2012 Update: CLOSED Mod Betty is So Sad to Report that South Pacific Has Closed. Suddenly, without warning September 2012. And the place is gutted already.
As soon as I found out that there’s was tiki tastic gem of a restaurant / lounge hidden in a beige strip mall in Newton MA I had to check it out. And luckily the South Pacific Restaurant has this glorious vintage sign out front, because from the nondescript facade of the building I thought for a moment someone was pulling my leg. But lucky for all of us, they were not!
(Though we last officially visited here a few years back, I made a detour last time we were up in Mass to make sure that the SP was still around, and to snap a photo of that gloriously grandfathered in sign!)
Even after walking into the restaurant – which has been a suburban haven for Boston style Chinese food and exotic tiki drinks since 1964, I wasn’t sure we were in the right place, because the front of the restaurant has been done over in the past 20-30 years or so. But ask to be seated in the back, and it’s like stepping back in time!
Just take a look at the fabulous Polynesian, tropical isle inspired mural shown in the background of this video from The Northeast Tiki Tour visit to the South Pacific in 2007, and you’ll see why a busload of “tiki-philes” were excited to be here, just like us!
There are also some great interior shots of the South Pacific here at the great tiki locator resource Critiki, and some great vintage “South Pacific-abilia” here at my fave tiki destination Tiki Central.
Because our last visit here was pre-Retro Roadmap I don’t have any wonderful shots of the interior, but here are some silly snapshots from our visit with the Retro Roadkids. I’m not going to let a little case of “crappy photos” stop me from recommending this place – and heck, we all know what might happen if we wait too long to check out these cool old places – they might be gone because they think no one cares!
You can get a glimpse of the bamboo roof, carved wood details and shell lamps in this shot of Lil Miss RRMP, as well as Mod Betty’s fave color orange vinyl on the booths.
And if you’re with Retro Roadkids what could be more hysterical to order than a “Pu Pu Platter”! I’m drooling thinking of those over-battered chicken fingers and shrimp rings, crab rangoons, chicken wings, spare ribs and other salty tasty tidbits served with a flaming centerpiece.And next to it? Why that’s my cold sweet tiki drink – to counteract the hot salty food of course.
But from the looks of the Retro Roadkids I think they may have taken a swig or two out of my tiki mug!
Seeing these photos makes me realize that we’ve got to get back there soon. If there are any Retro Roadmap readers in Mass who want to do a meet up we’ll totally be there under the thatched roof, tiki drink in hand.
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