Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 7, 1 July 2010 — Maui eatery brings upscale plate luneh to Honolulu [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Maui eatery brings upscale plate luneh to Honolulu

By Lisa Asato KaWai Ola f you ean rate a restaurant's Hawaiian food based on how tight your waistband is after you leave, then Da Kitchen across from 01d Stadium Park on Isenberg Street is a five-star restaurant. Indeed, there are more reasons to love Da Kitchen, and the freshness of the Hawaiian plate

is chief among them. The poi at this eatery, whieh opened June 1 in Honolulu, was served slightly warmed (a niee touch) and worth the $3.25 for a generous a la carte serving. The ehieken long rice had a pampering, homey appeal, with translucent noodles cut extra tiny. That the dish is made with hormone- and additive-free ehieken is even better. At $ 14.99, the Hawaiian plate also offers two scoops rice, potato mae salad, a ramekin of lomi salmon, a

heaping scoop of kālua pig atop a bed of shredded cabbage and a pork laulau that steamed enticingly when I cut into with my fork. There was a lot on the plate - enough still for luneh the next day and then some. But what eaeh dish had in eommon was a definite freshness, whieh started with the green salad and papaya seed dressing and continued through the meal. (Thanks in part to the restaurant's use of loeal produce when they ean get it, like onions, tomatoes and locally produced goods like the Hawaiian Hula papaya seed dressing.) For something distinctively different, try the deep-fried Spam musubi, for $4.50. The host of the TV show Bizarre Foock did, in 2008. His palate didn't take to Hawai'i's favorite canned meat, but don't let that deter you. Honolulu audiences are loving the fried pūpū even more than fans on Maui, where Da Kitchen first opened a take-out only location in Klhei, in 1998. A decade later, when the nation celebrated the inauguration of President Obama, Da Kitchen was there, catering a lū'au for 500 at Hotel Monaeo. When owners Mariah Brown and Les Tomita had the ehanee to expand their upscale plate luneh plaee to Honolulu in a l,000-square-foot space at the St. Louis Alumni Clubhouse, they took it. "We're going to be their exclusive caterer and do all their functions for the alumni-hall bookings," said Brown, who doubles as a waitress while Tomita is the main chef in the kitchen. Both are originally from O'ahu and split their time between the two islands. Neither had restaurant training. Strictly through word of mouth, they've grown to operate two restaurants on Maui and a restaurant in San Francisco, Hukilau. "We've never done any advertising," says Brown.

"We feel if we give good food, big portions and friendly service, that's how we'll be successful." The only downside I found is that in this age of the ubiquitous free soda refills, it'll cost you 75 cents for a refill here. Not a plus, but definitely not a deal-breaker either. Judging from a Monday evening crowd, equal numbers of patrons opt for take out than sit in. I would suagest eatina in. The staff

is friendly, the restaurant elean and modern, with 11 tables inside and three more outside on __

a small patio. If you can't find a parking space in the small lot out front, there's more in the back. Additional

parking is also available • after 5 p.m. weekdays and all day weekends, when the lot at the adjacent First Hawaiian Bank opens to restaurant patrons. ■

i ' na mea ai me na mea īnu

Da Kitchen Cafē 925 lsenberg St. Open Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. 957-0099 On Maui > Da Kitchen Express Take-out only Rainbow Mall in Kihei 808-875-7782 > Da Kitchen Cafē 425 Koloa St. Kahului 808-871-7782 dakitchen@hawaii.rr.com www.Da-Kitchen.com Catering available Accepts cash, credit cards and traveler's checks.

Showing the restaurant's specialty pūpū - the deep fried Spam musubi - are Alana Gamundoy and managers Jina Rabago and Ke'ala Richards. - Photos: Lisa Asato A

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