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House Without a Key at Halekulani, a closer look
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House Without a Key at Halekulani from a few other fine perspectives:
 See the official site of House without a key! |
See Vampyra1 and her addictions... |
 Yelper's on House Without a Key Halekulani! |
 Lots of House without a Key reviews at Trip Advisor! |
Aloha!
6/15/10 - It was my sister and hubby who wined and dined at that iconic Waikiki Hotel recently, Halekulani, after which both came back absolutely raving about the place! They were actually staying at the Embassy Suites Hotel just steps away, making the short walk over just to enjoy dinner at nearby Halekulani's House Without a Key indoor/outdoor restaurant. BTW, you also gotta check out the Embassy - cost for a night's stay are right in-line with other resorts, but included in the price is a full buffet breakfast (we're not talking about a Continental-style meal, either, but a very respectable buffet, and one you can even choose to take to your room!) along with one of the most amazing deals ever - an insane two hours (5pm-7pm) of all-you-can-drink draft beer! Whaaa??? I couldn't believe my ears when we first went there a couple of years ago, but yes, it's absolutely true! Dey lose money on us, dass' for sure!!!
But as for today's feature restaurant, this was our second trip here, and lemme say right off the bat, both times were charmer's! The mini-event/meal sits smack-dab in the center of the whole Waikiki experience, where a Hawaiian music ensemble and Hula show are integral parts of your evening. Even though you've lived here your entire life, you still gotta do the tourist thing every once in a while, right? And no, it's not the kind of show where two chiselled Polynesian males wearing nothing but ti leaves are pulling an entire pig out of the imu, or a couple of gorgeous, coconut-brah'd females are dragging you on-stage to make a complete mockery of you. No, this ain't Germaine's or the Polynesian Cultural Center, and you won't hear the pounding of drums, nor revel in the excitement of flame throwers, nor become captivated by grass-skirt hips that could easily knock you out cold upon inching too close, but rather, a softer, more sophisticated side of the giant visitor industry here in the islands. Halekulani, you know. Class and elegance are the catch-words at this particular hotel!
Like other resorts catering to the rich and not the masses, when coming, it's better to just drive-up and leave your car with a valet. It's free with validation, so all's you need is a $3-$5 tip, and you're good to go. Here's a couple of maps in helping get you there:
After dropping your car off, it's pretty much almost a straight-shot towards the ocean, and you'll soon find yourself at the entrance of House Without a Key:
Arriving early, on a weekday afternoon, the sun was still towering above us as bright as any beautiful summer day in Paradise. Several muumuu-clad hostesses were immediately on-hand to greet us, kindly asking for our seating preferences. Remember that the larger tables further away from the entertainment stage, including the entire area indoors, are for folks ordering full dinner plates, while smaller tables outside are fine for just cocktails and/or pupus as well as full dinner meals. We took a seat away from the sun and stage, under a succession of large umbrella's, not because it was particularly hot, but more because my pictures would have completely blown-out with the full force of Mother Nature's light. In fact, I took the time to wait until we were half-way between our pupu courses, after the sun had tamed a bit, before venturing beach-side to take a few shots of the surrounding area. The sunset on this particularly fine evening wasn't quite as colorfully vivid and mesmerizing as it can so often and easily get in Waikiki, but still, will always be gorgeous, no matter what:
Never gets old. Any day of the week, whether at sunrise, mid-day, or sunset, getting sand between the toes and breathing the fresh salt air of Waikiki Beach is truly health and nourishment to the soul, a balm to heal all the pressures life can bring down upon you. Take a deep breath... Aaaah...
Of course, it helps if you're also staying in pampered luxury at the Halekulani, pictured next, or any other fine hotel just steps away from the soothing waves of the Pacific Ocean:
As stated earlier, the Halekulani carries a more adultish, low-key vibe than, say, any found at the Outrigger, Hilton, Sheraton, or other, generally more party-atmosphere'd and family-friendly hotels characterizing most of Waikiki. It's a little quieter here, and there's a rather conspicuous absence of kids roaming the premises. Even so, without any tykes running around, on this particular night, House Without a Key was respectably busy and reasonably lively. Us old folks know how to party, too, ey?
The Japanese ladies, especially, seemed enamored at the live entertainment, crowding around the featured hula dancer on this particularly lovely evening, Kanoe Miller. You know how big this Hawaiian art form is in Japan, and it was so cute watching so many older Japanese women all standing in line, waiting for a picture opportunity with this long-time entertainer and former Miss Hawaii. I see why, though, as she is perhaps even more gracious, even more filled with Aloha, and surely every bit as gorgeous as she was upon first winning the crown. Sharing time on the stage with Kanoe, on alternating nights, is another former Miss Hawaii, Debbi Nakanelua, who is also someone beautiful to behold, believe me.
