After we noted the local Hawaiian joint's Heath Department problems and some recent heaving Yelp reviews yesterday, Hukilau's owner followed up with the folks over at EaterSF to clarify the Health Code violations. You see, the place was only briefly closed for lacking hot water.

According to Hukilau general manager David Trautz, the pilot light on the restaurant's water heater went out at a very inopportune time just before the health inspector dropped in. Eater confirmed this with the inspector who posted the notice and also confirmed that not having hot water falls under the "disease transmission" category. So the violations can't exactly be connected to the (very recent) reports of food poisoning, which Mr. Trautz assured us he takes very seriously. As he tells us in an email today:

As somebody who eats here almost 6 days a week, I can confirm that I have never once been sick from our food. We serve soul food that has comically large portions, and can certainly leave people with a full belly. I think that experience contributes to some of our negative upset stomach complaints.

As for the food contamination and vermin infestation notes posted on the restaurant's door, the Health department tells Eater those "weren't severe enough for closure, but it was sort of all of them." Either way, the joint was open again, serving spam musubi and gravy-blasted burgers in time for lunch service yesterday.

PREVIOUSLY: Local Hawaiian Restaurant Has Health Department Problems
[EaterSF]