Cream Pot

Let's start with what I liked best: the food. It's hard to find a standout breakfast in this town. A dozen places will give you two eggs with rice and portuguese sausage, but where do you go when you want something a little different?¹. The menu at Cream Pot hits that sweet spot between familiarity and creativity. Their Maguro Eggs Benedict ($14.50) is a lighter turn on the classic benedict. Ahi carpaccio, avocado, shiso, daikon sprouts and a poached egg are piled atop a grilled patty of rice, then drizzled with a sweet orange miso shoyu sauce. It has the shape of an eggs benedict, but without the heaviness. Think sushi meets breakfast. It's served with a mixed green salad, lightly dressed in balsamic vinegrette. I'd order this again in a heartbeat.

The featured daily special when we visited was was a Burgundy Beef Stew Omelet ($18, includes mini-crepe and coffee or iced tea). We got the impression it shows up on the menu with some regularity. They stuffed a delicate egg omelet with white rice, folded it over then ladled classic boeuf bourguignon over the top. The result is a rich and savory preparation for those who favor hearty breakfasts. It has the appeal and substance of a loco moco, with a French elegance. Again, a lightly dressed mixed green salad on the side.

As mentioned, the Burgundy Beef Stew special included a mini-crepe (strawberry, banana or apple) a scaled down version of their entree crepes. It was served flat, folded in half twice, and filled with melted dark chocolate--Nutella perhaps. The crepe was paper-thin and crispy around the edges, like it wants to be a tuile when it grows up; so much better than the soggy excuses most places call a crepe. Sliced strawberries, a drizzle of coulis and fresh whipped cream sit on top.

Now let's talk about what I didn't care for... but other people might. The decor evokes the exterior of a quaint French countryside street. That's right, you're sitting inside a cafe, designed to look like you're outside. The walls are whitewash over faux rough stone. There are flower window boxes, plank doorways and enough eclectic little knick knacks to stock a small antique store. It's all so cute, the perfect place for proper ladies to meet for a leisurely breakfast. It's also a superficial reason to give a restaurant demerits, so please take me with a grain of salt.

They also have a flower-lined patio outside that is actually outside and nearly as large as the interior space but it wasn't set with tables. I suspect the full morning sun makes it an impractical to set for dining.

My overall impression is that the food is noteworthy, if you don't mind the prices and the emasculating decor. Maybe I'll bring my mom here the next time she's in town.

Cream Pot
444 Niu Street
Waikiki, HI 96815
(808) 942-1111
Open daily from 6:30am - 2:30pm except Tuesdays.
Credit cards accepted over $15.

Other sites:
→ HawaiiDiner describes Cream Pot as charming... a great little place.
→ Meanwhile, Yelp reviews tend to love it or hate it.
→ The Star-Bulletin describes Cream Pot as, "guaranteed to win over the tea-loving set due to its French country kitchen charm."
→ Ask Natalie Hawaii wasn't terribly impressed.
→ Epicurean Appetite nails it with her description, "Call me a girly-girl, but The Cream Pot is the nicest place for the girls to get together to have girly food and feel pretty!"

¹ Town and Bogart's both come to mind as standout (and affordable) breakfasts.