HOUSE WITHOUT A KEY - HALEKULANI HOTEL

HOUSE WITHOUT A KEY

HALEKULANI HOTEL

HULA UNDER THE KIAWE TREE AT SUNSET

The Halekulani Hotel is probably the nicest and only 5 Star Hotel in Waikiki.  The hotel features three signature restaurants with the first two being very high end.  The House without a Key is a casual indoor/outdoor restaurant/bar located poolside and oceanside.  The large Kiawe Tree on the lawn is the perfect background for what has become one of Hawaii's premier sunset hula shows.  This is not a flashy or loud show.  Simply Hawaiian music and an elegant dancer.  We always enjoy time spent on the patio here.  It allows us to enjoy a sunset and cocktail in a very calm and relaxed setting unlike most of the watering holes in Waikiki.  You can choose cocktail seating up front near the Hula Dancer or Dinner seating under covered umbrellas or under roof.  We always choose outside under the umbrellas.  We were seated rather quickly during prime time.  After a minute or two the waiter arrived to take our drink order.  Was surprised that no water was brought to the table.  When I asked for a water, our waiter brought me one but none for the rest of the table.  Complimentary bread here is delicious.  Very fresh.  We ordered from the Small Plate Menu as we did not want a big meal.  The best deal on the menu was the Childs Beef Skewers ($8.50).  Nice chunks of marinated beef served with fresh vegetables.  Our daughter loved the dish.  I tried the Beef Skewer and it was delicious.  The Caesar Salad ($12) had no anchovies and no taste.  The bacon bits were hard like rocks.  The Lobster Roll ($14) was also tasteless.  You can get a roll like this at any vietnamese restaurant (less the lobster) for a few bucks.  Since you cannot taste the small piece of lobster in each piece, this dish is not worth it.  The Poke Sliders ($18) seemed like a real good idea and the presentation was beautiful.  Problem is fresh Poke (Ahi Tuna) should not be served on a bun.  This was really fresh and delicious Poke.  When you put this stuff on a bun and eat it like a burger, the Poke squirts and gets mushy in your mouth.  I ate my second slider without the bun.  Just picked out all the Poke pieces.  Delicious.  I think the Childs Beef Skewer dish came with a desert.  We enjoyed a scoop of chocolate ice cream covered in whipped creme and surrounded by MM's.  I really like House without a Key, but really think they need to work on the menu.

Click link below for another post on House without a Key;

http://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2008/08/house-without-key-halekulani-hotel.html

COMPLIMENTARY BREAD BASKET

CAESAR SALAD

LOBSTER ROLL 

CHILD BEEF SKEWERS

POKE SLIDERS

POKE SLIDER WITHOUT THE BREAD ON TOP

CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM WITH WHIPPED CREME AND M N M'S

BURGERS ON THE EDGE - HONOLULU, HAWAII

BURGERS ON THE EDGE

HONOLULU, HI

I have avoided eating at Burgers on the Edge due to my on and off again dieting. For over a year, I have drove by the place thinking about those big juicy burgers. When my daughter said she wanted a burger for lunch, I gave in and finally tried this place. When you enter you are given a menu and a pencil. The menu allows you to mark off what you want on your burger. You can choose from a 1/3 or 1/2 pound Wagyu Kobe Style or 100% Premium Ground Chuck burger. The you choose the cheese; cheddar, provolone, Danish Havarti, Parmesan, Pepper Jack, Swiss, Mozzarella or Bleu Cheese. Then you pick a sauce from a list of about 12. The sauces include Jalapeno Ketchup, BBQ, Marinara, Teriyaki, Roasted Garlic, Cajun, Ranch and Basil Pesto. Then you choose the toppings (4 included with burger). There are the regular lettuce, tomato, onion and more like a fried egg, grilled ham, roasted peppers, bacon, mushrooms, caramelized apples and grilled pineapple to name a few. Choose a bun from white or whole wheat and you have your customized Burger on the Edge. We went with a 1/3 pound Wagyu Beef Burger ($7.99) with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and red onion with jalapeno ketchup. My daughter took one bite and said "delicious". I took a bite and agreed. This was a very good burger. We tried the Sweet Potato Fries ($4.89). These are fried Sweet Potato gut thin and crunchy. They are good but expensive. My daughter ate the entire burger. Not a thread of evidence left on her plate. I finished too and was very full. The burgers here are good but a bit expensive. Lunch for two with drinks was $25. UPDATE 2012 - OUT OF BUSINESS.

 

BURGERS ON THE EDGE