Restaurants are in the blood of Grand Cafe & Bakery’s owner, so even when the restaurant closed last summer, its fans found reassurance in Mona Chang-Vierra’s vow to return. The only question was where.
Chang-Vierra’s grandfather Ti Chong Ho was a partner in the original Grand Cafe & Bakery, founded in 1923 at 106 N. King St., where the downtown branch of Bank of Hawaii now stands.
Downtown restaurant’s exit from the Hawaii State Art Museum last fall left an opening for the cafe to move into the diner-friendly space, with its arty vibe and French doors that open to the museum’s Sculpture Garden. The view is much more pleasant than the garage entry at the old Pauahi Street quarters. And the historic building, built in 1928, is a match for cafe’s nostalgic, time-capsule quality.
Downtown restaurant’s organic, farm-driven ethic often drew a progressive, art-and-earth-minded clientele. A recent visit to Grand Cafe turned up more plain folk mixed with politicos who find it efficient to walk over from the legislative offices across the street.
Grand Cafe’s menu is small to start, but the chef, Anthony Vierra, great-grandson of the founder, is just getting warmed up. He has brought back many of the cafe’s most popular dishes for those who have been waiting half a year for another taste of its eggs Benedict, homemade corned beef hash, Reuben sandwiches, cola-braised short ribs and bread puddings. The food may register as pure diner, but the treatment is more luxurious than short-order.
The Reuben ($12.95) feels decadent, filled with house-made corned beef spiced with nutmeg and mustard seeds, the brightness of sauerkraut and Russian dressing on dark rye. So do the sweet, boneless cola-braised ribs ($16.25), served with thyme-rib jus and house-made Yukon mashed potatoes. The ribs may seem heavy at noon but are impressive enough for a business lunch for those who never know whether they’ll be meeting a meat or salad eater.
For the first group there’s also a smoked barbecue turkey sandwich ($11.50) and the Grand Cafe hamburger ($12.75), made from ground chuck and served with basic lettuce and tomato with a batch of add-ons for $1.50 each: avocado, bacon or cheese (choices of cheddar, Swiss or blue). The chewy ciabatta bun distracts from the burger, but don’t cast it away. Once the meat is gone, you’re able to focus on the bread’s toasty and light garlicky quality.
Salad eaters will be greeted by smoked turkey ($13.25) topping a Chinese-style mixture of cabbage, bean sprouts, romaine, cilantro and won ton chips with hoisin vinaigrette; or Caesar ($10.75) with grilled chicken ($3.50) and shrimp ($4.50) options. Pasta primavera ($13.25) might also be a fitting option with its blend of spinach, mushrooms, onions, zucchini and artichoke hearts.
Those who can’t stay will find a to-go menu available from 10:30 a.m. to closing, with salads priced from $3.65 and tuna, veggie, turkey or ham-and-Swiss sandwiches at $6.95.
As new as the cafe is to this site, it’s packed at lunchtime. Those who don’t like crowds might try dropping in on a Sunday, when brunch is available from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is when you can enjoy a classic Canadian bacon eggs Benedict ($16) at your leisure. For $2.25 more you can try a sampler of two Benedicts, which last week featured the classic and a Reuben Benedict. At other times you might find a veggie or turkey version.
A rich Crab Florentine omelet ($16.25) is one specialty not to be missed. I was so excited by the Benedicts and omelet that I forgot I was going to order the Bananas Foster French Toast ($12.25) for dessert, because dessert time has its own array of specials, including various incarnations of dense, nutmeg-spiced bread puddings. Enjoy it hot, when apricots, dates or other fruits baked into the mix melt into the pastry, with all their gooey, sticky goodness adding to the decadence.
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Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.
