Jardin Tiki facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jardin Tiki |
|
|---|---|
Jardin Tiki's marquee
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1986 |
| Closed | March 28, 2015 |
| Current owner(s) | Danny Chan |
| Food type | Canadian Chinese cuisine |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Street address | 5300 Sherbrooke Street East |
| State | Quebec |
| Postal/ZIP code | H1V 1A1 |
| Country | Canada |
| Coordinates | 45°34′05″N 73°33′10″W / 45.568148°N 73.552645°W |
| Website | (archive) |
Jardin Tiki was a unique restaurant in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It opened in 1986 and closed on March 28, 2015. This special place had a "tiki" theme, which means it looked like a tropical island paradise. It was a popular buffet restaurant where you could eat as much as you wanted.
Contents
How Jardin Tiki Started
Jardin Tiki was opened by a man named Douglas Chan. He came to Montreal from China in the 1950s. Douglas used to work as a waiter at another famous tiki-themed restaurant called Kon-Tiki. Kon-Tiki was a very well-known spot in downtown Montreal from 1958 to 1981.
Douglas Chan left Kon-Tiki in the 1970s. In 1974, he opened his first restaurant, Tiki Doré. When Kon-Tiki closed in 1981, many of its decorations were sold at an auction. Douglas bought many of these cool tiki items. He wanted to use them to open an even bigger restaurant.
So, in 1986, Douglas Chan opened Jardin Tiki. The name means "Tiki Garden." He got help from his friends Albert Wong and Paul Yee. They set up the restaurant in a building that used to be a car dealership. Douglas sold his first restaurant, Tiki Doré, in 1990.
What Made Jardin Tiki Special?
Jardin Tiki was located at 5300 Sherbrooke Street East in Montreal. It was right across from the Olympic Village. People loved it for its amazing decor. It had a "kitsch" Polynesian style, which means it was colorful and fun.
The restaurant had a huge open area called an atrium. This atrium was filled with tropical plants. There was even a pond with live turtles swimming around! It felt like stepping into a different world.
Jardin Tiki was famous for its all-you-can-eat buffet. They served delicious Canadian Chinese cuisine. This type of food is a mix of Chinese dishes made popular in Canada. The restaurant even got great reviews in a book about tiki culture called Tiki Road Trip.
After Douglas Chan passed away in 2002, his son, Danny Chan, took over the business. Danny said that the only day Jardin Tiki had ever been closed was the day of his father's funeral.
Why Jardin Tiki Closed
Jardin Tiki closed its doors for good on March 28, 2015. The land and the building were bought by a company that builds retirement homes. The new owner, Eddy Savoie, wanted to build a new home for older people on the site. This meant the unique restaurant and its decor had to go.
Its Legacy
Jardin Tiki was more than just a restaurant. It was also a filming location! Scenes from several movies and TV shows were shot there. These included the 1998 film C't'à ton tour, Laura Cadieux, the 2006 TV show René Lévesque, and the 2008 movie Truffe.
When Jardin Tiki closed in 2015, it was the last tiki-themed restaurant left in Montreal. It was one of only a few tiki places remaining in all of Quebec. A few others, like the Hôtel Motel Coconut in Trois-Rivières, are still around. Jardin Tiki will always be remembered as a special part of Montreal's history.
Gallery
-
Tiki statue, 2004
-
Entryway, 2005
-
Tiki-themed door handles
.jpg)
Images for kids
-
A cocktail at Jardin Tiki
