THE BEAT GOES ON Visit the Big Bamboo Café and join a party that has been rocking for more than 20 years. BY BARRY KAUFMAN
The greatest artists know how to reinvent themselves, thundering forward in pursuit of the next creative horizon while still maintaining ties to what drove them in the first place. The Beatles started out as a quartet of teen heartthrobs, but even as they matured into musical legends they kept the same tight songwriting that made them famous. It’s been years since anyone referred to Taylor Swift as a crossover country star, but the pop sensibility that had made her a superstar was present in her early, more twangy, works. 16
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The same could be said of Big Bamboo Café. Over the course of its illustrious history, it’s been a World War II-themed family dining restaurant, a rollicking late night live music venue and a beachside favorite for a quick and tasty lunch. Sometimes in turns, sometimes all at once. But no matter how much it changes, that core remains. “Big Bamboo is continually evolving,” said Tristan O’Grady, owner of Big Bamboo along with wife Stacey and brother Kieron. “It’s been a labor of love
for me, Kieron, Stacey and many of our employees who have been with us since the beginning.” At its core, Big Bamboo Café is a beachside restaurant designed to counteract the sticker shock many of us get dining in the more tourist-friendly districts of the island. There isn’t a thing on the menu, from the delectable Carolina Fireballs to the mouth-watering burger, that’s going to break the bank. And that’s very much by design. “We’re still trying to keep most of our meals around $20 or under,” said Tristan. “That