Friday 31 October 2014

Trader Vic's Hilton Hotel

Trader Vic's

FoodieForce has been having quite the week of celebrations.

On Tuesday we celebrated a milestone, with one year of blogging, hooray! In the evening the celebrations continued visiting Trader Vic's a French-Polynesian restaurant located on London's Park Lane. 
Hilton Park Lane
This year is the 80th anniversary of Trader Vic's and the 70th anniversary of the Mai Tai, the cocktail synonymous with Trader Vic's around the world. So it was the perfect place to have a celebration. 

Trader Vic's 80th Birthday
Today, Trader Vic’s has locations in 17 countries across the globe, they sell over 2 million Mai Tai's annually.

Arriving at Trader Vic's Hula Bar is a lot like visiting a tropical island. It reminds me lots of my adventures in Maui, Hawaii. The only difference in the UK was the torrential rain and winds that we had experienced before entering Trader Vic's.  
Trader Vic's
London Bar
Trader Vic's
Trader Vic's
Trader Vic's
On arrival we are greeted by Tiki the symbol of a warm welcome. Aloha! 
Trader Vic's London
For a Tuesday night the bar and restaurant was a hive of activity, with many couples and friends enjoying a lovely cocktail and Trader Vic's have quite the cocktail list. 

We begin the evening celebrations with the original 1944 Mai Tai (£13.50). 
Mai Tai
Wow this drink kicks a punch, it has lots of rum and on a cold autumn night in London, warmed the cockles. If you fancy making one at home check out this YouTube clip

The Trader Vic has so many cocktails that choosing our next drink was quite difficult. I love that they have a Mai Tai aptly named 'Suffering Bastard'. The perfect drink for any bloggers suffering other half, who spends the night not being able to drink or eat anything until the perfect picture is taken. 

Next up was the 'Mai Tai Wave' (£16) including three flavours: Guava, Maui (pineapple) and Mango. 
Trader Vic's
Favourite definitely the Maui Mai Tai -perfect pineapple and rum mix. 

Trader Vic's has the perfect bar menu to accompany the cocktails. We start with the Cosmo tidbits (£19).

Trader vic's Hilton
Crispy prawns, crab Rangoon (Crab ragu soft cheese and spring onion), char siu pork BBQ ribs. The ribs were cooked in the Chinese wood-fired ovens, where the meat is roasted to perfection in the true 'roti' tradition. I'm not normally a great fan of anything in pastry or that has been deep fried but the Crab Rangoon was totally delicious lovely and cheesy. 
Chinese wood fired oven
The pork ribs had a wonderful smoky flavour and the meat melted off the bone. 

Tiger Prawn Mimosa (£9): Grilled king prawns, garlic compound butter, Pickle vegetables. These for me were a highlight. It is extremely difficult to cook tiger prawns well, without them being overcooked and going chewy. These had a wonderful flavour and were perfectly moist. 
Trader Vic's
Trader Vic's
Beef and reef (£29): Wok fried beef tenderloin, shrimp, garlic, black pepper,spring onion, red onion steamed rice. 
The beef in this dish had a wonderful black pepper and garlic smokiness. Considering this was bar food I was impressed at the quality. But I guess the price reflects this. Trader Vic's also has a restaurant and based on what I have tried as bar food I will definitely be back to give the restaurant a try. 

Trader Vic's is like walking into another world, with fantastic cocktails, great service, lovely ambiance and wonderful bar food cooked to perfection in the oak smoked oven's, you couldn't fail to have a great evening. Trader Vic's is definitely a place to go to relax and have cocktails. 

Trader Vic's
22 Park Lane
London 
W1K 1BE
Tel no: 020 7208 4113 

www.tradervicslondon.com
Square Meal Trader Vic's on Urbanspoon

*I was kindly a guest of Trader Vic's, however in no way did that affect this review I had a wonderful time and I am looking forward to going back and trying the restaurant. 

 photo foodieforce_32.jpg

26 comments:

  1. Yay, we're glad to hear it...you deserve at least a week of celebrations! Trader Vic's Hula Bar looks amazing...our kind of place! The cocktails look very strong; we certainly wouldn't need too many! Glad you had a lovely time; keep celebrating for as long as you can :-)

    x Roch & Tash x
    www.next-route-style.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Thanks girls it was so much fun, like being on holiday and the Hula Bar was a superb way to celebrate. Lucy x

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  2. Happy one year birthday - that is so exciting! We must go for a drink to celebrate :) I have never been to Trader Vic's Hula Bar but the cocktails look soooo good xx

    www.lulabelloves.com

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    1. Thanks Lucy, A drink would be lovely let me know when you are near my neck of the woods. The cocktails in this place are superb well worth a try Lucy x

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  3. hi doll!
    everything looks so delicious!
    thanks forsharing
    BTW happy first year of blogging :)
    let me know if we can follow each other for keep in touch :)
    I always follow back :)
    have a great day :*
    www.thegrisgirl.blogspot.com.es

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    1. The food and cocktails were lovely and I can highly recommend the Mai Tai Lucy

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  4. Woah, that looks amazing! Great looking food, cocktails and decor! Hope you go back and eat there :)

    Corinne x
    www.skinnedcartree.com

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    1. Bar food is normally awful but the food in Trader Vic's was seriously good. I loved the cocktails too. Definitely going back to try their restaurant Lucy x

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  5. I'm not a fan of deep fried stuff too much either. Crab Rangoons on the other hand...I love those things. I would happily eat a whole plate of them.

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    1. The Crab Ragoons were delicious. I am with you that I could happily eat loads of them Lucy x

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  6. Ah Lucy it all looks so lush, and the food + drink looks amazing!

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  7. Ooh I love a good Mai Tai and that wave of tasters sounds delicious! The food looks amazing for bar food, especialy those ribs, I'm more used to crisps and scotch eggs! x

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    1. Ha ha, this place is superb it was like being on holiday the food and drinks were lovely Lucyx

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  8. Lovely post, the food and drinks looked amazing :) I love your blog and I have followed you with Bloglovin. If you ever get a chance to check out my blog I would be delighted, thanks!

    Camille xo

    http://www.cococami.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Thank you Camille for your lovely comment Lucy x

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  9. the drinks looks so refreshing and the food looks sinfully delicious!!! :D would love to try this place!

    Animated Confessions

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  10. Aww beautiful photos. The drinks looks so refreshing, and i love the interior design and the theme of that hotel. And the food looks amazing too, that's what i always look for when staying in a hotel <3

    Visit my blog: www.sarahrizaga.blogspot.com

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    1. It is a wonderful bar and restaurant the selection of cocktails is amazing Lucy

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  11. Happy one year of blogging! Your blog always makes me crave food & cocktails, hehe! :)

    Style Sunrise☀

    :)
    x

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  12. The Maui Mai Tai sounds yummy, and the food looks amazing! It looks like you picked the perfect place to celebrate :) xx

    Toasty

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  13. Looks so yummy! Want to be there! :)

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  14. We actually have a Trader Vic's in Georgia - Atlanta to be exact. Menu offerings a bit different though - your "bar food" looks quite delicious! I've only stayed at one Hilton Hotel in England - the Hilton Metropole Birmingham! For business. No Trader Vic's though! :D

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  15. This place looks incredible
    right up my street
    Congratulations on a year of blogging xx

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