Leila Brings a Refined Taste of Morocco to Kaimukī
The restaurant, a partnership between chefs Chris Kajioka and Mourad Lahlou, has been a decade in the making.
I first met chef Chris Kajioka in 2011, while meeting up with fellow food writers in San Francisco at Aziza, an acclaimed Moroccan restaurant where he worked. Although Kajioka already had admirers in Hawai‘i, one of whom pinged me that evening to say hello to him, I had absolutely no idea who he was.
From left: chefs Mourad Lahlou, Jorge Velazquez and Chris Kajioka. Photo: Melissa Chang
As I later learned, Kajioka fell in love with the Moroccan flavors that his boss, Mourad Lahlou, introduced him to while there. The Honolulu local’s goal was to someday bring those flavors back home by opening a restaurant with Lahlou.
That day has arrived. Leila, which means “night” in Arabic, opens Tuesday at the former Angelo Pietro space in Kaimukī. I had a chance to preview the three-course tasting menu, in which the first and second courses are set and the third is selected. (Supplemental dishes and desserts cost extra.) At the time of this writing, the price for the tasting had not been firmly set, but they were considering $75.
SEE ALSO: Fusion Café Is a New Drink, Snack and Lunch Spot in Kaimukī
Photo: Melissa Chang
If you’ve been to Kajioka’s other restaurants, including Miro Kaimukī, three courses are never just that. Before the courses, we were served “snacks,” a fresh Kusshi oyster with preserved lemon, cucumber and a yuzu foam. There also was foie gras on brioche with maple berbere. I know some people shy away from raw oysters, but you won’t want to miss this. It sparked a new sensation on my palate, a subtly refreshing citrus so refined compared to the acidic mignonettes that often punch you in the mouth.
You’ll experience similar refinement in everything on the menu. The first course, served with house za’atar bread, presents an array of bites and spreads, which we joked is like Moroccan banchan. You can eat them as they are or with the rest of the meal, and order more if you wish. You get muhamarra (roasted piquillo pepper and almond), zaalouk (eggplant, black olive gelée, pine nuts and herbs) and bissara (white bean hummus and black garlic)—spreads that are all incredibly silky and luxurious. You also get olives, tomatoes and cucumbers, which, as you can see, are prepared and presented for a sultan.
Charred cabbage. Photo: Melissa Chang
The second course is charred cabbage, a signature dish for Kajioka. Charring the cabbage brings out a sweetness, and the vadouvan cauliflower, date chermoula and allium give the dish flavor and texture that’s both delicious and mystifying with the illusion it creates on your palate.
Photo: Melissa Chang
The third course is your choice, but it’s made for two people to share. I love lamb and tried the lamb meshoui, which was fork-tender and accented with a date glaze. The sweet sunchoke purée made it feel a little lighter, too.
Branzino. Photo: Melissa Chang
My other choice is the Mediterranean branzino with red and green chermoula. While firm, the fish is moist and the herbaceous chermoula itself is one that I’d want to put on everything. I’m not saying the wagyu beef tagine is not as good as the branzino, because of course, it’s fantastic. I just happen to be eating lighter lately, and the fish suited this preference.
Basteeya. Photo: Melissa Chang
Leila also offers added menu items, which were also not priced yet. The Kaua‘i prawns sounded tempting, but the duck confit basteeya was the standout. This is a dish Lahlou is famous for, a must-have at Aziza. The duck confit came wrapped in puff pastry with almonds, raisins, caramelized onions and berbere. It’s almost sweet enough to be dessert, if not for the savory duck. The flavors and textures are, like everything else, ultra refined.
Date cake. Photo: Melissa Chang
Dessert is extra. We tried the yuzu custard, topped with papaya, grapes and a dill syrup. That may sound strange, but the syrup took on more of the physical profile of dill, rather than its flavor. Yet it was the date cake, topped with Parmesan ice cream, that intrigued me the most. The cake was just sweet enough, and the Parmesan ice cream was brilliant. It seemed to have salt crystals in it, much like how you might find in the cheese itself. It’s like eating french fries with vanilla ice cream.
As far as ambiance, Leila is stunning at night with Moroccan lights twinkling against blue walls. The blue is the same shade as Miro’s, but also the color of Yves Saint Laurent’s home in Morocco.
Reservations are available through OpenTable.
Open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m., 1108 12th Ave, (808) 888-0884, leilahnl.com, @leila_kaimuki