Sometimes, I tell you, us locals forget how big the very idea of Hawaii is with the rest of the world, and how iconic island features like Diamond Head, Waikiki, Hawaiian music, the ukulele, and hula really are to everyone else.
It all adds up to one of the best, if not the best, free programs in Waikiki, and re-played every night of the week!
The dinner aspect at House Without a Key is top-knotch, as well. We didn't order any main-course, full-plate items today, only pupus, but each is a reflection of the other, so if one is good you know the other will be much the same. On Tuesday and Thursday evenings, they scratch the regular menu and employ a Hawaiian-style bbq called Kiawe Grill, featuring a house Chef grilling your favorite meats for all to see, albeit tucked-away in a safe corner to cut-down on smoke in the dining/entertainment area. They were an all-you-can-eat buffet at one time, but are now priced per plate. Just be aware that these nights are much busier and much rowdier than normal, and though though it came waaay back in 2007, one of the prominent local food writers here, the very astute and respectable Nadine Kam, was unfortunate enough to have had a truly bad experience here on one particular Kiawe Grill evening. I'll spare you the details here, but if you wanna check it out it's at http://archives.starbulletin.com/2007/07/15/features/eater.html. I know Nadine is not the type to unfairly grill a restaurant (pardon the pun) without cause, so I do believe everything she said is true. However, just about every other review I've read, and I have read many, are almost across-the-board positive, including my own! Just goes to show you that everyone has a bad night once in a while, I guess!
With Kumi sipping on an excellent, real-pineapple-filled margerita and myself throwing-down a quick Mehana Lager like I was still in high school with a beer bong, our kind and helpful waiter placed a bread basket on our table filled with simple rolls and crispy strips of lavosh:
Here's the full menu at House Without a Key for you to check out:
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Smaller Plates Lobster Salad Roll $14.00 Ahi Poke Sliders $18.00 Sashimi $19.00 Coconut Shrimp $15.00 Beef Satay $12.00 Barbecue Pork Spare Rib $13.00 Chicken “Tikka” Kebab $11.00 Nalo Greens $10.00 Caesar Salad $12.00 Maui Onion Soup $9.00 Soup of the Day $8.00
Kitchen’s Creation highlighting Fresh Ingredients Sides $5.00 Mashed Potato Green Salad French Fries Sautéed Spinach Stir Fry Vegetables Jasmine Rice |
Larger Plates Pan Seared Grouper $23.00 Catch of the Day $25.00 Roasted Salmon $20.00 Ahi and Pasta $25.00 Organic Spaghetti Roasted Tomato-Garlic Sauce $15.00 HWAK Burger $17.00 Sage Roasted Chicken $20.00 Braised Lamb Shank $21.00 Steak au Poivre $30.00 Desserts $8.00 |
Our first order came via the first item listed, a lobster salad roll:
No, it wasn't shreds of lobster meat drowning in mayo and other fillers. In fact, I don't think there was any mayo at all, thank goodness! Who woulda thought - a lobster roll where lobster is actually the predominant taste?
Both Kumi and I loved this clean, refreshing starter. Nam tok, the name of the bright orange sauce used, is a Southeast Asian name that literally means "waterfall," a reference to some type of liquid, which is oftentimes blood. It could point to many types of soups, salads, and meat dishes, but this nam tok sauce, to us, seemed a play on the locally familiar Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce, only much better, with a mellower, more natural, and more house-made taste. Along with thin, crispy shards of daikon and carrot, a touch of mint and lettuce, a paper-thin wrap, and, of course, fresh lobster, it was an excellent way to get the ball rolling.
My sister and hubby were absolutely raving about the Angus burger, saying it was cooked to a perfect medium, and succulent, moist, and tasty as they come. However, a giant burger, as good as that sounded, would quickly have filled us up, so we instead ordered another dish they also tripped over their own tongues while describing - poke sliders!
Once again - fabulous! The onion buns were perhaps just a bit common and not particularly of the freshest breading, but they did carry a sharp onion taste that matched perfectly with the fresh, raw ahi chunks. It was more of a shoyu poke, with green onions and ogo mixed-in, and one that Sam Choy himself would be proud of! Dip or apply some of that wasabi mayo, and who needs Angus beef anymore? We certainly weren't looking at any greener grass on the other side at this particular moment in time, sitting perfectly content and happy as could be, soaking up the island-style moment with much pleasure and delight. Just doesn't get any better.
