March 17th: Orange County Register: Royal Hawaiian

March 17th: The Orange County Register's, Show Section. The Royal Hawaiian is the featured restaurant of the week. If you haven't been there yet, a visit to this restaurant is a MUST!!!!

Can anyone post the article from the register? Also, I heard that Snoop Dog tried to go to the Royal Hawaiian a couple weeks ago and when he rolled up his bodyguards advised him against it!?! What too many OCers having fun???? "Lapu like it's hot!"

Friday, March 17, 2006
Lap up lapus at Royal Hawaiian

Story and photos by NIYAZ PIRANI
The Orange County Register

Through not-so-subtle prodding, my sister's boyfriend forced me to go to Royal Hawaiian in Laguna Beach. Halfway through my first lapu lapu, I understood why.

After taking a seat, I took an interest in my surroundings. The Hawaiian-style restaurant's dim bar was immediately welcoming. Two televisions played sports, and a pile of alcohol bottles was stacked to their right. The only real light was the orangish glow coming from light bulbs covered by blowfish. On the far wall, an aquarium (one of many) bubbled softly as fish ducked in and out of coral hollows.

On this lazy Sunday afternoon, a group of locals dined and a couple of Las Brisas employees chatted at the bar. Wearing a shirt that said "Do You Lapu?" the bartender approached us and took our order. He picked up two rum bottles with one hand and some juice with the other as he made our drinks.

After a couple of sips from my $10 thirst-quencher, I realized what the buzz is all about. The dark and light rums had made their way to the top of the fishbowl-style glass as the orange and pineapple juice began to settle at the bottom. Poured over shaved ice, the alcoholic slushy has the perfect mix of tropical flavors with a slight, unassuming kick at the end. If you're in the mood for a little extra lapu and a much stronger kick, opt for the Big Kahuna ($13.25), the lapu's bigger, badder brotha.

The bar also serves other concoctions (think mai-tais, piña coladas and Blue Hawaiians), plus beer and wine, but really, the bang-for-your-buck award goes to the lapu, so why order anything else?

In the restaurant, steaks and seafood pepper the pretty standard menu. The gems, however, are the sweet, tangy ribs and the ono ono salad dressing, sugary and mayonnaise-based with bleu cheese crumbles. It's sold by the pint, so you know it's good.

Opened in 1947 by Francis Cabang (Cabang Jr. helms the establishment now), the restaurant has been serving tasty cocktails and hearty meals for years, but the future of this "locals-only" hangout has recently become a question mark. The bar was sold and escrow is set to close June 12, said one bartender. Whether the new owner will keep the Hawaiian the same is unknown, but one thing is for sure. If you haven't lapu-ed yet, you need to - time might be running out.

ROYAL HAWAIIAN
Information: Royal Hawaiian, 331 N. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach. (949) 494-8001.!Hours: 5 p.m.-closing Tuesdays-Saturdays, 4-9 p.m. Sundays.

Overall: The island-style restaurant serves some of the best, punch-packing drinks around. If you're hungry, stay for dinner at this relaxing throwback to a glitzless Laguna.

CONTACT US: (714) 796-2406 or [email protected]
Copyright 2005 The Orange County Register

Mucho Mahalo Tiki San for posting the article :)

On 2006-03-17 10:55, TikiSan wrote:

Opened in 1947 by Francis Cabang (Cabang Jr. helms the establishment now), the restaurant has been serving tasty cocktails and hearty meals for years, but the future of this "locals-only" hangout has recently become a question mark. The bar was sold and escrow is set to close June 12, said one bartender. Whether the new owner will keep the Hawaiian the same is unknown