thoughtcrumbs

Lovely Hula Hands

Some friends-of-mine-once-removed recently opened Lovely Hula Hands, a charming vintage-y eclectic restaurant in NoPo. Across the street from the appalling Dream House (HGTV's televised construction nightmare that evokes a smarmy sense of schadenfreude in its watchers), the pink-themed restaurant provides a cozy respite from gloomy winter evenings. The menu has ample vegetarian options (of which I highly recommend the Cuban pumpkin rice), and apparently, a turkey soup to die for. Both the Willamette Week and Mercury reviewed it highly (a strange feat for the latter); chef Jesse Garcia honed his chops at some of the best kitchens in town. Spice-wusses (like me) be warned, Jesse makes cheek-rosying dishes. However, co-owner Sarah Minnick cheerily brought me a glass of soy milk to cut the heat (with an apology for it being vanilla). Stripped to its original bones, the 1910 house has a warm, DIY vibe, and the titular Hawaiian touch is reflected only in the original leafy wallpaper. No leis or Tiny Bubbles to be found in this classy, but reasonably priced, place.