Hale Kealoha Unveils New Menu

After debuting its pupus last month, Hotel Molokai’s recently restored restaurant expanded its menu to include breakfast, lunch and dinner last week.

Hale Kealoha, the first full restaurant service at the hotel in three years, is now open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Owners and siblings Tammy Smith and Kama Hoe called it the restaurant’s “soft opening,” a chance to get the staff comfortable and work out any kinks before the restaurant’s grand opening on Dec. 5.

“It’s a beautiful place, so come on back and create the memories of what used to be,” said Hoe.

Breakfast at Hale Kealoha now includes classics such as pancakes, French toast and oatmeal. Omelets are custom made to reflect Molokai towns: the Maunaloa omelet ($14) features smoke meat, onions and tomatoes; the Kamalo omelette ($16) includes shrimp and crab; and the Ho`olehua omelet ($14) contains spinach, mushroom, onions and tomatoes.

The lunch menu offers soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers. There’s the turkey ulu burger ($14), the grilled mahimahi sandwich ($15), cobb salad ($16), and chicken noodle and corn chowder soups for $8.

Dinner includes stuffed pork chops ($22), steak ($24), steamed mussels ($18), half chicken ($20) and a host of pasta dishes, including chicken alfredo ($16), carbonara ($16) and shrimp scampi ($20). Hoe said to “stay tuned for our prime rib and seafood bucket.”

“We’re not cooking the same food as anybody else,” said Smith. “… We’re not selling plate lunches. We don’t even make mac salad. There’s enough business for all of us to go around.”

While a time has yet to be determined, Hoe said the Dec. 5 grand opening will be a late lunch featuring a blessing, entertainment and free luau stew bowls.

Hale Kealoha accepts walk-ins, but Smith and Hoe recommended calling the restaurant at 660-8401 to make reservations.