Hawai'i Ways, Hawai'i Days
Revisiting restaurants of yore
By Remy Latour
Special to The Advertiser
Everyone daydreams. I know that I do. So go along with me back into the '50s and '60s. We will visit some of the restaurants that had good things to eat and drink.
Using the old picturesque road, we go to Wahiawa. Over the old bridge turn left to Kemoo Farm, a pleasant setting surrounded by tall eucalyptus trees with its pink and white flowers, across the road from Schofield Barracks and overlooking Lake Wilson. At that time, it had the best steaks in town with lots of that good-tasting fat; the steak came to your table on a sizzling hot platter with a napkin over it to prevent splatter and hold in heat. Robby Senior was the owner then.
Dot's in Wahiawa was also a family-oriented restaurant that specialized in Japanese and haole food. Michel also had a small restaurant not too far from the bridge. He had excellent French food, which we cooked himself, and he always greeted his customers personally. Pearl City Tavern was noted for its Monkey Bar: a large plate glass enclosure behind the bar with about a dozen spider monkeys. They had swings, tree branches and other things to play with. The next place was Dyke's Bar and Restaurant, which served local food and drinks.
In Honolulu, Wo Fat, which recently reopened, had excellent Chinese food. Ciro's was noted for its businessmen's lunches. M's was noted for the coconut pies and cakes. M's also had an honor system — they did not write your order on a check, you would just tell the cashier how much your breakfast or lunch cost. The Alexander Young Hotel was very popular for its bakery, especially their Dream Cake and Lemon Crunch Cake. The dining room was a coffee shop in the morning and for lunch. I remember when they raised the prices of coffee from 5 cents to 10 cents and the people put up a howl that could be heard around the island. Merchant's Grill was also a very busy place for businessmen, with good food.
Woodie's was across the street from the downtown post office and later moved to Kapi'olani Boulevard; it was a great deli and sandwich shop with a friendly atmosphere. We must not forget Columbia Inn; I used to enjoy its smoked salmon. Flamingo's Restaurant was noted for inexpensive good food and fast service. The old Fisherman's Wharf was known for its fine seafood and chowder. Kau Kau Korner was a fast-food place and the first to serve broasted chicken, which it did in small pressure cookers. It was also the home of the late radio personality J. Aku Head Pupule. Kapi'olani Drive Inn (KDI) was the first restaurant to have carhop service with food served on trays hung on the side of the car window.
The Willows was known for its excellent shrimp curry, and also noted for lemon pie with mile-high meringue. The old Wai'oli Tea Room had excellent food and desserts served on top-grade china, glass and silverware.
The Tropics on Kakakaua Avenue was known for its great prime rib of beef, which they would cover with a coating of 2 inches of rock salt, and then roast on low heat all day. It also served the best martini in town, a 2-ounce glass decanter, which came in a bowl full of crushed ice with a silver rim.
Trader Vic's on Ward Avenue had a rock lined pit in which was a smoldering wood fire, over which the cooks would hang ducks and other meats — what an excellent flavor! The Wagon Wheel was very popular during the war years and for a short time after.
Bob Stewart's Pharmacy and Coffee Shop was noted for its cream pies. The Liberty House Coffee Shop served more than 2,000 cups of coffee each day. Spencecliff Gourmet Restaurant was noted for fine dining. And Peter Canlis had a small steak house and had not moved into his new Waikiki place as yet. Waikiki Tavern had the first buffet that I recall — "all you can eat" for $2.50. The place was always crowded, with people standing in line outside.
Remy Latour of Kailua is a frequent contributor to Hawai'i Ways, Hawai'i Days.
