Families of patients receiving treatment at Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children will find moments of respite in the hospital’s much larger, newly decorated cafeteria, which offers a wide variety of food stations and a full-service Starbucks stand.
The new Kobayashi & Kosasa Family Dining Room opened Tuesday on the second floor of the Diamond Head Tower, with seating for up to 227 people, triple the capacity of the old cafeteria.
Besides a 9,000-square-foot kitchen and 14,000-square-foot dining room, there are three new conference rooms, an 1,800-square-foot outdoor lanai, an interactive Keiki Zone play area, free WiFi and cellphone charging stations.
Diners can choose from seven new serving areas: Pizza, Grab & Go, Salad Bar, Entree, Grill, Deli Bar and Action Station. Prices are comparable to the former cafeteria’s.
A STATEMENT from the medical center described the new space and menu: A rotating selection of scratch-made entrees will focus on seasonality and heart-healthy and vegetarian items, like rosemary chicken with orzo and vegetables, and winter squash and portobello penne.
Pizza will be available by the slice and as individual 7-inch pies, including vegetarian and gluten-free options. Grab & Go items made daily and pre-packaged range from organic salads and sandwiches, to vegan chocolate chia pudding parfaits and sushi.
The grill offers made-to-order items, including burgers and paninis, and a char-broiler specifically for vegetarian items. The deli includes a build-your-own sandwich bar, offering breads like focaccia and ciabatta, and tuna- and egg-salad fillings. The Action Station will feature different international cuisines; examples include pasta, stir-fry and carving stations.
The coffee stand will be the only 24/7 licensed Starbucks location on Oahu, mainly for the convenience of patients and staff; the public has limited access during hospital visiting hours.
DESIGNER Peter Vincent Architects aimed to create a space that didn’t resemble a typical hospital cafeteria, the medical center said. Instead the dining area emulates the outdoors, using the Hawaiian ahupuaa concept of land division from mountain to sea,
Thus the entire ceiling is painted sky blue. The mountain or mauka side, which includes the kitchen and food service area, is decorated with dark stone, bamboo wall designs and white ceiling accents to represent clouds.
The dining room’s earthtones depict the kula, or plains, and are accented with furniture, chandelier lighting and artwork featuring plants and flowers.
The ocean or makai zone is represented by cool ocean colors and artwork, and features large windows open to the outdoors. Separating the plains from the makai zone are large columns with branches that represent trees.
The cafeteria is named in honor of the Kobayashi and Kosasa families, who have donated to the hospital for more than two decades. Their funds built the dining facility, and contributed to the construction of the Diamond Head Tower.
Dr. Thomas Kosasa is an obstetrics and gynecology specialist and has delivered more than 10,000 babies at Kapi‘olani. Bert Kobayashi founded the Kobayashi Group, a real estate development and investment firm.
