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| Photo Courtesy: Leila |
Leila, the acclaimed Kaimuki restaurant by Chef Chris Kajioka and Chef Mourad Lahlou, recently introduced a new four-course tasting menu. Curated by Chef Chris Kajioka, the seasonal menu showcases Italian-Mediterranean flavors with thoughtful Japanese influence. Priced at $75 per person, Leila now offers a selection of dishes, featuring the restaurant’s signature, handmade pastas, such as Agnolotti featuring duck, black truffle, and shiitake. Guests may also enhance their experience with optional seasonal additions like the Casoncelli filled with potato and buttermilk and topped with trout roe.
“With this new evolution of Leila we wanted to create dishes that were meaningful to us,” said Leila Chef Owner, Chris Kajioka. “This menu celebrates seasonal ingredients and ideas we’ve been shaping for some time, with dishes that are grounded in featuring fresh products, and prepared with care and intention. It’s a mix of what we know and love, and what we hope our guests will love.”
Leila’s rotating menu showcases a rich tapestry of global flavors and world-class technique. The restaurant offers a refined and ever-evolving dining experience that celebrates culinary diversity, seasonal ingredients, and the warm, welcoming spirit of Kaimuki. Rooted in the Italian-Mediterranean landscape, each dish is presented with masterful craftsmanship and thoughtful restraint, layered with subtle Japanese influence that adds depth, clarity, and elegance to the overall experience.
The current offerings on Leila’s new, four-course tasting menu includes:
● First Course: Caponata featuring tuna, sweet herbs, and capers.
● Second Course: Chilled Corn Soup, Summer Panzanella
● Third Course: Agnolotti featuring duck, black truffle, and shiitake.
● Fourth Course: Beef Cheek served with soubise, kale, and balsamic, with the option to
add an A5 Wagyu supplement for $40.
● Snacks (Optional Add-On): Oyster of the Day with blood orange mignonette; Prawn
Toast with prawns, pesto, and prosciutto; and Focaccia served with your choice of Badia
a' Coltibuono honey butter or EVOO and Villa Manodori balsamic.
● Rotating Special (Optional Add-On): Casoncelli filled with potato and buttermilk,
finished with trout roe.
● Dessert (Optional Add-On): Strauss Vanilla Soft Serve with your choice of toppings:
caramel, white balsamic strawberries, or EVOO and Maldon salt ($12).
Each course is presented in Leila’s warm, intimate setting, an atmosphere that reflects the restaurant’s commitment to masterful craftsmanship, award-winning service, and refined hospitality. Guests are invited to savor the tasting menu in a space designed to feel both elegant and welcoming.
Behind Leila’s evolving culinary vision is Chef Chris Kajioka, whose deep-rooted approach to food has made him one of Hawaii’s most respected culinary voices. Born and raised in Honolulu, Kajioka began his classical training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park before honing his craft in some of the country’s most celebrated kitchens, including Ron Siegel’s Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Mourad Lahlou’s Aziza in San Francisco, and Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York.
After returning to Honolulu in 2012, Kajioka earned acclaim as Executive Chef at Vintage Cave, receiving his first James Beard Foundation nomination for Rising Star Chef of the Year. In 2016, he partnered with Chef Anthony Rush to open Senia, which quickly garnered national attention and multiple James Beard nominations, including Best New Restaurant (2017), Best Chef: West (2018), and Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific (2020). He now leads Leila, Miro Kaimuki, and 430 PKWY.
Working alongside Kajioka in guiding Leila’s culinary evolution is Chef Mourad Lahlou, widely recognized as a pioneer of modern Moroccan cuisine. Born in Marrakesh, Morocco, Lahlou moved to the United States at age 20 to pursue a master’s degree in economics. Missing the flavors of home, he began teaching himself to cook the traditional Moroccan dishes he grew up with, drawing inspiration from his mother’s cooking and his grandfather’s visits to the market, while reimagining them through a modern, inventive lens using local ingredients.
In 1996, Lahlou opened his first restaurant, Kasbah. Seeking to move beyond the expected formulas of Moroccan restaurants in the U.S., he closed Kasbah in 2001 and opened Aziza in San Francisco’s Richmond District. Aziza became the first Moroccan restaurant in the United States to receive a Michelin star in 2010. In 2015, Lahlou opened Mourad, an evolution of his modern Moroccan-inspired Californian cuisine. That same year, the restaurant was also awarded a Michelin star. Today, Lahlou is regarded as one of the most influential chefs in North America, known for his deep respect for Moroccan culinary heritage and his innovative approach to global flavors.
Leila is now open for dinner service. Beginning July 2, Leila’s new hours will be Wednesday through Sunday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. To make a reservation, visit OpenTable, or call (808) 888-0884. For more information, visit www.leilahnl.com. To stay up-to-date on the latest news, follow Leila on Instagram at www.instagram.com/leila_kaimuki and Facebook at www.facebook.com/leilahnl.
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