About three years ago, Munch ʻN Brunch launched its food truck in Waikīkī, close to Honolulu Zoo. The biz became popular for its all-day brunch fare and variety of iced coffees.
The biz recently expanded — it still has a food truck, which is now located close to Ohana Hale Waikīkī in the food truck park on Kalākaua Avenue — but recently opened a brick-and-mortar café at Eaton Square.
“We’ve been wanting to expand for a while, but we thought opening a restaurant would be so hard,” explains Amber Fortier, who owns Munch ‘N Brunch with her husband, Sjoerd de Nooijer. “When you get a restaurant space, so often, it’s empty; there’s no plumbing, lighting, nothing.
“But we came across this place, and it was fully built out — all the furniture, all the equipment, everything came with it,” she adds. “It was a reasonable price, so we decided to jump on it and go for it.”
Fortier explains that the café’s current space in Eaton Square was vacant for the past five years. They viewed it for the first time three months ago, got the keys two months ago, and have been working hard to get it open.
The café’s menu is mostly the same as the food truck, but has a few exclusive dishes, according to Fortier.
“We have a bikini panini ($16), which is a new item here,” she says. “It’s a panini with grilled chicken, pesto, mozzarella, tomato, onion and onion jam. That one is more healthy, but super flavorful, too. We also have a nacho libre burrito ($21); that one is super tasty, too.”
The nacho libre burrito includes the customer’s choice of meat, black beans, cilantro lime rice, fresh guac, grilled cheese, nacho chips, red onions and salsa verde. The café’s loaded nachos ($18) are also a newer option, comprising the customer’s choice of meat, beans, guac, jalapenos, cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream and salsa.
The business’s all-day brunch dishes continue to be bestsellers at its new café. The Waikīkī B.E.A.S.T ($15) — a breakfast sandwich with bacon, egg, avocado, Spam, tomato, mayo and red onion on an English muffin — continues to be the number-one dish, according to Fortier. The Hangover breakfast burrito ($19) — stuffed with pulled pork, bacon, eggs, potatoes, bell peppers, guacamole, red onions and hot sauce — and grilled banana bread ($7) are also customer favorites. The latter comes with pineapple, walnuts and whipped cream.
If you want something healthier, opt for the veggie sunrise ($14), which features toasted sourdough with roasted carrot hummus, egg, guacamole, nutty dukkah and chili oil.
No visit to Munch ʻN Brunch is complete without trying one of its iced coffees ($7.50). Options range from The Jetlag — Nutella, cold brew and milk — and dirty horchata to marshmallow matcha and Mac Daddy latte. The latter — which is made with real macadamia nuts — is a bestseller, according to Fortier.
“We roast them in the oven and grind them up; it makes a nice coffee,” she says. “It’s got macadamia, coconut, white chocolate and coffee. It’s super smooth and creamy, and it’s got that nice macadamia nut flavor.”
Fortier looks forward to the new café becoming “a hangout spot for locals.” Customers can look forward to DJs playing every weekend from 9 a.m. to noon, and the café will eventually participate in night events.
“I’m just really excited to get to know the community here,” Fortier says. “It’s going to be fun to eventually do paint and sip nights, networking events, speed dating, and fun after-hours things that gets people hanging out together, meeting new people and enjoying the vibe. We just want everyone to know we’re open every day; it’s just a nice, new place for the community to tap into.”
CONTACT
Munch ʻN Brunch
Eaton Square
438 Hobron Lane Ste. 104, Honolulu
Instagram: @munchnbrunchwaikiki
Open daily, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
