THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Trader Vic's

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Trader Vic's Restaurant Review:

Since 1944, there have always been reasons to go to Trader Vic’s: exotic Polynesian cocktails, exuberantly kitsch South Seas décor, and an evocative ukulele-Sinatra soundtrack. But the food (which magically improves with every potent scorpion bowl) was never one of them. Happily, the now-global chain has risen like a phoenix at L.A. Live with a satisfying pan-Asian menu that’s both nostalgic and contemporary. Extravagant tropical cocktails are the same classics your parents (or grandparents) drank, and your server will be quick to point out that the mai tai was invented at the original Trader Vic’s. For fun, start with a platter of classic pupus --- barbecue pork ribs, crab Rangoon, big crispy prawns --- which are good bar food, too. Silky ahi poke, tuna marinated in soy with chili and seaweed, is more refined. Crispy duck, a variation of Peking duck served tableside, has been dry on occasion, while the Indonesian rack of lamb can be succulent with glass noodles as an accompaniment. The real must-have dishes are cooked in the giant Han Dynasty-style clay oven, which is encased in an “open kitchen” at the dining room’s center. It turns out a Prime rib-eye and a buttery miso-glazed sea bass. The globally inspired wine list is not outstanding, but far better than one would expect at a place where cocktails rule. Choice desserts include Tahitian coffee crème brûlée or chocolate kumquat spring rolls.