Hats off to the servers at Leila Kaimuki for really knowing their stuff. I had no experience with Moroccan food prior to my dinner at this recently opened restaurant, but the staff recited the dishes’ descriptions numerous times and answered all of my questions without any hesitation. It was impressive.
Leila Kaimuki by chefs Mourad Lahlou and Chris Kajioka is located in the former Angelo Pietro space in Kaimuki. The eatery features authentic Moroccan cuisine in a contemporary environment.
“Leila was an idea that Chris and I started talking about almost 15 years ago when he moved to San Francisco and started working with me at Aziza,” Lahlou says. “We decided to one day open a Moroccan restaurant, among others, in Hawaii that will bring a unique perspective to the island.
“Once the pandemic hit and San Francisco shut down, I came to Oahu and started spending a substantial amount of time with Chris and the crew,” he adds. “Miro Kaimuki opened during the pandemic, and now we just opened Leila, which means ‘night’ in Moroccan. It’s a beautiful female name.
“Kaimuki is Chris’ neighborhood; that’s where he was born and grew up. We wanted to be part of that community and honor his heritage and traditions.
Our chef de cuisine here at Leila is Jorge Velasquez; he’s been with me in San Francisco for years and I brought him here to oversee the kitchen at Leila.”
Leila Kaimuki’s three-course tasting menu cost $75 per person (an optional wine pairing is available for $36). The meal started with the Seven Salads, which were served with housemade zaatar flatbread and designed to share.
The “salads” were actually different Moroccan dips and accompaniments — olives (with pickled almonds, citrus and Marash peppers), zaalouk (eggplant, black olives, pine nuts and herbs), muhammara (an almond-and-piquillo base with piquillo relish), lebni (with dill oil and topped with smoked trout roe), bissara (white bean hummus with smoked paprika), tomato jam, and cucumbers (served in cultured yogurt, fermented harissa, mint and black sesame).
Of the spreads, the white bean hummus and lebni were my favorites. I couldn’t get enough of the trout roe’s smoky flavor and the creamy texture of the hummus.
The second course was an individual portion of charred cabbage. The leaves were so tender and easy to eat. It was served on a vadouvan creme fraiche, finished with a date chermoula (like a Moroccan chimichurri) and topped with fresh dill, moringa powder and dukkah (sesame and sunflower seeds). I especially loved the crunchy topping.
The third course was designed to be shared by two; diners could choose from short ribs (an additional $25 per person), lamb meshoui (cumin, kale and sunchokes), Mediterranean branzino (red and green charmoula, onions and fennel) or roasted cauliflower (harissa yogurt, pickled raisin and mustard seeds).
I’m wary of lamb because of its gamey flavor, but this version was tender and flavorful.
A la carte supplements, including uni brioche ($32) — two pieces of housemade brioche with pomegranate jam and a savory, sultry mixture of hen egg yolk jam and Hokkaido uni — and basteeya ($36), are also available.
“These supplements are little surprises that allow our guests to curate their own experiences based on what they’re looking for,” Lahlou says.
Basteeya is a traditional Moroccan dish comprising a sweet and savory filling wrapped in phyllo dough. This version featured duck confit, pickled golden raisins, candied almonds and caramelized onions. The duck confit was marinated in an Ethiopian spice blend. The crunchy phyllo dough was a nice juxtaposition to the creamy filling.
Desserts ($13 each) were available a la carte; we opted for the date cake with fior di latte (buffalo milk gelato), fried shiso and burnt caramel. The moist cake featured a banana bread-like consistency with chopped dates throughout. It was a little too salty for me, but the creamy, indulgent, buffalo milk gelato was to die for.
Keep in mind this restaurant just opened, so your dinner may take a little longer than expected. But overall, it was a delicious experience.
“We are looking to introduce Hawaii to a new perspective on Moroccan cuisine, and we are so happy to share this dream with you,” Lahlou says. “The menu will continue to evolve to reflect the best ingredients of the season executed in a respectful and genuine way to reflect our values and vision. Enjoy the ride with us; there’s more to come.”
