Big Kahuna Luau High Above Honolulu

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The New Big Kahuna Luau--Hawaii’s Highest Luau!

Luau’s are fairly common on Oahu, so when I heard about the new Big Kahuna Luau, I was pleasantly surprised when I took it in recently.

One of the best parts about this Luau is that you don’t have to travel to the other side of the island to enjoy it and that means no long bus ride on a freeway. In fact, the short journey to this Luau was enjoyable in and of itself.

The small tour bus picked me up at my hotel and took me and 20 something others into the hills above Honolulu. The driver mentioned that this is a favorite place for locals to go for fantastic views of Diamond Head and Honolulu. We climbed up the winding road through exclusive neighborhoods and into the rainforest.

When we arrived at the Nutridge Estate, I knew this Luau was going to be different. Far from the corporate Luau world, this evening would have a certain charm that made the evening relaxing and enjoyable. Sure, there were lines at times, but because of the size of the venue, the limited number of people in the audience made this a much more intimate affair.

A little back story about the venue. It seems back in the 1920’s an interesting character moved to Hawaii with the idea of raising Macadamia nuts. He found a plot of land overlooking Honolulu and had a small house built and began to raise varieties of Macadamia nuts. He later moved the growing operation to lower elevations where actually cultivating the crop would prove easier, but kept the estate and surrounding grounds. The original house still stands and is on the Register of Historic Buildings.

The menu is quite delicious with an emphasis on food cultivated and prepared on the islands, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Like other Luaus, this one features a Lei greeting. It also includes a reception with MaiTai’s and Pupu (finger food appetizers). Enjoying the scenery and the vista, one can only imaged what it must have been like to walk these estate grounds in the 1920s.

Dinner began with a salad of mixed greens from local farms near Waimanalo, topped with Hauula Grape Tomatoes, and Papaya Seed Vinaigrette dressing. Traditional Hawaiian Sweet Bread was a welcomed addition. The main entree includes Hawaiian Kalua Pig served in a traditional style. Hawaiian style Teriyaki Chicken and breaded Mahi Mahi served with butter and capers, and a side of tartar sauce made up the entree portion of the meal. This was served with a simple rice dish. Dessert is a slice of Coconut Cake.

Hosted by The Big Kahuna himself, the evening’s entertainment features Polynesian dancers telling the story of Hawaii and the islands of Polynesia through movement and song. The performers included fire dancers, hula and the beat of Tahitian drums and the beautifully peaceful sounds of Hawaiian guitar and ukelele.

It was an enjoyable evening and the unique venue made it an event to remember and worth recommending. Contact the wonderfully informed people at Discover Hawaii Tours.com for information and reservations, or see your Hotel Concierge. Ask for the Big Kahuna Luau. You won’t be disappointed.

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