A Garden in a Dish

Fresh: It’s what we want these days. Just look at all the farmers markets springing up everywhere. Fresh is the new buzzword for foodies.

And that’s a good thing. After all, consider the alternative!

Speaking of fresh, if you haven’t been to Pagoda Floating Restaurant recently, you really should stop in to check out the renovations. It’s … well, a fresh, new look for the hotel and its eatery, including its charming outdoor tea houses (which you can book for private parties), tropical garden and koi ponds — and you can bring the keiki to help feed the fish! Fish-feeding times are 8 a.m., noon and 6 p.m for koi, and 12:30 p.m. for those hungry ulua.

If you would rather feed fish than eat them, stop in for brunch (the breakfast menu is served daily until 1 p.m.) for a New Fresh Garden Benedict ($12).

The name says it all. It has all the components of a traditional eggs Benedict — toasted English muffin topped with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce — but this hollandaise is laced with pesto, and the Island fresh eggs are accompanied by locally grown oven-roasted tomato and sauteed fresh spinach. It’s a meal in itself with protein, starch and vegetables, but Pagoda serves it with its crispy Paniolo potatoes sauteed with onions and peppers.

It’s a garden in a dish.

Contact Terri Hefner at diningout@staradvertiser.com

Pagoda Floating Restaurant

1525 Rycroft St.
948-8356
Open daily
Breakfast: 6:30 am.-1 pm.
Lunch: Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Weekend Brunch: Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Dinner: nightly 5-9:30 p.m.
Dinner Buffet: Friday-Sunday, 5-9:30 p.m.