Hawaii Hospitality - May/June 2013 - (Page 17)

NEwRestaurants Li ko Leh u a C a f é 177 Kaumana Dr., Hilo • (808) 935-7272 • likolehua.com A company truck slows down in front of Hilo’s liko lehua Café, way up Kaumana drive in a mostly residential neighborhood, and its driver calls out a question to the owner of the tiny take-out spot, who’s standing on the storefront’s porch. “Ribs on Friday, right?” Co-owner dawn Kanealii laughs, waves and shouts back an answer. she describes her new restaurant, housed in an off-white building with dark teal posts, as a “burger shack” but its menu goes way beyond burgers. Best sellers include the crab cake sandwich, grilled Portobello mushroom sandwich and the “Hula Girl,” which is a teriyaki/mushroom/swiss cheese burger. And liko lehua Café is one of the few places around Hilo where Hawaiian food is always available in the steam table. Kanealii and her fiancé Matt Kleinfelder started in that spot, formerly lucy’s okazuya, about a year ago, but as a place to make their liko lehua Gourmet Butters (their lilikoi butter is the best known; the tropical-flavored butters are distributed throughout Hawaii at longs, sack n save, Hilo Hattie’s, airport shops and more). This year they added the café, and have steadily acquired a loyal following (customers drive in from as far as Puna, she says) and a buzz about town. It’s all home-style—the food, the building, the people—and it’s working. They deliver between Keaau and Kalanianaole school in papaikou (minimum delivery $30), and in fact about half their business is delivery. she says they pay attention to the way they prepare food for delivery. There’s always a “patty paper” separating the burger from its bun, for instance, she says “so integritywise it’s the same quality as if you were eating it right away, right here.” And, she says, they aim to make food local people like. “We wanted to offer something for the entire family,” she says. “Our food is kid-tested, husband-tested. It’s the stuff we’ve made for dinner for years.” Co-owner Dawn Kanealii and her daughter Alexis Amon-Wilkins, 14, who also works at the restaurant Liko Lehua brand gourmet butters ~ LeSLie LaNG Dawn’s younger children, on the restaurant’s front porch NEwSBriefs Cross Named Hotel Manager Thomas Cross has been named hotel manager at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel on the island of Hawaii. “His leadership and experience as a senior manager in hotel operations and intimate knowledge of Hawaii Island make him the ideal person to take the helm of this beautiful property,” says Jon Gersonde, prince Resorts Hawaii vice president of operations. Cross takes the reins at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel following a seven-year stint at the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu, where he was resort manager. His background also includes serving as food and beverage director at both the Kona village Resort and the Hawaiian Regent Hotel, now Taking part in the presentation at Nanakuli High Schools were, from left, Tiki’s Grill and Bar manager Edwin Fabro, chef Mike Kealoha, executive chef Ronnie Nasuti and Nanakuli seniors Jaysha Santiago-Luafalemana and Skye Kaohu-Scorse. known as the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and spa. Bus Expo Rolls In The 14th Biennial pacific Bus Expo 2013 was held this spring in Honolulu. The three-day expo in March included a variety of displays and forums, including the Aloha Bus Maintenance and New Technology forum hosted by soderholm sales & leasing, Inc. at its offices on Dillingham Boulevard. The Thomas Cross A new school bus was on exhibit at the Pacific Bus Expo. opening reception was held at the pacific Club. showcased at the event were more than 15 buses, vans, motorcoaches and AdA compliant vehicles. Manufacturers’ reps, vendors and financing firms also were on hand to meet with business leaders from the Islands’ tourism industry. Tiki’s Chefs Visit Nanakuli Tiki’s Grill & Bar, working with the Hawaii Culinary Education Foundation, recently cooked up some education and excitement for 50 students at nanakuli High school as part of the school’s Career & College Ready program. Ronnie nasuti, Tiki’s executive chef, and chef Mike Kealoha demonstrated Island-style bacon and eggs (kobacha puree, hoisin glazed braised pork belly; a poached quail egg garnished with chives/black salt). “Be sure you love the culinary profession whole heartedly,” Nasuti told students. “If you don’t, you won’t make it. If you do, it will be more than a gratifying experience and career choice.” www.hawaiihospitalityonline.com 17 http://www.likolehua.com http://www.hawaiihospitalityonline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hawaii Hospitality - May/June 2013

Hawaii's Female Chefs
War on Waste
Big Island Hookipa
Hawaii’s Little Touches
HRA Excellence Awards
Talk Story with George Szegeti
New Restaurants: Chef Chai and Liko Lehua Cafe
News Briefs
Association News

Hawaii Hospitality - May/June 2013