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Hapa Kitchen and Eatery brings a new fare of comfort food from Hawaii to Miami Beach.
From the crisp, ocean paradise that is Hawaii comes a new comfort food dining experience right in the heart of Miami Beach, via Hapa Kitchen and Eatery, a new concept from the Sullivan Hospitality Group. HAPA is a Hawaiian word that signifies “half” and is commonly used in reference to a person of dual, or mixed heritage. In this case, one half of Hapa Kitchen and Eatery is the Hawaii-style comfort food and the other half is founder Neil Sullivan who grew up in Kailua on the island of Oahu.
Hapa Kitchen and Eatery embodies the unique flavors and ambiance of the Aloha lifestyle brought straight to South Florida’s culinary landscape. The fast-casual concept is characterized by its vibrant decor, beautiful leis and Hawaii homestyle comfort food made with authentic flavors sourced and imported straight from the island. Because of its rich and diverse history, Hawaiian cuisine is heavily influenced by Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Spanish, Portuguese, American cultures and more.
This unique mix is new to South Florida and sure to delight guests hungry for fresh flavors. For the Sullivan Hospitality Group, presenting this project to South Florida is particularly close to founder and CEO Neil Sullivan’s heart. A lifelong Hawaii resident, Sullivan’s family moved to Hawaii when he was just a baby. Some of his earliest childhood memories include accompanying his Executive Chef father to work in his kitchens and using his mom’s pie tins and chopsticks to play drums while she cooked at home. Now, Neil Sullivan is embarking on a new journey in the culinary industry and bringing more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry to Miami. Opening Hapa was the natural next step for Neil and The Sullivan Hospitality Group.
Sullivan moved to the mainland four years ago and has since then called Miami home. However, there has always been a part of him that longed for the taste and comfort of Hawaii. It wasn’t until a recent trip to Hawaii with his friends from Miami that spurned Sullivan into action. His nostalgia, coupled with friends’
delighted reactions to the fresh, exquisite comfort food they enjoyed while on the island, inspired Sullivan to bring his Hapa Kitchen and Eatery concept and dream to South Florida. “Going home for the holidays with my girlfriend and seven of my closest friends reignited my passion for Hapa, a concept I always wanted to launch.” Neil Sullivan, CEO and founder of Sullivan Hospitality Group, said. He continued: “Seeing my friends, all of whom were raised in Miami, loving dishes I grew up having as a child and practically my entire life made me realize that it was time for Miami to experience Hawaii’s homestyle comfort food.”
Hapa Kitchen and Eatery opened March 18, 2020 and now has a residency at the Timeout Market Miami. The concept introduces a completely new fare with some familiar options to the Magic City’s rich culinary landscape. For starters, guests will recognize the familiar “build your own” options for plates where Hapa-goers can choose a protein and two sides and create their own poke bowls (which comes with ½ lb of poke), where they can mix and match poke options. Hapa’s fish is delivered fresh every morning, their fish is never frozen.
Poke lovers will be rejoicing! Hapa is offering something more commonly found in Hawaii, known as “Poke by the pound.” In Hawaii, groups of friends and family buy a heap of Poke and head straight to the beach, with beverages. Yes, Hapa is introducing this generous portion option, just like it’s done “back home” in Hawaii. Aside from four different varieties of Poke like Ahi Shoyu, Spicy Ahi, Furikake Salmon and Sweet and Spicy Salmon, other protein options include Kalua Pig, a traditional Hawaii-style roast pork, Garlic Furikake Chicken, fried chicken dipped in a soy-garlic-furikake flavor bomb, and Kalbi Ribs, Korean-style short ribs.
Side options include white rice, brown rice, Spam fried rice, quinoa, tuna mac salad, apple jicama slaw and more to round out a fresh, light and flavorful meal. For a full immersion into Hawaiian comfort food, a must try is the Loco Moco, the island’s very own hangover cure, served on a bed of rice topped with a ground beef patty, smothered in gravy and a sunny side up egg. Guests can also try the Pineapple Mango Gazpacho, perfect for the hot Miami days and the islands nostalgic Spam Musubi, another childhood favorite of Sullivan, found in kid’s lunch boxes across Hawaii. All together, these recipes introduce the full flavours that have nourished the Hawaiian islands, that is now being introduced to South Florida for the first time.
For Sullivan, bringing Hapa to life in his adopted home of South Florida is a dream come true. An organic venture inspired by memories with family in kitchens of Hawaii, followed by 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, shared with his new roots in South Florida. “Food is my love language, and Hawaii is such a special place with such special people, and the only way I could cure my home sickness was to bring a little bit of the Aloha spirit to Miami.”
Hapa Kitchen and Eatery is located at the Timeout Market Miami, 1601 Drexel Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139, Phone Number (786) 909-1599, For more information visit: www.hapakitchenandeatery.com , For up to the minutes updates follow @HapaKitchenandEatery #HapaGrinds
