The passage of time is often accompanied by a sense of loss, whether a farewell to innocence, a separation from nature, or a simple yearning to turn back the clock to a cherished moment.
That feeling seems especially palpable in Hawaii, where a vision of paradise sold to outsiders has been internalized but spoiled by the dissonant reality of high-rises, asphalt and concrete. Who wouldn’t want to travel back in time?
Enter Ben Rafter, president and CEO of Springboard Hospitality, who has tapped into nostalgia for old Hawaii through a series of small hotel transformations — most recently, the quaint three-story walk-up White Sands Hotel.
At the heart of the property is the poolside restaurant and bar Heyday, which captures the essence of the mid-century bamboo bar era. Beyond the pool is a courtyard oasis complete with a waterfall, koi pond and bar with swings in place of typical bar stools, from which diners can enjoy cocktails such as Chaise Dreams ($13) combining fluffy pineapple, gin, Campari and happiness, or Poolicidal Tendencies ($16), a poolside old fashioned with bourbon, cognac, rum, chocolate, banana and citrus. A speakeasy is in the works and may be open by the time the holidays arrive.
I didn’t know this was what I needed until I entered the property through a narrow bamboo-lined corridor that opened to a view of the pool and thatched bar. I immediately took a deep breath and felt the day’s stress melt away. So much easier than yoga.
Led toward the waterfall and crossing a small bridge over the koi pond, I felt joy over the unexpected details and the experience of Waikiki as it might have been when tourism was still new and exciting for both visitors and locals.
Food service that includes coffee and shave ice at the reception desk is in the hands of Chuck Bussler and chef Robynne Maii, who you may already know from their Chinatown restaurant Fête.
The DNA of farm-to-table new American cuisine is the same, but the focus here is on casual dining in keeping with the property’s retro vibe. Clearly, nostalgia for old Hawaii strikes a chord as social media feedback included longing for steak Diane, the height of steakhouse chic in the 1960s and ’70s, best accompanied by the wearing of Angels Flights, one of my Instagram followers pointed out. Whether you get that reference or not, I have a feeling this place will resonate. Those too young to remember the disco-era polyester slacks will see in Heyday an entirely new experience; those who lived through the Golden Age will appreciate the stroll down memory lane.
One might expect a menu leaning toward retro Hawaii to be gimmicky in a lowbrow sort of way, but not in the hands of Maii, ever respectful of her Hawaiian and mixed cultural roots. The small menu has nods to many cuisines and manages to be both playful and tasteful.
They take pride in their Kauai shrimp toast ($17), a Chinese-American-style classic circa the 1970s, of white bread spread with shrimp paste, pan-fried with a coating of sesame seeds to a warm, puffy crisp. It wasn’t quite shrimpy enough for my taste, but having grown up with harm har, nothing ever is. Even more flavorful, I thought, was the gooey cheese toast ($11), with its delicious blend of Gruyere, smoked mozzarella and fontina that hit all the right notes, salty, creamy, buttery, smokey and earthy.
Foie gyoza ($18) was another pupu favorite, the foie gras blended with herbed mushrooms and shallots. Already flavorful in itself, accompaniments of banana jam and a soy-balsamic reduction added even more dimension to the gyoza. I also loved the tomato bisque ($9), creamy and mellow, with a swirl of basil pistou and Parmigiano-Reggiano toast “croutons” on the side.
The sandwich roster features a curry chicken club with mango chutney ($16), continental burger with caramelized onions, Gruyere and Dijon aioli ($18), and the B.O.L.T. (bacon, smoked ono, butter lettuce and tomatoes) on toasted brioche. It’s a version of Fête’s popular smoked ono club and is bound to be a hit here as well.
It’s with the mains that you’ll need to make some serious decisions. There are currently only four entrées on the menu, all so different and all worth trying, but as a meat eater, my first choice would be the steak Diane ($38). The 9-ounce grass-fed local bavette is sliced pupu style, ready for sharing, served with sautéed mushrooms and a salad of local arugula and glena vinaigrette. Most important is a pour of the classic pan sauce of butter, mustard, Worcestershire, cream and cognac. Too bad it’s not flambeed at the table as in the past, but liability issues were fewer then.
Others longing for the past might try the mahi mahi meunière ($36), the lightly flour-dredged fish drenched in tarragon brown butter sauce with a squeeze of lemon, crispy capers and curried Vichy-style carrots.
Pork schnitzel ($29) was amazing, as thick as tonkatsu, but lighter and served with an herbed gribiche sauce dominated by the flavor of dill, which I normally associate with fish. Somehow it worked here, balancing the pork with its light, earthy essence. Heyday’s primavera ($24) is not to be missed either, the farfalle pasta blanketed with kale pesto for even flavor throughout, tossed with zucchini, haricots verts, mixed mushrooms, and blistered and roasted cherry tomatoes.
Only dessert was a letdown when a slice of Kewpie mayo-infused chocolate ($14) layered cake was drier than expected. Other options are a haupia cheese flan ($12) and caramelized pineapple turnover ($14).
It’s nice to know that among concrete towers this oasis exists, and I hope it sparks others to reimagine a more idyllic Waikiki.
Heyday
White Sands Hotel
431 Nohonani St., Waikiki
Food: ****
Service: ***½
Ambiance: ****
Value: ***½
Call: 808-440-9610
Hours: Noon to 8 p.m. daily
Prices: About $100 for two without alcohol
Nadine Kam’s restaurant visits are unannounced and paid for by Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Follow Nadine on Instagram (@nadinekam) or on YouTube (youtube.com/nadinekam).
