Hawaiian restaurant to replace Evan’s Kitchen & Catering in east Sacramento

A new Hawaiian restaurant will replace once-popular brunch spot Evan’s Kitchen & Catering in East Sacramento. Midtown eaters might have already tried it out.

Kau Kau will open at 855 57th St., though chef/owner Amanda Bridger isn’t committing to an opening date yet. Interior construction remains ongoing, and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control just recognized Kau Kau’s license application.

Bridger and business/romantic partner Chris Tocchini ran midtown’s Cider House for a year up until May 29, serving Kau Kau’s Hawaiian food in addition to the bar’s drinks. They then hosted a couple pop-ups at The Golden Bear and started planning the brick-and-mortar.

Kau Kau’s brick-and-mortar restaurant will have an expanded menu from the pop-ups, including plate lunches, cold noodles and poke bowls. There’ll be keto, vegan and gluten-free options, Bridger said, and about 55 seats indoors but no outdoor dining.

Bridger’s great-grandfather immigrated from Scotland to Hawaii to work at a sugar plantation on the Big Island, and her grandmother lived there until meeting her grandfather during World War II.

“This is food that’s really close to my heart, and I put a lot of aloha into it,” Bridger said. “We’re going to stick pretty close to what you would find if you were going to a local’s joint on one of the islands of Hawaii.”

Evan’s held down a corner of east Sacramento for more than 15 years, serving countless mimosas and pancakes to Sacramento State students. But the restaurant began falling apart after the 2018 death of chef Evan Elsberry’s mother Laurette, who handled all financial planning and administrative work.

Elsberry struggled emotionally after his mother’s death and soon found himself in a financial hole, he wrote on a GoFundMe page that aimed for $150,000. Donors chipped in $7,305. The restaurant closed in May.