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What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

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  • What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

    My God...went to a high school graduation party at one of the ground level buildings yesterday (Saturday) at about 7 p.m., and wondered where the dinner crowd were...the food we had for our party was quite enjoyable, service great...but where were the individual people going to dine here?

    It looked like a 'ghost town'...with only our party of 100+ helping to keep the place going...

  • #2
    Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

    The last time I went there was for a graduation party. That was about 10 years ago.

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    • #3
      Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

      They have increased the live music that they do there now, including a weekly show on Thursday nights, Pakele Live with Tony Solis, which is broadcast as a live internet stream. (The footage is sometimes post-produced into a broadcast package for Oceanic as well; the producer is Pali Ka`aihue.)

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      • #4
        Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

        I'm there a few times a year for lunch and it's always busy.

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        • #5
          Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

          Maybe your Graduation party of 100+ rented out the place.

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          • #6
            Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

            I've always loved the Willows, but havent been there for 10+ years!
            Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!
            ~ ~
            Kaʻonohiʻulaʻokahōkūmiomioʻehiku
            Spreading the virus of ALOHA.
            Oh Chu. If only you could have seen what I've seen, with your eyes.

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            • #7
              Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

              The Willows had a very nice pond in the courtyard but that was drained unexpectedly
              when an aquifer was disrupted.
              The pond went dry and took the fish in the pond too.
              The history of the Oahu aquifer is an interesting research project worthy of
              much more study.

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              • #8
                Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

                Lensperson...when did that happen?

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                • #9
                  Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

                  Some googling indicates this was in 1934.
                  The pond had been known as Kumulae and also Hausten pond.
                  The googling of "Moiliili karst caves" brings up a host of fascinating accounts
                  including whole buildings sinking into caverns.
                  Also I recall some early HT thread(s) discussing earth subsidence in the Ala Moana
                  parking lot.
                  Before the dewatering event some folks could fish for
                  carp in their backyards by dropping fishlines down sinkholes.
                  Truth if often stranger than fiction.

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                  • #10
                    Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

                    Lensperson, I think TutuSue was thinking about the pond at the Willows Restaurant, not the history of the Moiliili karst caves and the underwater springs.

                    The Willows, which has an interesting history in itself, was conceived in 1944. The restaurant pond, which certainly took advantage of local knowledge of the underground springs, but may or may not have built using the natural springs below (I don't know; probably not), is still there.

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                    • #11
                      Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

                      Originally posted by Honoruru View Post
                      Lensperson, I think TutuSue was thinking about the pond at the Willows Restaurant, not the history of the Moiliili karst caves and the underwater springs.[...]
                      True but the history is fascinating!

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                      • #12
                        Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

                        I've eaten there again twice in just the last two weeks.
                        Once was a lunch meeting, and besides us there were about 30 other people.
                        Then I went on a Friday evening because my friends in the band Maunalua were playing that night. Probably about 50 people there for dinner at around 7pm.
                        .
                        .

                        That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

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                        • #13
                          Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

                          A very speculative viewpoint proceeds as thus.

                          The original burial spot of the Alli is marked with a kapu sign in a
                          small plot of land on Oahu ringed with a wrought iron fence.

                          That little house was made of coral bricks.

                          The site was chosen above known access points to a realm of caves .

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                          • #14
                            Re: What's happened to The Willows Restaurant?

                            I had lunch there yesterday, for the 4th or 5th time this year. I believe they have a new chef, and the food is even better than it was before. Ahi poke, the salads, all better... the prime rib juicier and even more tender... and even the fresh fruit was absolutely delicious.
                            Over 30 people eating, and this was even before noon. (They open at 11.) Three large groups were coming in later, so being early meant no waiting for the buffet.
                            .
                            .

                            That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

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