THE BRIEF
I really like the Kahala district of Honolulu. Kahala is an upscale residential area boasting some of the most expensive beachfront real estate in the country.
Kapa Hale is Hawaii’s new neighbourhood eatery located in the Waialae-Kahala District. As usual, I got my assistant and companion to book us a table one evening so I could write about the experience.
The 2021 Hale ‘Aina Award Winner won the Gold. Kapa Hale was named the Best New Restaurant in Hawai‘i. Keaka Lee, the chef-owner of Kapa Hale, grew up in this neighbourhood where he opened up his restaurant. He also worked at the Pig & the Lady restaurant as the Chef de Cuisine.
Upon arrival, we found the small parking lot was packed. There was one spot left though and we quickly squeezed into there. Inside, the dining room was full and fairly noisy so we chose to sit out on the veranda.
I found this seating disappointing as it had no legroom, for a tall guy like myself, and the seats were just bare metal which I found very uncomfortable in short order. The place setting had paper napkins. I always prefer a nice cloth napkin when dining out whether in a casual atmosphere or a more sophisticated establishment.
There is a small, but adequate wine list here. I selected the 2015 vintage of Seven Falls Cabernet from Wahluke Slope Washington. This is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with layers of black fruit and some spice leading to a smooth and lasting finish. Nice aroma and finish on this one. BARREL AGING:30% new oak (73% French, 27% American) and 70% neutral oak for 15-17 months.
The chef likes to feature a seasonal menu with dishes made from locally sourced farm ingredients. It features a Hawaiian twist to American, European, and Asian food. The service here was excellent and all the dish ingredients were explained to us by the server.
For Starters, we had NAAN YA BUSINESS… Fresh Garlic Naan, Sumida Watercress Namul, Tikka Masala Curry and LET’S TAKO ‘BOUT IT…Grilled Spanish Octopus, Black Garlic Char Siu, Lomi Lomi Tomato.
For the main course, the server brought out the BULGOGI PORK BOLOGNESE with fried garlic and pickled pepper. The MISO SCHNITZEL DE LECHON featuring Fried Pork Belly, MisoSesame, Wailea Ag Pickled Kumquats, Kolea Farm Pak Choy, Ho Farms Eggplant was also ordered. Both dishes were amazing!
The dessert was SOY SAUCE CAKE. It had Miso Caramel, Gooseberry Gel, and Orange Sorbet. Nice finish to a wonderful meal!
THE DEBRIEF
I had a wonderful experience here. The food had a nice presentation and was cooked well, which provided a treat for the taste buds. The service was excellent. The atmosphere is friendly and casual. My only criticism would be the seating and the use of paper napkins.
👍👍
