According to a recent permit filing, Kau Kau aims to open a brick-and-mortar location at 3566 SE Hawthorne Boulevard.
“April 4th will begin our residency at Little Griddle SE! We will be open from Thursday to Sunday. We’re continuing to bring da onolicious grindz & aloha vibes to our dining room, where family style is encouraged,” a representative of Kau Kau told What Now Portland.
“We are bringing back some favorites from our previous Pop-up menus, so people can count on seeing our classic plate lunches like the Hawaiian Combo (Kalua pig, Chicken long rice, Squid luau w/ Lomi salmon) along with specialty dishes like Kombu Maki (Soy braised pork belly, Gobo, Wrapped in kombu, Burdock root), Lechon Poke (Crispy pork belly, Ogo, Inamona, Walla Walla onion, Sesame, Shoyu) & the return of seasonal specials like our Oxtail Soup (Slow cooked oxtail, Beef shank, Peanuts, Ginger, Star anise, Mustard greens, Cilantro w/ Shoyu–Ginger sauce, Rice).“
“Led by Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) owners & Oahu-born Chefs Tracee & Brandon Hirahara, Kau Kau’s primary mission is to acquaint & educate the people of Portland about the multitude of cultural influences within local Hawaiian cuisine.”
“Our core focus has always been centered around a diverse range of dishes, notably the cherished “Plate lunch” concept, renowned in Hawaii. We emphasize recipes infused with techniques from Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese, & Filipino cultures that have continued to inspire us since we began cooking.”
“The residency menu will continue to present our unique interpretations of island-originated dishes, immensely popular among locals, as we strive to redefine perceptions of Hawaiian cuisine on the mainland.”
According to an article from the Portland Eater written in 2021 about Kau Kau’s current pop-up, “It’s this foundation of Hawaiian dishes — loyal renditions of family recipes — that fuels Kau Kau, the chefs’ pop-up at Little Griddle.”
“The menu is built around a selection of combo plates, similar to plate lunch, with dishes like mochiko chicken, chicken long rice, lomi-lomi salmon, and kombu maki, complete with two scoops of rice and mac salad.”
“Home, for both of them, is in Oahu; the couple met while working at the Halekulani Hotel in Honolulu, in the banquet division. The two chefs eventually moved to Portland, drawn by stories they read about restaurants like Castagna, Le Pigeon, and Beast. Brandon Hirahara went on to work at Langbaan as the chef de cuisine, and Tracee started working under Colin Yoshimoto at Eem.”
“In the future, as the weather gets colder, the two want to add more stews and soups to the pop-up menu, like an oxtail soup with star anise, raw peanuts, mandarin orange peel, or Filipino chicken papaya soup. Down the line, they’d like to open a restaurant, but they’re not looking that far ahead just yet,” the article adds.
Edit: More information was provided after the initial publication of the article.
