A fusion of fresh Hawaiian flavors awaits at Huli Bowl & Rotisserie at The Hall on The Yard in the Ivanhoe Village District.
The Hall on The Yard opened in November 2021 and is a modern food hall concept that includes nine eateries, three cocktail bars, indoor and outdoor dining spaces and a banquet room.
The dimly-lit ambiance with chandeliers thrown in for good measure is casual chic, but not pretentious.
A server provides guests with a menu that features all dining options and the orders are taken on tablets.
Poke (pronounced po kay) is a Hawaiian dish, and Huli Bowl & Rotisserie’s main act.
The chefs take diners on a culinary exploration overflowing with creative and thoughtful menu offerings.
I had an opportunity to participate in my first poke-dining experience during a Huli Bowl & Rotisserie tasting that included appetizers, entrees and a dessert.
The starters included five Poke Nachos, three Huli-Huli BBQ Sliders and a bowl of edamame.
The Poke Nachos are the bomb and include ahi tuna, sesame-ginger poke, wakame (edible seaweed), ginger tomato, avocado puree, spicy aioli, crispy garlic, scallion and sesame cracker. The sesame-ginger poke, ginger tomato and spicy aioli gave the nachos a kick that surprised my palate but didn’t overpower the tasty appetizer. The sesame crackers also were a nice touch.
Begin your meal with Poke Nachos at Huli Bowl & Rotisserie. Photo by Sandra Carr.
The Huli-Huli BBQ Sliders were next and didn’t disappoint! The small, but mighty sandwich includes pulled pork, coconut garlic slaw, ginger pickles and crispy shallots mixed together and piled high on slider buns. The Hawaiian version was an innovative and delicious twist on barbecue sliders!
The edamame (soybeans) was presented on a bed of greens and steamed to perfection. Each soybean popped out of its pod easily and was seasoned just right.
The first savory headliner I sampled was the Poke Rose bowl. The ingredients include ahi tuna, sesame-ginger sauce, edamame, avocado, wakame, scallion, radish, jasmine rice, spicy aioli, a seven-spice blend, chia and mixed greens. The sesame-ginger sauce and spicy aioli pepped up the bodacious bowl, but didn’t turn me away from the other delicious ingredients.
The Pacific Pig and Chimichurri Pulled Duck pressed sandwiches were the next stop on my gastronomic journey. Each sandwich was different, but delightful!
The Pacific Pig includes pulled pork, crispy spam, sliced porchetta (pronounced porketta), gruyere, ginger pickle, coconut-garlic aioli and agave mustard on a pressed hoagie with pork gravy on the side for your dunking pleasure. The secret weapon is the crispy spam, which is homemade and a specialty at the eatery.
The Chimichurri Pulled Duck features hemp-heart chimichurri jasmine rice, pulled duck, brie, charred onion and spicy aioli on pressed ciabatta bread with spiced duck jus.
The Pacific Pig and Chimichurri Pulled Duck pressed sandwiches each come with one side at Huli Bowl & Rotisserie. Photo by Sandra Carr.
The last entree that was presented to the group by Chef Jason Cline was the Huli-Huli BBQ Chicken. The half-bird includes a pineapple, sweet-pepper puree, crispy garlic, sesame and cilantro. The dinner also comes with two sides. The chef included spaghetti squash and roasted sweet potato with the barbecue chicken during my tasting. The rotisserie chicken melted in my mouth and the sides were a marvelous match!
I paired my delicious dishes with The Hall on The Yard’s My Tie, which isn’t a Mai Tai, but has a tiki taste. The craft cocktail’s ingredients include Bambu rum, sage-infused Flor de Cana rum, allspice dram, falernum, pineapple, lime and bitters.
Last but not least was the coconut-lime creme brulee. I’m a big creme brulee fan! I also love coconut, so this mixture was right up my alley! The delicious dessert includes shortbread cookie crumbles, fresh fruit compote, toasted coconut and sesame seed. I didn’t want this sweet sensation to end!
Experience the Aloha State in Orlando’s backyard at the Huli Bowl & Rotisserie. The eatery has a savory selection on its moderately-priced menu, with its prices ranging from $10.95-$34.95.
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