Oh, and just in case - a word on that wasabi mayo. Anyone ever try making it at home? I sure have, mixing the two ingredients together and expecting something akin to mustard/mayo or Sriracha/mayo. Only, what results is the ugliest green I've ever seen, and since you have to apply lots of wasabi to reach a sufficient flavor, it gets uglier and uglier the more you apply! Instead, find wasabi oil in the Oriental aisle. It is sufficiently flavored, doesn't carry an off-color, and Japanese restaurants use it all the time.
The sliders were so good, I gotta show you another couple of shots!
While listening to Joe McGarry of WineandDineHawaii.com, on her popular weekend food radio show, I overheard her making a very interesting statement. She said the most-eaten and widespread food on earth is not burgers, not teriyaki chicken, not fish 'n chips, and no, not poke or plate lunch! Of all things, it's chicken tikka masala! Just goes to show you, that despite how we relish taking pride in diversity and a wide variety of foods here in Hawaii, we are still a tiny pebble in the giant ocean of this multi-cultured world! That's not to say we're insignificant, by the way - not at all. It's just saying that there's so much more out there to learn and explore, is all! A good thing, yes?
And waddaya know, sitting right there on the menu at Halekulani's House Without a Key is none other than top dog himself:
The menu says this particular chicken tikka came with tomato onion raita and mint chutney. The yogurt-filled raita was, as always, cool and refreshing, with crunchy bits of onion mixed in the creamy-white mix, while the green chutney was a little different from the fruit-filled, almost ground jello-like addition that I've mostly experienced in the past. This one looked more like a Chinese-style ginger/green onion sauce, only more of a paste and much earthier and spice-filled.
I'm not gonna pretend being familiar with all the many variations of chicken tikka found throughout the world, but I have eaten it in several different countries, and am most familiar with the Indian version, which is predominantly flavored (marinated) with spices and yogurt, and which seems the type modeled here at House Without a Key. After all, world-renowned Halekulani has been fortunate enough to secure the talent and vision of also-world-renowned and Indian-born Vikram Garg as Executive Chef of all food operations, a real plus for the islands, lemme tell ya! Check out the link on-top to Halekulani's official website to find out more about this talented new Chef.
The kebabs of chicken were understandably fire-grilled, not tandoori-cooked, with charred lines to prove it, and carried with them a slightly tangy, slightly spicy taste that balanced well with the creamy raita. The chicken was perhaps a tad over-cooked, but nothing too far outside the margin of error. I couldn't help but get creative with the dish, and, reminiscent of our excellent second course earlier, made a slider of my own with our bread basket shown earlier, this one with chicken tikka instead! Just playin' around, is all!
Before ordering our final small dish of the evening, I pointfully asked our kind waiter if the onion soup actually came with a topping of bread and cheese that was then baked, as opposed to simply thrown-on and served. The effects of melted cheese, browning on-top and running over the edges of the bowl, is as important to onion soup as the fresh-baked crust of a chicken pot pie. As you can see, House Without a Key's version was the real thing!
The crust wasn't as poofy or thick as I'd normally prefer, but it was there - that's the main thing! They used a Swiss cheese called Emental, along with an un-named bread just underneath that had sopped-up all the delicious flavors of the beef/onion broth underneath. Sweet, caramelized Maui onions were the bulb of choice here, combining with everything else for a deep, rich, slightly sweet but mostly savory broth that Kumi and I fought over until not a drop was left!
Here's a shot underneath, revealing the gooey cheese and broth-filled bread:
House Without a Key at the Halekulani Hotel takes advantage of just about everything Hawaii is known and loved for around the globe. I mean, there's the booming baritones, fluttering falsetto's, and slack-key tones of Hawaiian music, the effortless grace and beauty of master hula dancers, and the gently-lapping waves of gorgeous Waikiki Beach, literally steps away. There's brilliant Hawaiian sunsets, world-class food, top-knotch service (except on Kiawe Grill night's, perhaps!), and a classy, yet relaxed setting of island-style luxury. The menu above provides all the prices as well, so you can determine how much you wanna spend, even if it means just a drink or two, and out! A few pupus and cocktails, however, won't set you back nearly as far as you might think.
How can you possibly go wrong?
Hey, hope you've had yourself a fabulous weekend, and are making the most of your week right now. I've been pretty busy at work recently, but that's probably a good thing, as Kumi and I are planning on a major trip in just a few short months. Tell you about it soon!
Take care, and Aloha till next time!
Aku
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