Mai Pai Tiki Bar’s owner takes care to not be sucked into social media envy
Does one need more than Sesame Street's song, Who are the people in your neighbourhood?" to inspire a chat with someone in our food industry? Not really, but in the case of Salar Madadi, a few things converged.
His personal Instagram account shares an eclectic range of photos that include his sweetheart, dogs and a cat, tips such as his discovery of a tool-lending library and always photos of the books he's reading - and he reads a lot of books. His posts are thoughtful, interesting and self-effacing but, one day in December, he went deeper and shared reflections on being a business owner right now.
Said Madadi: I'm not posting this to whine or complain - just to share. These are the realities of this way of life, and truly, I love it and I've always been a dreamer and a dabbler and a builder and this satisfies all that for me."
The dreamer/dabbler/builder's journey began with more than a decade in the tech field. Moving from a Toronto condo to a house in Hamilton came with a bonus - he could set up a shed as a smoker. He began by curing bacon, then came BBQ and winning competitions - one that sent him to a Las Vegas event. Next came a food cart, a tent, and then a food truck. By the time he set up Meatventures" with his entrepreneur wife, Jeannie Crawford, food and catering had become Job No. 1 and IT was relegated to freelance.
We can thank Crawford for keeping him here instead of heading west. Their honeymoon inspired one of his contributions to the Hamilton food scene. In Venice Beach, California, they fell in love with poke - a Hawaiian dish of raw fish on a carb base with sauce and toppings - and returned home to set up Pokeh Bar in the Hamilton Farmers' Market. Opened in 2015, its success led to a Concession Street expansion by 2017.
Once popular, Polynesian-inspired Tiki bars had been making a comeback and Madadi added the Mai Pai Tiki Bar to his projects in 2020 - just before the world changed. Today, he has pared back his food family to Mai Pai which is marking its second anniversary in February.
Madadi says he thrives on pressure and turns into a Viking of productivity at the slightest hint of failure. I'd suggest he add to his reading list Terry O'Reilly's My Best Mistake" which the author says will encourage you to accept mistakes and embrace the obstacles that may arise from these errors, leading you to unexpected breakthroughs and silver linings of your own."
But failure is not on Madadi's menu just now. He says that, against all odds, Mai Pai is doing well. I'm super thankful for my staff, and for everyone who orders and walks through the door. But I've learned that it's impossible to just coast and that there's a constant need to maintain, to plan, to build, to improve - or all of that fades away."
Madadi observes that not many fellow restaurateurs seem to be talking to each other about pandemic pressures, with some opting for a social media presence that is skewed to upbeat" - no matter what the reality. He takes care to not be sucked into social media envy, realizing that what's portrayed can be an illusion and we're only seeing the wins without seeing what went into getting those wins, and also what was sacrificed."
Pre-pandemic Madadi had worked on connecting cooks by organizing Cook Camps" with the goal of fostering a local creative and collaborative community. I noticed that the meaning of his name Salar" was leader, chief." He laughed when I mentioned this and said his mother tells him it means great one." If so, he wears the name with no ego and seems to be respected and well-liked among his peers. Focusing on gratitude and stoicism gets Madadi through each day and he admits So yeah. Most of the time, I love this."
With his team, they turn out fabulous Detroit-style pizzas - square, with thick crusts and lacy, crispy cheese-y edges.
Follow Mai Pai's Instagram for news of their weekly pizza specials. Who's not tempted by Garlic garlic garlic" with four kinds of cheese and roasted garlic, garlic confit, aioli, and oil; or the Persian inspired pie that included eggplant, walnuts and pomegranate; or the Blue" pizza with blue cheese, blueberry jam, fresh blueberries.
The week I ordered, I wasn't tantalized by the McMaiPai" so opted for the Basic Pepperoni which never disappoints. We added an order of Taiwanese Dry Rub Wings and happy eating ensued. Gluten-free pizzas are available and the takeout menu also includes fries, pre-mixed cocktails and cocktail kits. You can also buy Tiki mugs if there are none in your mom's basement.
Mai Pai takeout requires you to order online, specifying a pickup time. Madadi hints that they may add a patio this summer.
Diane Galambos is a food writer who shares stories and recipes at her blog kitchenbliss.ca. Follow her on Instagram instagram.com/kitchenblissca
Mai Pai Tiki Bar
631 Barton St. E., Hamilton
905-581-9030
instagram.com/salardoesotherstuff/
Hours: Thursday to Sunday 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Monday to Wednesday closed.
What you'll pay: Basic Pepperoni Pizza (small) $17.50; Taiwanese Dry Rub Wings (1 lb.) $14.00