb, which i am well happy to pay for this meal and a few drinks. However, if we'd gone after happy hour, and maybe ordered another main, i think at 800 to 900 for a couple, it is a bit much. I'd head to the bund for that.
If you love cocktails, go Trader Vics.
Sorry, one more thing on the service. The staff have been trained up well, however it is VERY intimidating. At one stage, we were the only table in one of the dining areas, and there were 4 waiters, standing, NO, howevering over our table. I really wanted to tell them to go away. They were very intrusive. Not their fault, that is what they were taught. The managers need to tell them to back off a bit. Not fun having 4 fellas hover over whilst you devour 1/2 a cow. |
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winopete
Rocker
Joined: May 12, 2004
Posts: 783
Location: Jiving Jing'An
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Jan 14, 2007 - 02:32 AM |
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Complaining about too much service is rather ironic when good service is so scarce in this fair city, but I know what Mat means; being surrounded by several voluptuous (female) honeys is indeed intimidating - and I've spent enough time there recently in their quite period to acquaint myself with most of the staff. The 5-girl Cuban band is pretty good too. |
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mat
Board Royalty
Joined: Apr 26, 2004
Posts: 6929
Location: Loooooooooooose!
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Jan 14, 2007 - 10:46 AM |
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All the girls work in the bar. THe restaurant is predominantly male waiters.
Seriously, it is not good to have 4 people no matter who they are, standing over the table watching you eat. |
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winopete
Rocker
Joined: May 12, 2004
Posts: 783
Location: Jiving Jing'An
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Jan 15, 2007 - 01:59 AM |
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Then eat at the bar, enjoy the female companionship, and just order the bar bites; the food prices are ridiculously high. |
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millerman
Barker
Joined: Sep 11, 2006
Posts: 143
Status: Offline
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Jan 30, 2007 - 01:20 PM |
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i'm curious how trader vics is going to do here. i love the LA location, but mainly because of the history of the place, you know . . the "wow frank sinatra was here" kinda feeling. i went to check out their shanghai outlet early in the afternoon a couple weeks ago, but they were only serving after 5 pm at the time. i'm glad to hear that the drinks are good - will definitely have to check them out. i saw that most of the mixed drinks and cocktails were about 75 rmb and the fish plates were 200 rmb +, so i hope the food is darn good.
i hope the place catches on and doesn't go the way of hard rock cafe or planet hollywood - gimmicky but not working out so well is many places. |
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chalk
Talker
Joined: Mar 24, 2006
Posts: 114
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Feb 02, 2007 - 04:00 PM |
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I never heard of Trader Vic's but this cocktail looks good!
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YariGuy
LoopKicker
Joined: July 13, 2004
Posts: 874
Location: Puxi
Status: Offline
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Mar 26, 2007 - 09:32 AM |
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I went there last night. It was generally very good, service was attentive, and food was so-so.
I think it was worth the 900 kuai spent (for 2 people).
What is the cocktail in the above post? Reminds me of my college days (scorpion bowl). |
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