Hoku’s at the Kahala Resort — restaurant review — Hawai’i
Ah, Sunday Brunch at Hoku’s. Where else can you get melt-in-your-mouth sake (salmon) nigiri and fresh tender lobster tail (the kind that’s so sweet you devour it without any seasoning or butter) at 10:30 in the morning?
Sure Hoku’s is in one of the prettiest settings; decked in whitest white linens at the Kahala Resort (formerly the Kahala Mandarin, before that the Kahala Hilton) surrounded by a pristine white sand beach (away from dingy Waikiki) and their very own dolphin lagoon, but it’s the food that will blow you away. In addition to sushi (salmon, unagi, ebi, hamachi, california roll) and lobster, they offer crab cake or ham eggs benedict, aged cheeses, charcuterie, crudité, kiawe smoked meats, lamb shank, peking duck, fish, shellfish, tempura, waimanalo greens, even steamed dim sum. And any breakfast buffet would not be replete without an omelette station but at Hoku’s you can mix in some juicy king crab.
For the sweettooth, there are more finely crafted confections than you can shake a stick at, beckoning from a tiered table of sunlit goodies. There ware unstructured jagged generous chocolate chunks next to cute crisp cookies, cakes, tarts. Not to be overlooked is the creamiest (not custardy) crème brûlée with a slightly burnt caramelized top that was actually better that way. If you see coconut cake or Kahala Bread pudding, grab ‘em!
For the slightly more health conscious there are fruit kabobs (calorie-ize them with a dunk in the chocolate fondue fountain), a lighter-than-air banana-cream-layered white cake (the waitress informed us that was a completely new item), and an amaaaazing mango infused fine tapioca pearl filled wine (burgundy) glass with fresh berries and whipped cream.. and could it be crème fraîche? Scratch health conscious. What tops the list for Chris and Kris? A rich but not too rich thick chocolate ganache amaretto torte that even I loved (and I despise chocolate!).
To quench your thirst, Hoku’s has you covered with complimentary champagne, mimosas, or fresh fruit drinks such as carrot-orange-ginger or pineapple blends. The blends are drinks that are so vitamin packed fresh that they will make you feel like you’ve been healthy all your life, like Popeye Power!
When you dine here, I think you’re partially paying for their laundry bill. The waitresses replaced our napkins every single time we stood up, and sometimes even when we were seated. If we used it once, it was quickly garnered with a fresh one. Excessive yet tidy, I guess.
The wait staff is unhurried even though they are seemingly everywhere at once, gleefully stopping to chat with diners, proffering advice and cute quippy anecdotes. It adds to the casual feeling, even though you are at a very classy, ritzy joint. In case you forget, the bill will remind you.
Unfortunately their weekday lunch is now defunct, but definitely join them for dinner and dreamlogic.net recommended Hoku’s Sunday Brunch.
Hoku’s
5000 Kahala Ave – Honolulu, HI – (808) 739-8780
HOURS: M-Sun 6-10pm, Sunday Brunch: Sun 10:30am – 2pm
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