Whether you’re looking for your new Sunday brunch spot or want to finish off your day with a dinner to remember, Mud Hen Water is the place to go in Honolulu. With a trip to this fantastic eatery, you can enjoy top-notch Hawaiian dishes always made with fresh, local ingredients. On top of that, they whisk everything out with true artistic flair, plus offer the highest quality of service around.
Although they gain most of their inspiration from traditional recipes, they don’t shy away from the chance to mix it up a bit. You can often find truly imaginative ingredient pairings on the Mud Hen Water menu as a result, like fern shoots with okra. Every meal starts with their complimentary amuse-bouche to whet your appetite and delight your senses. From that moment forward, you’ll know just what to expect from the rest of the meal, keeping you eagerly anticipating each course.
Most days, Mud Hen Water only opens their doors for dinner service, so there’s no chance of a midday lunch stop at this joint. With the exception of brunch on Sunday, you’ll have to wait until the evening hours to make your big appearance and dine in style. Once you get seated, you can order up an appetizer and drinks while they ready your amuse-bouche. Since they take their time in preparing every item, you can browse the menu at your leisure.
After putting your order in at the kitchen, prepare to slowly sip your drinks and savor your selections. They’ll bring out each order when they’re ready, treating you to quite a show as the artistically plated items land on your table. If you need anything during your meal, just let your server know and they’ll bring it right out. Get ready to speak up if your want a refill on your drink. They generally don’t bring them out automatically, so you’ll need to ask if you’d like more.
The most popular items from Mud Hen Water include:
Corned Beef & Kalo Hash
A favorite on the Mud Hen Water brunch menu, the Corned Beef & Kalo Hash takes an old favorite and kicks it up a notch. They create this dish by frying the corned beef and taro chunks until tender, and then whip up two over-easy eggs. Avocado slices and kimchee land alongside to bring it all together beautifully.
J. Ludovico Chinese Chicken Salad
If you want to go on a culinary journey unlike any other, you simply cannot miss the J. Ludovico Chinese Chicken Salad. They start off this dish with a mix of poached chicken breast and confit chicken leg meat. Then, they mix all the tender meat with fried noodles plus veggie and lettuce from MA’O Farms. After that, lup cheong vinaigrette and cilantro go over it all to finish it off right.
Sausage & Clams
To experience surf and turf in a whole new way, just go with the Sausage & Clams as your dinner entrée of choice. Lemongrass sausage and fresh clams start everything off, while ong choy serves as the greens. Then, they pull it all together with a coconut milk sauce that elevates all the rich flavors even more.
Although all the food at Mud Hen Water is simply delectable, their dessert is well worth saving some room in your belly. If you’re a chocolate lover, treat yourself to the Chocolate-Kiawe Bean Brownie, which features mac nut brittle and a black sesame gelato. If not, go with their Miso-Butterscotch Rice Pudding for rich, creamy deliciousness in every bite. For the full experience, crumble the ginger lace cookie over the pudding before digging in.
Insider Tips:
-They have limited parking available in their back lot off 9th Avenue. If you cannot find a spot there, just look along the street for a space.
-Expect to see a 3% kitchen fee automatically added to your bill. It doesn’t count as a tip, however, so still plan to compensate your servers accordingly.
-Have a big event coming up? Ask about the catering services at Mud Hen Water.