APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBERS REBECCA KAPLAN
RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING AND HONORING THE CREATION OF
THE MAI TAI IN THE CITY OF OAKLAND AND OFFICIALLY
DESIGNATING THE MAI TAI AS THE OFFICIAL COCKTAIL OF
OAKLAND
WHEREAS, in August 1944, the original Mai Tai recipe was created by legendary restaurateur Victor J. “Trader Vic” Bergeron at the original Trader Vic’s on San Pablo Avenue and 65th Street in the City of Oakland1; and
WHEREAS, the original Trader Vic’s was one of the most popular restaurants in the Bay Area, drawing clientele from throughout the world, seeking Trader Vic’s innovative tropical cocktails, renowned rendition of Polynesian food, and kitschy South Pacific theme; and
WHEREAS, in 1934, with an investment of $500, Bergeron opened a small restaurant on 65th Avenue and San Pablo, serving comfort foods for lunch and dinner, as well as beers and whiskeys. As Bergeron’s clientele grew, so did his restaurant, expanding both in space and menu options; and
WHEREAS, famed San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen, after visiting Bergeron’s restaurant, proclaimed that the “best restaurant in San Francisco is in Oakland;” and
WHEREAS, Bergeron, always the innovator , traveled the nation seeking ways to better operate his restaurant . After one of his travels to southern California, visiting Don the Beachcomber’s, Bergeron was inspired to experiment with tropical ingredients, setting the stage for the creation of Trader Vic’s and the Mai Tai; and
WHEREAS, in 1944, while experimenting with tropical flavors, Bergeron developed the concoction we know today as the Mai Tai 2. Garnering its name from a friend of Bergeron who,
1 Trader Vic's, a bastion of Tiki in Emeryville, started as a one-room beer parlor in Oakland (berkeleyside.org)
2 Trader Vic’s History of the Mai Tai – The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai 2 3367665/LL
after trying the experimental cocktail, shouted, “Mai Tai Roa Ac,” Tahitian for “out of this world the best;” and;
WHEREAS, the Mai Tai has become a staple in bars around the world, Trader Vic ’s original location launched the Trader Vic’s brand, which to this day, is a thriving family -run business with over 25 locations around the world, including locations in Munich, Tokyo, and Dubai, and soon, Trader Vic’s will be returning to Oakland , as the company prepares to open a location within the San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport; and
WHEREAS, Oakland is a thriving, diverse , and creative community that deserves its recognition as the Birthplace of the Mai Tai; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED: That the City of Oakland honors the creation of the Mai Tai in the City of Oakland and designates the Mai Tai as the official cocktail of the City of Oakland.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - FIFE, GALLO, JENKINS, KALB, KAPLAN, RAMACHANDRAN, REID, AND
PRESIDENT FORTUNATO BAS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California