Pau Hana — Restaurant in Savage

My visit to Pau Hana, the latest venture from the team behind Lake & Irving, was quite a ride. This restaurant promises a journey to the islands of Hawaii right here in Minnesota, and on that promise, it largely delivers.

First, let's dive into the background that the restaurant takes pride in. Pau Hana is born out of the culinary expertise of Chris Ikeda and his team, who have drawn on their significant experience, including a decade of cooking in Hawaii alongside renowned chefs like Alan Wong, to bring Hawaiian Regional Cuisine (HRC) to Minnesota. This distinctive cuisine takes its influences from a rich tapestry of cultures, including Japan, Korea, China, the Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, and the Pacific Islands, all woven together by the abundant produce of the Hawaiian Islands.

The menu at Pau Hana is an enticing showcase of this unique blend of influences. We sampled a number of dishes, including the Asian Slaw Salad with Ahi Tuna, the Poke Stack (gluten-free), and Truffle Fries. Each dish was a testament to the unique flavors of HRC, with fresh ingredients, balanced flavors, and beautifully presented dishes. Particularly notable was the Poke Stack, an exquisite gluten-free option that delighted the palate with its combination of textures and flavors.

However, where Pau Hana fell short was in its ambiance for those with specific hearing needs. The noise levels within the restaurant were noticeably high, which proved challenging for individuals who are hard of hearing. A more inclusive dining experience would benefit from efforts to control the noise levels and create a more conversation-friendly environment.

On another note, their upcoming project, Pau Hana Express, is a concept I am excited about, offering the chance to take a slice of the islands home with you.

Pau Hana takes its name from the Hawaiian phrase that roughly translates to "done with work", and this restaurant embodies that ethos of relaxation and camaraderie. It successfully delivers the taste of Hawaiian cuisine but needs to ensure that it caters to all types of diners with a comfortable, accessible environment.

In conclusion, if you're looking to savor the flavors of Hawaii without leaving the city, Pau Hana is an excellent choice, as long as you're prepared for a lively, potentially...

As an establishment, Pau Hana lists itself as a Hawaiian restaurant. The last time I have been to Hawaii was in 2007, and since I was so young, I had no recollection of what the food was like. So suffice it to say that Pau Hana was my exposure to Hawaiian style food. With no knowledge of what Hawaiian food is like, I cannot make a judgment on Pau Hana's food authenticity, but leaving that aspect be, Pau Hana does have excellent food and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience there! The mixture of Japanese golden curry, seared ahi tuna, coconut shrimp, fried egg, and furikake sushi rice was my absolute favorite, so the ahi loco moco was an all-around excellent dish! The best part about it was that no matter what I chose to mix in my spoon, be it rice & curry, rice and tuna, curry & tuna, rice & egg, whatever, it would provide a good distinct taste. I also enjoyed the poke stack. Having aioli, tobiko, tuna, and guacamole was a pleasant surprise. The wonton chicken pizza was good as well, but I wouldn't call it spectacular. The "KFC" was also a pleasant surprise because I have never had fried cauliflower in gochujang before. It was very similar to a dish called N.H.K. in Zen Box Izakaya in Minneapolis, except that it was not chicken but cauliflower, which was suitable for what I needed at that time. I also tasted a bit of the Asian slaw salad with chicken katsu, and decided that it was good but the highlight was definitely the chicken as I ended up leaving the salad itself be afterwards. My friends had the smoked wings and the kalua pork burger and they both enjoyed their food. Once again, if you are looking for authentic Hawaiian food, you can give Pau Hana a try. I just have not had any Hawaiian food prior to this to make a complete judgment. But if you are just looking for good Hawaiian-style food, then Pau Hana is your spot! Definitely give this...

My wife and I did not have a great experience at Pau-Hana's. We live like literally 2 houses from it, so we wanted to check it out for some time... So we finally went on Valentine's and I can definitely say I'll never go there again. Here is why;

1. Specifically mentioned in our reservation what kind of sitting we were looking for, but I could say with certainty that the Hostess did not read those as she offered us the very opposite of what we wanted. No big deal, I've explained the situation and she later found us some better seating.
2. A much more serious flaw - They only had 3 choices for the "main course" on the menu, one being vegetarian and the other with raw fish...leaving only 1 choice... They also had this Valentine's Menu and when I asked to get a dish from menu, we were told that we had to get the whole Valentines dinner, or chose from very limited menu...As if it did not come from the same kitchen!!! When I come to a place to eat, I feel that I can buy whatever it is that the place sells...I mean, what do you mean "I CANT have cauliflower for appetizer and a pork chop"?!?!? We felt that was the silliest thing ever...
3. That pork chop, while it was covered by a tasty sauce, was about as chewable as a car tire... Overcooked, or re-heated, not sure...but whatever it was, it made the meat very tough and ...oh well...lets just say it did not make a good impression ...

So, while there were some good points like the space itself was nice, the food came quick , music was pretty good...the overall experience was eh... 1 star is all I give Pau-Hana's for the Valentine's Day...