This, however, has not discouraged investors as there is a market here for such eateries just as there is in any city around the world.

Sailing into port this month is Trader Vic's, bringing its cargo of Polynesian charm and high-quality fare.

The US chain specializes in serving "Island cuisine" and tropical cocktails in an exotic environment. It has branches in such places as Dubai, Berlin, Atlanta and Tokyo, among many others.

"I walked into a Trader Vic's five years ago and I thought to myself 'great food, great ambiance. I would like to come here again,"' said famed violinist Yang Min. True to those words, she made more than just a repeat visit.

Seeing an opportunity, the Shanghai Golden Sands Vice President for China operations opted for her company to manage the franchise in the country. Yang found the current Fengyang Road site herself, while her father was able to locate a suitable premise for the forthcoming Beijing outlet.

Trader Vic's was founded in 1934 by Victor Jules Bergeron in Oakland, California. Originally a small rum bar for sailors known as Hinky Dink, Bergeron soon rose to fame with his Island cuisine - a mixture of French, Creole, Chinese and Indian.

He also claimed to have invented the Mai Tai, now a famed cocktail, made of French West Indian rum, Jamaican dark rum, lime juice, crushed ice and a secret ingredient the restaurant simply calls "Mai Tai Concentrate."

It was said when a trader handed the drink to an island native, she exclaimed "Mai Tai" to indicate it was very nice. The moniker stuck. A similar mix displaying the Trader Vic's label can be purchased in overseas supermarket chains such as Safeway.

The other party claiming to have created the drink is Dan the Beachcomber. Described as an "amicable competitor," the much-less successful chain now finds only popularity in Hawaii and not the international recognition that Trader Vic's enjoys.

In Shanghai, the 100-seat separate bar area at the restaurant just off Nanjing Road W. will offer drinks concocted for the local market. Visitors looking to just kick back can enjoy a few well-mixed beverages while enjoying a five-piece Cuban band six nights a week.

The local outlet originally planned to open sometime in October but was delayed because the group wanted to make sure everything was up to scratch to match the lofty international standards.

"When you're dealing with this many specialized items, some are bound to be delayed," said Jerome Laugenie, the brand's vice president for Europe and the Middle East. "We were not going to compromise the standard of the restaurant."

It appears that no compromise was made. Laugenie travels to outlets around the world to ensure that fact. Much of the furniture and decorations featured in the local branch have been imported from exotic locations around the world, and the drinks come served in specialty mugs. A few dishes are cooked tableside, adding to the novelty of the dining experience.

Also in plain view is the famed Trader Vic's oven. A fixture in every outlet worldwide, the huge wood-fire cooker is said to be healthier as fat and oil are allowed to drip from the suspended skewers of meat.

The restaurant plans to have its grand opening in mid January. Doors will part next week for a soft opening, so anyone tempted to transport themselves to another place for some interesting food can taste for themselves what the fuss is all about.

Trader Vic's
Address: 598 Fengyang Road
Tel: 5228-3882