Even though I didn't grow up in Columbus, OH or even set foot in the place...I enjoyed this loving tribute to an iconic Tiki palace. I feel like I know the Kahiki, due to the excellent writings of the the authors, the many great photos, and so many memories shared. I especially love the section on Kahiki food and drinks...real recipes from the day. Every classic Tiki joint needs a book this good!!
Inspired by Florida's famed Mai-Kai restaurant, Bill Sapp and Lee Henry opened the Kahiki Supper Club in 1961. They set out simply to build a nice Polynesian restaurant and ended up establishing the most magnificent one of them all. Patrons lined up for hours to see the celebrities who dined there--everyone from Betty White to Raymond Burr. Outside, two giant Easter Island heads with flames spouting from their topknots stood guard while customers dined in a faux tribal village with thatched huts, palm trees and a towering fireplace moai. One wall featured aquariums of exotic fish and another had windows overlooking a tropical rainforest with periodic thunderstorms. For nearly forty years, the Kahiki was the undisputed center of tiki culture.
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