Community Chat

[golding76]

A place of fantasy and kitsch.  I remember celebrating my 22nd birthday here as well as attending the outdoor wedding of high school friend here.  

Although living nearby, I dined at the Peter Pan Inn only two times.  People traveled from afar to experience the extraordinary decor and pleasant dining.  

There was a "sister" restaurant in Clearwater, Fla., called the Kapok Tree Inn.

Anyone remember one of these restaurants?  

[chickenbutt]

I'd never heard of them.  

Is the food good? 

[golding76]

It was.  Great fried chicken.

They've been closed for several decades now.  It was a destination restaurant for folks in the Baltimore/D.C. area for a long time.

The other destination restaurant -- especially in the 1960s -- that I recall was Haussner's in Baltimore.   

Guess I'm in a sentimental mood today.

[godi]

Never heard of it. Looks cool. 

[deepwaterdotter]

Is the building still standing?  If so, what is it used for today?

[golding76]

Kapok Tree Inn photos:

[golding76]

deepwaterdotter, I think the Peter Pan Inn became another restaurant and then, ultimately, was demolished.

It does live on in the memory of those who visited it, though.  For its time, it was a place of great fantasy.  Of course, so much that emerged in the following decades made the look of these two restaurants seem tame and quaint. 

[skatting44]

Thanks , for the pictures.

I certainly do. Worked there in the late 1960's . The decor was  a bite gaudy .It was a fun place to work as  everyone was like family  despite , the manager used to yell and curse at us in Spanish .

They had peacocks in a cage. The peppermint ice cream was the best !  The drink they made with rum was very tasty , I can't remember  but I think it was called Planters  punch.  One lady was so tipsy she fell  through a downstairs window .

The lazy Suzann filled with cottage cheese  & pickled salad & applesauce.

It's a shame that  the restaurant did not survive despite having  been under different ownership  later on . All that is left is a shell of a building .

I did visit the Kapok Tree Inn in Florida in the 1970's.

[golding76]

Thank you, skatting 22, for the delightful and riotous memories.  Yes, the peppermint ice cream!  Famous for that.

How wonderful that you worked there (and survived the cursing).  

You knew it well.  Lovely.

(I missed you since the last time I was there was in 1965.)

[skatting44]

@golding76 

Yes, my 1st job at age 13. Some of my school friends worked there . My job was to help with the baked goods . I made and iced the free cakes they presented  to  customers who came to celebrate  their  birthdays.  I  used to ride my bike to work . I have numerous funny stories abt working there .  Working there taught me team work and to run fast if the manager was  yelling .

Yes, it was a destination site . The restaurant was so busy that it had 2 full kitchens , one upstairs and one downstairs .