Pinkies up — the famous afternoon tea at The Kahala Hotel & Resort is back with elevated flair. Last year, the hotel stopped afternoon tea service due to the pandemic, but resumed it on Aug. 14 at The Veranda. It’s currently available on Saturdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and costs $65 per person.

This unique tea service is different from previous iterations, per Keith Mallini, restaurant manager for Hoku’s and The Veranda.

“We were looking to do something exclusive and change the entire experience,” Mallini says. “Before, we were doing high volume and lots of group business. We wanted to limit it, but we knew if we did that, we needed to make the menu as luxurious as we could.

“Chef Jonathan Mizukami, executive chef of The Kahala Hotel & Resort, worked his magic with the food, based on his vision and the history of the resort,” he adds.

When it came to the tea selection, Mallini’s goal was to create an experience that couldn’t be found anywhere else on the island, while using as many Hawaiian-grown ingredients as possible.

“I wanted the teas to reflect the history of The Kahala,” he explains. “I consulted with Byron Goo of The Tea Chest to create something truly unique. Goo is able to globally source some of the best teas in the world. He’s also involved in the tea-growing industry here on the island.”

For starters, Mallini recommends the lilikoi cacao, which features sustainably repurposed cacao shells to deliver a luxurious aroma, complemented by sweet-and-tangy passionfruit.

“The discarded shells give it a really subtle cocoa flavor with infused lilikoi,” he says. “It’s very aromatic.”

Meanwhile, the hukilau pays homage to the resort’s earlier years, when “hukilau” gatherings were held in place of luaus, according to Mallini.

“This tea was meant to emulate that party atmosphere; the flavors are bright and lively,” he says. “It’s infused with four tropical fruit flavors — mango, guava, lilikoi and papaya.

“Most of the teas were selected to go with the food chef Jonathan had already created,” he adds.

The food portion of the menu consists of sweet and savory treats that are inspired by classic, British tea service with a local twist, according to Mizukami.

“The deviled egg sandwich is a classic, but with caviar for an element of luxury,” Mizukami says. “For the smoked fish baguette, we take all the fatty parts of the fish, smoke it, then mix it with a little mayonnaise.”

Petite pastries range from classic madeleines and chocolate eclairs to green tea mille crepes and coconut palmiers.

“My favorite is the green tea mille crepe,” Mizukami says. “We use light whipped cream in between the layers. It’s delicate, not overly sweet and very beautiful.

“The palmier is fitting for Hawaii, and I added a little bit of coconut to it,” he adds. “All the desserts have vary ing textures.”

Scones, currently in blueberry and orange cranberry flavors, are served with a Devonshire cream, and housemade jams, preserves and jellies.

“We have a lilikoi curd and a pineapple vanilla preserve that’s made with fresh pineapples,” Mizukami says. “We try to keep those tropical flavors, and once the seasons change, we can change the flavors of the jam.”

Reservations can be made online at kahalaresort.com/dining/the-veranda. Due to the limited seatings, prepaid reservations are required.

The Veranda at The Kahala Hotel & Resort

5000 Kahala Ave., Honolulu
808-739-8760
kahalaresort.com/dining/the-veranda
Afternoon tea: Saturdays 2-3:30 p.m.