Page 2 - Dining Out - Aug 22 2021

Restaurant Insider with Anne Lee
ANNE LEE
speaks with The Daley owner
DANNY KAAIALII
Photos by
LAWRENCE TABUDLO
What is a smashburger, and why is it so popular? The Daley’s smashburger concept was created by restaurateur Danny Kaaialii and partner Jonny Vasquez. Opening its doors in Sep- tember 2019, The Daley grew and expanded, as it was equipped to han- dle takeout orders, while providing a delicious comfort food experience. It has consistently been able to offer these decadent grass-fed Kauai beef burgers — juicy with crispy edges — to the business and neighborhood lunch crowd week after week.
As I learned more about The Daley, Danny and I had a shot of Fernet-Bran- ca to start (as it is supposed to whet your appetite). And, to my surprise, I was able to eat an entire Daley burger, crinkle-cut fries, and the whole Ho Farms pickle.
AL: Tell me about your background and how you got to where you are today.
DK: I was born in Hawaii.When I was 6, I moved to Texas with my mother and grandparents. During the sum- mers, I would always come back to visit with my dad and his family on the homestead in Nanakuli.
Growing up in Texas, I learned how to love Mexican food, as it’s a huge part of the culture. My good friend, Quentin, and I met while living there and he ended up coming to Hawaii to be a chef at our first concept, which was Salt Bar & Kitchen.
From there, we started at Mark No- guchi’s concept, Taste, and called it Cocina, which grew to a brick-and- mortar. This led to the opportunity to open three establishments in the Encore building, which included The Daley.
AL: How did you come up with the name The Daley?
DK: Jonny and I took a road trip and realized that every hometown has their favorite daily neighborhood hangout, whether a bar or restaurant.
AL: What does The Daley provide to the Hawaii dining scene?
DK: We wanted the concept to be a neighborhood burger bar that of- fered a quick shot and a beer with your burger.
People ask, what is a smashburg- er? It’s when a burger is cooked on a flattop and literally smashed with a spatula. This creates a burger that’s crispy but still moist. It’s not gourmet or fancy; quite the opposite of that — greasy and sloppy — the way a burger is supposed to be.
AL: Walk me through the process on how to place an order.
DK: It’s a little different now, due to the pandemic. The idea was to come in and order off our straightforward menu. There aren’t many choices, as our burger is done one way. We offer a few things, and everything we offer, we love.
Dining Out is a weekly advertising supplement published by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
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@DININGOUT_HAWAII DININGOUTHAWAII
SPECIAL SECTIONS MANAGER
Nicole Monton
Phone: 808-529-4857 diningout@staradvertiser.com
SALES MANAGER
Anne Lee
Phone: 808-347-1093 alee@staradvertiser.com
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Dining Out
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