Maui is on fire at the time of this writing, dozens are dead, and our hearts go out to the people of Hawaii. To keep their culture in mind even here on the mainland, I’m presenting three restaurants that will put you in an Aloha spirit.
Holey Grail has developed a cult following after its humble beginnings at a burger trailer in Kauai. Founded by the brother-sister combo of Hana and Nile Dreiling, the taro donuts have become all the rage at locations throughout Hawaii and a couple here in L.A. – Santa Monica and Larchmont.
The restaurant features a weekly revolving menu highlighting Hawaiian and Californian ingredients, sustainably and ethically sourced from local farmers.
A staple of the menu is the Original Sin, featuring Hawaiian vanilla bean and a salted maple glazze. It captures the essence of the taro donut in every bite. This month, Holey Grail is teaming with famed Chef Ludovic Lefebvre. The collaborative flavor Cosmic Churro Donut features the signature taro donut fried to order in coconut oil, cinnamon sugar, brulee banana and gold leaf.
Located just off the boardwalk in Venice Beach, Belle’s Beach House feels a little like going ashore on a tropical island. The salty air of the Pacific wafts in the breeze. The patio is fantastic for people-watching, while the rattan-furnished interior is a vacation to the South seas, replete with lush King Palm trees and Agave plants, and of course, tiki gods.
Executive Chef Sydney Hunter’s kalua pork bao buns capture one of Hawaii’s signature flavors, which is intensified by the addition of kimchi, pickled cucumber and a sweet chili sauce. And for vegetarians, there’s a miso mushroom option. Meanwhile, the sushi seems to have culinary elements from around the entire Pacific Rim, whether it’s the tempura asparagus in the lobster roll or the house ponzu and serrano in the Yellowtail sashimi or the crispy garlic chili of the Watermelon tuna sashimi.
Those flavors are also apparent in Beverage Director Julien Calella’s cocktails. The Marine Layer, for instance, blends tequila with yuzu, passion fruit, mitsuba (a Japanese parsley), chili and lava salt. It also features suze, a French aperitif – so, incorporating some French Polynesia into the regional mix, as well.
The scent of the ocean surf permeates Roy’s San Diego Waterfront location (there’s also a location in Anaheim). Roy’s was founded by James Beard Award winner Roy Yamaguchi in 1988 in Honolulu and specializes in Hawaiian-Japanese fusion.
Highlights of the menu include roasted Macadamia nut-crusted Mahi Mahi in lobster cream sauce. The blackened Island Ahi and the Misoyaki Butterfish also help put the “surf” in this classic surf ‘n’ turf joint.
Even the desserts are redolent with the flavors of the islands – Macadamia nut bread pudding with guava sauce and toasted coconut, or pineapple upside down cake with brown sugar.
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