The Weekly Eater
NADINE KAM / NKAM@STARBULLETIN.COM
A pondside seat often results in swans swimming up for a snack.
Try and rest as I might on the weekend, the burning summer sun and my body's circadian rhythms work against me. In other words, even as my brain screams, "Please don't let me wake before 10 a.m. on a Sunday for Godssakes!" my body's clock, in tune to light-dark cycles, is set to send my eyelids fluttering open at 6:30 a.m. work day, rest day, no fail. Hilton Hawaiian’s brunch
can take edge off waking up"Guhfunnit," I groan, and roll over, but I'm awake, and my parrots, tuned as they are to any rustling, know it and start screaming, which means no more slumber is possible.
On the bright side, a lot can be accomplished in the early morning. After the birds are fed, watered and put out to yell from their respective guava trees, I could read the paper, squeeze in a brief workout, do some laundry and, as a reward for good behavior, head out to Sunday brunch.
There's a new one over at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa's Rainbow Lanai. The Moana's Sunday brunch is still the one to beat, but this one's up there in terms of sheer numbers. Just about anything you'd want to eat for breakfast is here.
The Moana has an edge in ambience. You just can't beat that turn-of-the-century home-style lanai setting and beach view. The Rainbow Lanai is set against the beach, too, though in the shady cafeteria setting, it isn't unusual to feel estranged from sand and sun, which may be a plus for those who can't take the heat. Adding to the cool vibe is the waterfall outside the restaurant and a fishpond that runs the length of the room. Diners sitting closest to the pond will likely be visited by some of the ducks or freeloading swans that roam the property.
NADINE KAM / NKAM@STARBULLETIN.COM
Mini tarts and pastries allow you to sample many desserts rather than committing to one giant slice of cake or pie.
The $31 fee is a lot to pay so early in the morning, but you might get your money's worth by starting with the mild bouillabaisse, filled with shrimp, scallops and mussels, with threads of saffron giving it a golden glow. A taste is enough because you won't want to fill up on liquid when there are many other seafood options available such as poke, miso-coated tako, mussels on the half shell, peel-and-eat shrimp with cocktail sauce, steamed snow crab legs and a light curried seafood salad.
Next, pay close attention to the breakfast station in the left back corner of the room. This is where two more of the best offerings are kept covered to prevent them from cooling off. These are sunny poached eggs Florentine and silver-dollar pancakes. Walk over to the waffle station to dress your pancakes with maple syrup, bananas, vitamin-filled strawberries and blueberries, and whipped cream.
There's supposed to be an omelet station, but with so many choices, I couldn't commit to something that extravagant, so I didn't go looking for it.
Do make your way to the chef carving station for tender, herb-crusted Black Angus prime rib. And on the healthier side, check out the antipasto platter full of grilled zucchini and summer squash, asparagus marinated with vinaigrette, and a simple selection of tomato and mozzarella topped with basil pesto.
If you're not there immediately after the buffet opens, skip the roasted leg of lamb and the hibachi salmon, which will be dried out by the time you get there.
I had eaten until I had no desire for dessert, though you will find a rare array of European pastries, such as the almond-flavored sacher torte, in addition to popular local meal-enders such as the chocolate-haupia cake.
Now, about the service here, I know most of the guests are on holiday, but hostesses here seem to have picked up a bad case of "I'm on vacation" insouciance. Even if other people do come here to relax, there's no excuse for moving like turtles while knowingly keeping people waiting at the desk without advising them of how long the wait might be or seating possibilities. There's a difference between laid-back service and plain rudeness.
Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa / 949-4321 Ext. 48 Rainbow Lanai brunch
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sundays
Food 
Service Ambience Value Cost: $31 for adults, and $16 for ages 4 to 11, excluding sales tax and gratuity; complimentary valet parking or validated self-parking available
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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews run on Thursdays. Reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:
To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to nkam@starbulletin.com
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