Hau Tree
With the rolling 7-day average of COVID cases in Hawaii dropping to about 50 and the positivity rate declining, I’ve been feeling more comfortable lately with dining out. That being said, I’m still sticking to either private rooms or outdoor settings with good ventilation. I am also still a bit tenuous about how our baby will react to being out in the bustling environment of a restaurant, so finding locations that provide for easy access away from the dining room to tend to a crying baby is also important.
While these requirements do narrow the field of options a bit, there are thankfully places we can go that fit the bill. The Hau Tree has been a staple of Waikiki dining for decades, but up until recently it’s primary attraction for locals has been the atmosphere and beachfront setting. The food previously has been your typical tourist-centric fare. But, recently, both the Hau Tree restaurant and its hotel property have come under new management and have been revamped. At the helm of the Hau Tree restaurant revamp is Chef Kajioka, who is certainly one of my favorite chefs in Hawaii.
Iconic Waikiki beachfront view from the lanai seating at Hau Tree
Although the menu and service have been revamped at the Hau Tree, the charm and relative serenity of its iconic setting and views remains unchanged. It has easily been a decade or more since I’ve been back to the Hau Tree. I think you can valet at the Kaimana Beach Hotel, but with COVID reducing the number of tourists in Waikiki, metered street parking around the property or across the street at Kapiolani park was very easy to find.
The Hau Tree offers both a brunch and dinner service. Since nighttime dining is a bit restrictive due to having a baby in tow, we opted to check out the brunch offering. Here is what we had during our visit on February 10, 2021:
Avocado Toast - Grilled semolina bread, tomato jam, smashed avocado, soft boiled egg (add-on)
Kaimana Burger - Local beef, tomato jam, bacon, special sauce, fresh La Tour roll, fries
Hau Tree Eggs Benedict - La Tour english muffin, ham, poached eggs, tarragon bearnaise, potatoes
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes - Oranges, lemon curd (compliments of the kitchen)
Those that know me well know that I find breakfast to be the least interesting meal of the day; at least here in the United States. I do, however, enjoy brunch as it does introduce more complex flavors and ingredients than your typical American-style breakfast fare. I’m happy to say that our visit to Hau Tree was one of the better brunch experiences we’ve had here in Hawaii. All the dishes were very well done and full of flavor. My favorite plate was the eggs benedict for its wonderful savoriness, light herb notes of tarragon, and the excellent potato accompaniment.
The Hau Tree is recently revamped but you probably couldn’t guess it from the food quality. We did have a minor hiccup in service with about a 10 minute wait after we were seated before being approached by any servers, but I imagine this will be refined as the staff settles in.
If you’re like us and getting a little COVID stir crazy sitting at home and getting delivery, the Hau Tree is a great option for safe dining. While the dining area was seated to capacity, we were at minimum 6 feet away from all other diners (most tables were even farther away). The open air dining ensures fantastic ventilation and, for those that value additional UV protection from COVID (although a matter of some debate), there’s definitely plenty of sunshine to make your experience feel even safer.
Hau Tree
Kaimana Beach Hotel
2863 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815
Ph: 808.921.7066
https://www.kaimana.com/dining
