Uptown Asian Fusion Eatery Takes Culinary Trip to Hawai'i

Ace Eat Serve is a staple of the East 17th Avenue dining strip, with a recently added coffeeshop, huge ping pong room and a large, popular menu. But the culinary spirit of that menu is located much farther away than Denver — in the many cultural traditions of Asia, with a menu that crosses boundaries from China and Japan to Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

So it's not that much of a leap for the popular restaurant and bar to embrace Hawaiian and Polynesian dishes, at least temporarily, for a Tiki Takeover of its covered patio during August.

The tiki trend got its start in the 1930s with rum-based drinks that quickly became associated with bars that used that moniker. The word was popular until the 1980s, then faded away until recent years, when it came back like whaler bells, skinny ties and wide lapels. Fashion always repeats.
Today, tiki has become shorthand for island (specifically Hawaiian) style, but it's actually a Maori term from New Zealand's indigenous people, for original humans created by the gods. They're represented by carved heads (think Easter Island) and are ever-present in tiki bars, even if the decor items might actually be masks from spots around the world, like Africa or South America: That's how tiki culture has been appropriated by Hollywood stereotyping.

But while tiki bars might be a tacky cultural version of Polynesian imagery served with fruity sweet umbrella drinks, the concept of an exotic Hawai'i has enchanted Americans for decades. Today, tiki is enjoying a cultural resurrection, with a handful of tiki bars serving the nostalgic drinks and island-inspired food.
Ace Eat Serve isn't a tiki bar (no giant carved heads standing beside the front entrance) and doesn't usually serve Hawaiian dishes, but its Asian fusion fare is Hawai'i-adjacent. Its Tiki Takeover is a fun, lighthearted special for customers and staff alike. The restaurant is popular not just for its menu, but also for its bar and expansive setup; the restaurant has won the Mayor's Design Award for its multi-faceted interior.

Tiki Takeover features island specialties such as teriyaki beef tenderloin skewers, kalua pork bao and a tiki shrimp tostada on a crunchy tapioca chip. It's also serving a Tropical Temptation for the table with multiple apps, and a rum cake dessert. The themed drinks have names like Colada Cabana and Bonsai Typhoon.
Though the promotion is tiki, it's not overly tacky — the theme is represented by a few decorative artifacts and hanging fake flowers; against one wall is a boat jammed with various Hawai'i-style knick-knacks, stuffed birds and palm plants. Luckily, Ace Eat Serve cooks up the real deal, so the food saves the decor from being embarrassing. Besides, diners can always order off the restaurant's main menu.

One event could push the tiki envelope into tacky, though: the Muu Muus & Margaritas drag show on August 16, featuring Minor Misdemeanor, Freya Misdemeanor and Kortney Kay West.

Ace Eat Serve is located at 501 East 17th Avenue, and open from 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; learn more at aceeatserve.com.