Page 4 - Dining Out - July 25, 2021

Cover Story
The talented culinary team behind Halekulani Bakery & Restaurant (from left) Halekulani Restaurant chef de cuisine Aaron Furuto; Halekulani executive chef Mark Freischmidt; and head baker Tatsuhiro Kaneshiro show off some of the menu offerings.
Story by
LIANNE BIDAL THOMPSON
W hen Halepuna Waikiki was in the infancy of its planning pro- cess, it was decided to add a touch of its sister property, Halekulani, to the destination.Theresult:HalekulaniBakery& Restaurant, the hotel’s first branded entity
outside of Halekulani.
“We envisioned creating an outlet that
would center around our one-of-a-kind pas- tries and exquisite baked goods,” states Bonnie Bise, public relations manager for Halekulani and Halepuna Waikiki.
“With our baked goods, we could hone in our bread pairings with specialty sand- wiches, and the concept eventually trans-
Photos by
LAWRENCE TABUDLO
formed into a separate plan for a bakery/ café, in addition to a casual restaurant with an emphasis on local, indigenous foods.”
The eatery is helmed by an impres- sive culinary team comprising executive pastry chef Mark Freischmidt who has led the team at Halekulani for the past 11 years and head baker Tatsuhiro Kane- shiro, whose tenure at Imperial Hotel in Tokyo has afforded him top-notch culinary bonafides.
“Another key team member is chef de cuisine Aaron Furuto, who has roots both on Oahu and Hawaii Island. He currently leads the restaurant’s culinary team after
previously working at Halekulani’s Orchid Restaurant,” Bise adds.
The vision is clearly paying off. Kamaaina and visitors have found fast favorites in the Pan au Chocolat ($5) and two newer items: the Salted Caramel Croissant ($5) and the Pabana Croissant ($5). Patrons are encour- aged to find their own favorites among the bakery’s classic offerings of croissants, cinnamon rolls and of course, the freshly baked breads and baguettes.
The bakery’s takeout menu has also been expanded to include signature lunch items including the Halekulani Banh Mi with Soy Braised Pork Belly, Papaya Salad, Spice
Cilantro Sauce on a French Bread ($18), Grilled Jidori Chicken with Apples, Pick- led Onions, Brie and Roasted Garlic Aioli on Sourdough ($18) and the Kauai Shrimp Salad with Mango Vinaigrette ($16).
A beautiful and delicious best-seller is the Warabi & Opai Salad with Soy Vinaigrette ($16). Presented like an intricate lei on the plate, this dish is an example of Furuto’s prowess with elevating island dishes.
“(The salad) was an inspiration by chef Aaron’s grandmother, (it) includes lo- cal warabi (fiddlehead fern), opai (dried shrimp), local greens and whole farm to- matoes,” Bise explains.
4 / Dining Out / July 25-31, 2021