Duke’s Restaurant Serves Up Aloha Spirit

Chill Out at Duke’s on the H.B. Pier!

Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to the following copyrighted material. For permission to reprint or excerpt it and/or link it to another website, contact them at  

surfwriter.girls@gmail.com

Now that the days are getting longer and everyone’s spending more time at the beach Duke’s at the Huntington Beach Pier is the perfect spot to wind down.

Whether you stop by for Aloha Hour, to grab some fish tacos, or have a special dinner you’ll enjoy Duke’s friendly service and island atmosphere. 

Duke’s, named after legendary Hawaiian surfer Duke Kahanamoku, the Father of International Surfing, is located right in the middle of all the beach, shopping and restaurant action…just steps away from Main Street and PCH.

It offers a full array of Hawaiian dishes and exotic, tropical drinks and a close-up view of the waves breaking. 

If you’re looking for a classic burger with all the trimmings, fish tacos loaded with guacamole and tomatillo sauce or want to try the fresh catch of the day, duck into Duke’s Barefoot Bar.

It’s a cool oasis on a hot day and you’ll find lots of beverages to quench your thirst, from Duke’s Mai Tai to a wide assortment of draft beers, such as Kona Longboard Lager…

 and wines-by-the-glass.

The prices are lower during Aloha Hour.

Monday 3:30-close

Tuesday-Friday 3:30-6:30 p.m.

Saturday 2:30-5:30 p.m.

Which gives you a chance to sample and share dishes... Baja Fish Tacos, Coconut Shrimp and more.

SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel’s favorite thing to order is the Huli Chicken Sandwich – grilled chicken breast, marinated in ginger, garlic and shoyu, with lettuce, tomato, onion, and sweet chili aioli. 

And, if you’re a Fish and Chips lover, like Patti’s husband Greg, don’t miss out on the chance to order this Aloha Hour special. 

Tuesdays are Fish Taco Nights. You can’t beat the $2.50 fish tacos and $3.50 beer specials.

And, on Sundays, they serve $3.25 Champagne Island Mimosas all day in the bar.

When you’re in the mood to splurge a bit or just want to take in the moment, then get a table in the Dining Room and enjoy the panoramic ocean view through Duke’s expansive beach-side windows. This is what Huntington Beach is all about.

Sunny, who always tries to eat healthy, is a big fan of the Seared Ahi Salad, sliced rare ahi, made with mandarin oranges, bean sprouts, wasabi peas, bok choy, Napa cabbage, and honey ginger dressing.

In keeping with the Hawaiian tradition of respecting the sea, Duke’s serves fresh fish according to their season and sustainability and only purchases its seafood  from environmentally responsible suppliers. 

The Parmesan and Herb-Crusted Fish, sautéed with panko, macadamia nuts, lemon and capers is a house favorite…

especially with SurfriderFoundation Huntington Beach/Seal Beach Chapter Chairperson Tony Soriano and HB/SB members Greg Goran and Don MacLean.

“I love the herb-crusted halibut,” says MacLean. “It’s simply delightful. Duke’s is one of the only places I know where you can watch surfing during a beautiful sunset while you eat great food.” 

Whether you opt for the halibut, mahi mahi, or ono, you can’t go wrong.

And, for an authentic taste of the islands, try the Banana Leaf-Steamed Island Fish and Shrimp made with sake ginger sauce and sizzling sesame oil.

If you really want to indulge, the cold water lobster tail...

 or Alaskan king crabs are a great choice. With the crab legs you get a full pound of legs.

For dessert, try Kimo’s Original Hula Pie. Duke’s menu claims, “This is what the sailors swam to shore for in Lahaina.” It’s a concoction made of macadamia nut ice cream, Oreo cookie crust, hot fudge and whipped cream. 

Along with its food and atmosphere, one of the things that SurfWriter Girls Sunny and Patti like best about Duke’s is its support for the environment.

“They’re sustainably-minded with their choices of seafood and products,” Greg Goran notes, emphasizing that this helps protect our natural resources.

In 2012 Duke’s was named California 35^th Senate District’s Green Business of the Year. 

