The Return of a Legend: Kublai's Rock

Kublai's Rock on Jupiter St. was the place to be in the late 80's. I was barely 14 years old (yes I was a super early starter) when my friends and I started to hit the bars regularly. At that time, it was not so much to get wasted every weekend but to hang out with friends and enjoy good music (yeah right haha).

Kublai's was famous for it's all-you-can-eat Mongolian buffet, but even more famous during after-hours. My brother and his friends hung out there, my sisters and their friends hung out there, my friends and I hung out there, and occasionally if you went in early enough you would catch some of our own folks during the cocktail hour as well.

Along with other places such as Roxy's, Las Conchas and Rufo's (for that 4 am breakfast of tapsilog), Kublai's was the backdrop for many of the most memorable events in our lives back then. Here friendships were made, hearts were broken, business deals were closed, noses were broken, tables were danced on, cheeks were slapped, drinks in fish bowls were guzzled down, vices were formed, crushes were developed, crushes were divulged, sloshed patrons were carried out, girls became girlfriends, girlfriends were cheated on, boyfriends were dumped......

When it closed down we were crushed, to say the least. Where would we go? What would we do? We mourned for a long while after that. Wary of venturing into other bars, feeling almost as if we were cheating on a lover, albeit a lover who upped and left us. But we moved on, mostly to San Mig where we picked up where we left off.

Now after almost 2o years, Kublai's Rock is back! The original owners and manager together with some of my friends are reviving the legend. Though at a much much smaller site, they are doing their best to keep with what worked before: the mixed drinks such as the Double Side of Khan which was served in a fish bowl - to be shared of course!, the black interiors, Rock & Roll music, the all-you-can-eat Mongolian buffet, the plasma TV's showing the World Cup live, and the favorites on the menu.

If you remember the old Kublai's then you will recognize the sign in the Magallanes Commercial Center. Just look for the lifesize picture of Kublai Khan holding his electric guitar.

The placemats still tell the same tale of this famous Asian emperor:

Kublai Khan, grandson of the great Genghis Khan, & first cousin of Rod Stewart, was the undisputed master of Mongolia, Lord of all the people dwelling in felt tents, and Chief of the Hells Angels of California.

Kublai completed the conquest of China after attacking the Sung Dynasty in South China around the late 1200's. He then founded the Yuan Dynasty, and the Beach Boys Fan Club of Mongolia, and established the Mongol Capital at Canbaluc, the site of present day Peking, near the house of Bruce the Boss.

As a leader, Kublai Khan courted Madonna & Cindy Lauper and had a reputation of being tolerant to his people. He permitted the existence of various religions and enlisted the services of Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Taoists and the original Flower Power sect. He accepted Confusianism and Chinese political ideas, and was an avid fan of Mick Jagger. He avoided having too many Chinese in high government offices as well as records and posters of Dolly Parton.

The Mongols, under Kublai's rule were ruthless warriors, especially when they watched exciting rock operas, but lacked experience in administration. So they relied upon foreign people to look after the affairs of their empire, as well as to teach them how to play synthesizers and electronic drums. This eased reliance on Chinese administration.

The Mongol officials even went to the extent of temporarily suspending the Chinese civil system, to have their version of the Woodstock rock festival and to allow foreigners to assume government positions. However, a corrupt and incompetent admnistration resulted in a cancellation of the Beatles' tour and dissatisfaction toward the Mongols.

When Kublai died in his empire broke up into several parts which resulted in the Birth of the Disco epidemic. A revolution in China in the 1300's became the fall of Kubali's Yuan Dynasty & his Beach Boys Fan Club. This restored Chinese rule in the form of the Ming Dynasty.

For 200 years, the Khans ruled Asia. In 1986 Kubali's came to Jupiter, now 20 years later returns to Earth, and Rock and Roll is here to stay at Kublai's Rock.

* Kublai's is located in the Magallanes commercial center , right below Dencio's and in between Herrick's and Brother's Burger. Call 851-6086 for reservations.