The Cream Pot - A Delectable Charmer on the Edge of Waikiki
Gail Jennings
May 2008

Internet buzz about a new European-style breakfast spot in Waikiki has been building for a few months now and I was definitely taking notice as there are so few breakfast places here. Kailua has a concentration of them (none that I find all that impressive) and there are the Original Pancake Houses, though getting a seat at one of those in a timely manner is an iffy proposition. And, I've never actually met any one in real life who likes Eggs 'n Things - it's more like a tourist trap than a restaurant anymore what with the long lines waiting to get a chance at some rather marginal fare and an impressive array of logo merchandise. [Editor's Note: The original Eggs 'n Things is now closed and they expect to re-open in a new location in February 2009.]

The perfect opportunity to visit The Cream Pot presented itself this week when a spot in the general vicinity of Ala Moana was need for a breakfast meeting. The location is actually quite convenient - right on the Ewa corner of Nui Street along the Ala Wai in the Hawaiian Monarch Hotel with validated parking in the building. You can't miss the restaurant as you turn onto Nui Street from the Ala Wai as it occupies the corner of the building with expansive floor to ceiling windows and a large herb garden on the lanai. FYI, the lanai will offer outdoor seating in a few months when the moon flowers grow enough to cover the pergola. Proceed down Nui and enter the garage at the far end of the building.

Charming is the only way to describe the setting. Owner Nathan Tran and his friends did the build out and it is both whimsical (a black car peers from the tiled roof of a cottage facade at the rear of the restaurant, while a child's dress hangs from the cottage window) and restrained in its use of color (white, soft French blue and buttery yellow) with light woods for seating and darker woods for accents. The rustic tile floor provides a cohesive feeling throughout the space. Fresh flowers on each table along with dried floral arrangements add the perfect finishing touch.

We were hungry to try the food especially after perusing the descriptions on the menu which is served daily from 6:30am-2:30pm. The menu focuses on breakfast and brunch fare supplemented by a decent number of daily specials. Crepes, Belgian waffles and French toast with various fresh fruit toppings and filings are prominently featured. There is always a soup of the day - this day was Mushroom Cream ($6) and one of the specials was a Bacon Frisee Salad with Poached Egg and Bacon Vinaigrette ($8.50). Nathan said they offer more elaborate specials on the weekends. The prices which might appear a bit steep at first ($8 and up) are not out of line with the quality of the food and the generous portion sizes. Please note that they only accept cash right now.

We ordered the Maguro "Eggs Benedict" ($14.95), Kahuku Banana French Toast ($9.25) and Apple Tatin Belgian Waffles ($9.25). I had the house blend coffee which arrived with a small pot of raw sugar and a tiny porcelain shovel - it was impossibly cute.

The Maguro "Eggs Benedict" was a visual and taste stunner. Rather than English muffins, the chef created two rice cakes which were just slightly crisped on the bottom for a wonderful crunch and topped with a fresh shiso leaf, sliced avocados, perfectly poached eggs and thinly sliced fish. A subtle miso-orange sauce substituted for the traditional Hollandaise and a sizable portion of fresh mixed greens rounded out the plate. Each bite was a pleasure as the flavors and textures were so thoughtfully matched. Very nicely done and this is coming from someone who typically dismisses this sort of "made up" dish. It was a worthy innovation.

What made the Kahuku Banana French Toast such a hit with all of us was the lush caramel sauce. It proved to be the perfect complement to the thick slices of eggy, buttery French baguette and the sliced bananas. The not-too-sweet cream topping was really unneeded, but that didn't stop us from eating all of it!

A confession, I've never been terribly impressed by Belgian waffles. Of course, I've only ever had the Americanized version which is pretty much pancake batter cooked in a waffle iron. The Cream Pot uses the traditional yeast-leavened batter and further lightens the final product by incorporating whipped egg whites into the mix. The result is a crisp, light and all around scrumptious treat. This version had lovely fresh apples sauteed with cinnamon and butter, a cinnamon-laced sauce and a nice dollop of cream. Good friends of my dining companions came in mid-way through our meal so I was able to get a nice shot of the Maui Strawberry Belgian Waffle. The friend raved about how sweet the strawberries were and commented that she always gets maple syrup rather than the strawberry coulis which is usually served with this version.

All in all, this is a great little place. I hope that people find them and patronize this new establishment. A special nod to their young chef, Victor Kwan, who studied at Le Cordon Bleu in California, is in order as he is doing a fine job of producing excellent food.

The Cream Pot
444 Niu St (corner of Ala Wai & Nui)
Hawaiian Monarch Hotel
Waikiki
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
808-429-0945
Daily: 6:30am-2:30pm
Cash Only