Tasty and Meatless | Restaurant Features | The Contemporary Museum Café

Nestled in Makiki Heights above the noise and distractions of the city, The Contemporary Museum Café is an oasis for body, soul and spirit, and a surprise for the palate. Rated among the top ten museum restaurants in the United States, this hidden treasure has earned respect and recognition among a wider audience, yet it remains a well-kept secret to most Honolulu residents.

An expansive monkey-pod tree graces the rolling hillside lawn behind the museum and provides an awesome frame for spectacular view of Diamond Head and the city of Honolulu. Tropical flowers, plants, and trees (all carefully labeled) line the meandering trails. Amidst the greenery, a delightful collection of sculpture and other three-dimensional art is tastefully displayed. One could easily spend an entire afternoon wandering through the gardens, but it would be a shame to miss lunch at The Contemporary Museum Café. A hedge-lined stone pathway leads down to the café, where we have the option of dining al fresco or indoors, amidst the paintings. The weather invites us to remain outdoors, where we enjoy a satisfying, delicious vegan meal featuring a variety of cuisines from around the world.

The Daily Special ($11.25 and comes with soup or salad) is a Caribbean-inspired black bean patty with baked portabello mushroom, served with a roasted corn salsa featuring locally grown corn and enhanced with purple onion, fresh lime juice and curry. Caribbean flavors are interwoven throughout this dish and the portabello adds an intensity and richness. Brightly steamed, crisp-tender broccoli and cauliflower accompany this dish. The chef, former Caribbean resident Adam Gilbert, graciously answers our many questions. We learn that bananas and coconut flour provide the “binding” for the black bean patty, instead of using eggs and ordinary white flour. Chef Gilbert assures us that most menu items can be easily adapted to vegan. Because the food is not mass-produced, the Café is more than happy to do their utmost to accommodate specific dietary requests.

Our culinary journey next takes us to the Mediterranean Pita ($9.00) as we enjoy a soft pita spread with sun-dried tomato pesto and wrapped around lightly-seasoned couscous and a variety of grilled vegetables, including green and yellow zucchini and red bell peppers. The original version on the menu included tapenade (made with olives and anchovies) and basil pesto (which contains parmesan cheese), but the chef thoughtfully and tastefully adapted the recipe to suit our vegan preferences.

Our journey continues as we visit Japanese cuisine. A feast for the eyes as well as the palate, the refreshing Soba Noodle Salad ($8.75) made with cold buckwheat noodles features an assortment of fresh locally-grown produce including watercress, grape tomatoes, cucumber, shredded carrot, and red bell pepper artfully arranged in a large bowl with cubed tofu. An Asian-inspired shoyu-garlic-ginger dressing adds a lively kick to this colorful entrée-size salad.

Instead of dessert we choose to conclude our feast with the Contemporary Garden Salad ($4.00), featuring locally-grown fresh produce. Waimanalo mixed greens, micro-greens, grape tomatoes, carrots, and other vegetables are adorned with an amazing Lemon-Miso dressing that is so rich yet entirely egg-free and dairy-free. Chef Gilbert revealed his secret to this dressing. It is made of a variety of raw vegetables, with garlic, ginger, lemon juice, rice wine vinegar, and miso, processed in a blender until creamy smooth. This thick, golden sweet-savory dressing would also be delicious over steamed vegetables or any other salad.

Amazing scenery, peaceful ambience, fascinating art, attentive service, tasty food, and a feeling of total relaxation and rejuvenation make The Contemporary Museum Café experience seem like a mini-vacation. Family-friendly, casual, and only minutes from downtown, this Makiki haven can by enjoyed by anyone, including business people on their lunch break. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 2:30, The Contemporary Museum Café offers the perfect mid-day escape. It definitely deserves its ranking among the top ten museum restaurants in the United States. Reservations recommended but not required.