eating-neko: hale noa, hawaiian 'awa bar
Sunday, August 14, 2005
we ventured to the hale noa hawaiian 'awa (kava) bar on kapahulu last night. the cozy bar was very dark and lit with small candles everywhere. tables and benches snake around to the back room where relaxed people seem to be napping. mellow live music filled the air rising above the crowd's soft chatter. a relaxing, dreamy place. according to the fact sheet, the kava drink is a 2,500 year old tradition that: "simultaneously soothes the body and stimulates the mind! this is an enjoyable experience which inspires goodwill, creativity, and introspection." so i tanked down 4 bowls and waited for the affects to kick-in. the kava drink had a light fresh cucumber-like smell with dirt-like textured grinds. i got a numb tongue from the first drink. as a treat, ernie cruz and barry flanagan (of hapa fame) just happened to be relaxing in the bar and decided to perform a few tunes. hale noa was definitely a unique departure from our usual saturday night venues. a dreamy little piece of aloha on kapahulu...
