Chris Kajioka has fond childhood memories of family barbecues at Sans Souci, beyond the low wall that separated the beach from the Hau Tree Lanai in the Kaimana Beach Hotel.
“I would always look at that place and think, ‘It’s so fancy I’ll never be able to eat there,’ ” he said.
These days, he’s not only able to eat there — avocado toast is his go-to — but he is among a handful of chefs responsible for the menu at the storied restaurant. Redubbed simply Hau Tree, the restaurant is named for the tree that graced the McInerny estate that stood on the site in the late 19th century, providing shade and a quiet space to write for author Robert Louis Stevenson.
When the restaurant’s management contract expired last December, the hotel’s new owners tapped Kajioka and Mourad Lahlou’s new hospitality group to manage the hotel’s dining services.
“It’s definitely come full circle,” Kajioka said. “I never thought it would become such an integral part of my life, and it’s not a bad place to come to work every day.”
Lahlou, known for his Moroccan- inspired San Francisco restaurants, Aziza and Mourad, has become a fixture in the kitchen, having recently set up residence here due to the worsening COVID-19 crisis in California.
The two are not the only ones with a hand in the menu. The dream team includes Kajioka’s longtime corporate chef Jason Peel, former Le Bistro chef-owner Alan Takasaki and pastry chef Bev Luk.
Together, they’ve reinvigorated the space and brought the menu up to 21st-century standards in both style and substance.
That said, old- timers have complained about the removal of the restaurant’s pink tablecloths and some favorite dishes, as well as the trimming of the hau tree (although for me the sprawling branches always posed the risk of possible bird missiles, to put it nicely).
What remains are tiki torches by night, as well as a bar menu inspired by retro cocktails ranging from the 1944 Mai Tai, to highballs, to the Hurricane Hank, served in a ceramic tiki mug instead of the traditional curvy hurricane glass.
A COMBINATION of pandemic uncertainty and political drama has led many of us to long for those touches symbolic of simpler, bygone times. That nostalgia has fueled Kajioka’s other recent endeavors, including the reincarnation of Kaimuki’s Cafe Miro as Miro Kaimuki, and the opening of Papa Kurt’s, with its nod to old-fashioned saimin palaces.
But, having banished such obsolete touristy dishes as Coco-Mac Chicken from Hau Tree, Kajioka accepts that he can’t please everyone. Based on the strength of an all-new menu and the chefs’ collective renown, however, a local crowd is filling in spots taken by visitors when Waikiki was at capacity.
The restaurant opened quickly in December to capitalize on small holiday gatherings, so the menu feels like a crush of many hands and many styles, waiting to be sorted out. While waiting for a single story to emerge, guests can expect surprises as dishes are added and subtracted.
For instance, I was pleased over brunch to sample a new dish of potato and truffle agnolotti. It was both comfort-driven with its mashed potato filling, and upscale, with plenty of fresh crabmeat tossed with the pasta. Slices of serrano peppers added a touch of heat.
Local diners are likely most familiar with the old Hau Tree Lanai’s brunch menu, and the new staff is going to have to work harder to match that former restaurant’s numerous signature Benedicts. As much as I love progress, sometimes you just can’t mess with comfort standards, particularly in the morning when some people are at their grumpiest.
Overall, in keeping with the beachfront location and a younger generation of diners focused on health, the menu takes a light approach to food.
“We don’t want too much fat; we barely use butter,” Kajioka said.
While there are still dishes to satisfy every meat lover, vegan- and vegetarian-oriented dishes also abound. Some greener dishes to look forward to include a white bean hummus with crudite ($12); grilled Hirabara Farms baby romaine with Big Island goat cheese and smoked trout roe ($16); delicious roasted Brussels sprouts ($8) with chermoula, grapes and pickled cauliflower; and burrata Nicoise ($15), in which creamy stracciatella cheese is surrounded by tomatoes, croutons, Castelvetrano green olives, black garlic and crisped basil. An entree portion of green farro ($26) is layered with kale and roasted brassicas (cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts).
In light of the menu’s many temptations, I almost overlooked the bigeye tuna tartare ($17), so common to most Hawaii menus. But this version from Takasaki is not to be missed. It’s made extra velvety with the richness of avocado and herb oil, and there’s enough blue cheese in it to wake your palette, without offending those who usually can’t stand the pungency of the cheese.
Another eye-opening starter is the Mussel Escabeche Toast ($18), with plump, juicy, marinated mussels layered over a thick slab of toast coated with an anchovy and garlic “umami aioli.” The play of vinegary and savory notes is enough to set your senses on hyperdrive as your brain tries to makes sense of all the signals being emitted by excited neurons.
Although listed as a first course, the seared Maine scallops ($20) could serve as an entree. Generally, I tend to avoid scallops because they typically turn out flabby, waterlogged and flavorless, but again, Hau Tree gets it right. The dish comprises a trio of perfectly cooked brown butter-seared scallops, with pureed butternut squash and bacon-crisp prosciutto. It could not be more perfect, save to add a side of crispy baby potatoes ($6) with chimichurri-style salsa verde. Heaven.
Seafood lovers will find ginger- scallion-steamed mahi ($32) and grilled kanpachi ($34) served over a vierge sauce that incorporates sea asparagus and lentils, along with the standard tomatoes, basil and herbs. And steak lovers will find a light touch of horseradish gremolata served over washugyu flank steak ($36), yet another of my favorites.
To close the meal, desserts ($14 each) currently include a yuzu tart, chocolate caramel tart and lilikoi cheesecake, but a toasted coconut cake was an unexpected favorite. Its inclusion reflects another of Kajioka’s fond memories — the Halekulani’s coconut cake. Though I have no particular affinity for coconut cake, I loved its delicate flavor and light, fluffy texture.
HAU TREE
Kaimana Beach Hotel, 2863 Kalakaua Ave.
Food: ***1/2
Service: ***1/2
Ambiance: ***1/2
Value: ****
>> Call: 921-7066
>> Hours: Brunch 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily; dinner 5 to 8:30 p.m. daily; bar 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
>> Prices: Brunch $50 to $60 for two; dinner $90 to $100 for two, without alcohol
Ratings compare similar restaurants:
**** – excellent
*** – very good
** – average
* – below average
Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.