Duke’s “green” efforts include using energy efficient light bulbs and energy saver appliances and, instead of using Styrofoam, it only uses recycled and recyclable take-out food containers. Along with this, Duke’s has sponsored Surfrider Foundation beach cleanups to safeguard our coastal environment.

So, come chill out at Duke’s!

 Do it for yourself…and the environment.

  

www.surfwritergirls.blogspot.com.

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Tiki Art Culture is Alive and Well

Tiki Artist Doug Horne Creates Island Fantasies

Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to the following copyrighted material. For permission to reprint or excerpt it and/or link it to another website, contact them at  

 surfwriter.girls@gmail.com

Local artist Doug Horne always knew that he wanted to be an artist. “For me, it’s an escape,” he said.

After graduating from the Colorado Institute of Art he worked for ad agencies and in-house art departments. But, he really wanted to paint. So, he quit his job and began painting full-time…and “never looked back.”

Horne, who creates exotic, tropical island scenes and tiki art, told SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel... 

“I’ve always been interested in mid-century modern design, architecture and all the collectibles from that 1940’s through 60’s era.” 

“My work reflects my interests in deco style, tiki lounge, and atomic futurism,” said Horne. His creations typically include images that are a mix of past and present pop culture. “This provides an endless source of inspiration and possibilities for me. This creative energy is what I thrive on and to live for.”

Horne, who is revered among tiki art collectors, is known for his fanciful paintings and off-beat island locales, such as the Swamp Fire Lounge, Zombie Cove, Forbidden Island, and the Mai-Kai, based on a Fort Lauderdale beach bar.

The women in Horne’s paintings are sultry and shapely – a blend of film noir femme fatale and Bali Hai beauty. Whether beckoning you to an island rendezvous or draped seductively over a bar stool, they exude danger.

Horne’s legion of followers knows to look for the ever-present monkeys that populate his island world. Playful and mischievous, they can pop up anywhere…in a hip nightclub or even behind the wheel of a race car. 

In addition to his electrifying paintings with their neon colors and other-worldly environments, Horne likes to create Tiki mugs and his distinctive designs set him apart from other artists.  

Something else that sets Horne apart is that he designed Fender’s Art-coustics Tiki Art Series guitars, a collection of four guitars with charmingly unique Hawaiian Tiki art themes adorning each guitar.

When news of Horne’s island motif collection was announced in 2009 Fender proclaimed, “Light those patio torches and mix the rum punch!”

Horne’s escapist designs on the guitars’ mahogany bodies give off an exotic vibe of faraway places and mysterious people, combining elements of humor and the unexpected. The four, highly-coveted guitar designs are: Tiki Femme Fatale; Monkey Business... 

Tiki Style; Unquiet Village; and Moai Madness.

After seeing the finished guitars emblazoned with his handiwork, Horne remarked that he was so pleased with the outcome “I should start playing —you’re never too old to learn.”

Horne insists that “the tiki culture is alive and well! There’s a lot of music and artists—carvers and painters—out there. I think it’s still growing. I really think of it as kind of an art movement, as opposed to a quirky kind of kitschy thing, which is kind of how it was thought of back in the ’80’s.”

You can see Doug Horne’s paintings and tiki mug creations on his website www.swampfirelounge.com.  

It’s also on display at the Picture Show Gallery, 231 Main Street, Seal Beach, and the International Tiki Market Place events held at Don the Beachcomber, 16278 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach.

Picture Show Gallery owner Karen Adler said, “Doug’s art is very fun, colorful and a little bit whimsical. He’s always creating something new.”

And, if you’re interested in a weekend getaway, head out to Palm Springs May 17-19, 2013, for the Tiki Caliente event, which “celebrates the art, drinks, sounds and smells of Old School Hawaiian living.” 

The festival organizers describe it as “a great way to unplug from the modern day world and escape into a more primitive style entertainment and relaxation.”

When you’re driving out there, just watch out for Doug Horne’s playful monkeys. There’s no telling where they’ll turn up.

 

www.surfwritergirls.blogspot.com.

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