Chef duo brings Hawaiian cuisine to residency at SE Portland's Little Griddle

Kau Kau owners Tracee and Brandon Hirahara were previously chefs de cuisine at Eem and Langbaan, respectively.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Hawaiian pop-up that started in a popular Portland brunch spot is experiencing a full circle moment by returning to the same restaurant with a new residency.

Through their Kau Kau residency, married chefs Tracee and Brandon Hirahara will bring the flavorful cuisine of their home Oahu to Little Griddle in the Richmond neighborhood.

The Hiraharas first moved to Portland in 2011, inspired by the city’s flourishing food scene that included Le Pigeon, the now-closed Castagna and the shuttered Beast.

But after relocating, the chefs stacked up an impressive restaurant roster of their own.

Most notably, Tracee worked as a sous chef and chef de cuisine at Thai barbecue eatery Eem. Brandon was formerly chef de cuisine at Langbaan, the Thai spot recently named a finalist for the “Outstanding Restaurant” award from the James Beard Foundation.

After years of friends encouraging the Hiraharas to sell the authentic Hawaiian eats they grew up with, Tracee got the idea to launch the Kau Kau pop-up in 2021. It debuted in Little Griddle’s Northeast Portland location, with help from the current owner.

Combined, the Kau Kau chefs have over four decades of experience in the restaurant industry. Brandon told KOIN 6 they dedicated many years to exploring other culinary avenues, but the fine-dining realm doesn't beat the food that feels most like home.

“Yes, it is simpler, home-style food, but that doesn't mean we can't execute it to a high level,” Brandon said. “There’s no reason why there should be some sort of glass ceiling of what this cuisine can be.”

Between Thursday and Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Portlanders can have a taste of all that Hawaii cuisine has to offer at the Kau Kau residency on 3566 SE Hawthorne Blvd.

Menu items include spicy salmon poke bowls, combination plates featuring kalua pig and chicken long rice, and butter mochi as dessert.

The chef duo doesn’t know how long the residency will run, but customers certainly won’t see the last of their cooking.

“We're actually working with [Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon] right now to try and start our own brick and mortar, so that's like the end goal,” Tracee said. “Depending on how long that's going to take… that's going to differentiate how long we're going to be at Little Griddle.”