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Ask our Hawaii Specialist about these special restaurants in Hawaii! Looking for Jameson's By-the-Sea? Favorite Honolulu Restaurants Dreaming and
Dining on Oahu Oahu Restaurant Update FEAR NOT, travelers to Hawaii who weary of macadamia-crusted fish and passion fruit reductions - the dining scene is getting a makeover. On Oahu, (the Big Island and Maui), chefs are using the exceptional local ingredients in bright new ways and opening a collection of bright new restaurants. Marbella On Oahu, MARBELLA is Honolulu's largest buzz restaurant, where everything from the French manager to the savage spicy-sweet shrimp has a little attitude. Ingenious salmon-stuffed grape leaves (now I'm dolmades, now I'm sushi) and paprika-dusted moussaka headline a menu that falls somewhere between North Africa and southern Europe. But the cumin-crusted moi (a Hawaiian fish) with vinegary red.-onion relish is the dish you'll tell your friends about. The restaurant was opened by brothers Ash and Magdy Matar, who wanted food that reminded them of their Egyptain childhood; the shredded-phyllo pastry is a thematically appropriate dessert, but the so-called "beignet" - served with espresso-drenched vanilla gelato - is more fun. Le
Bistro Across town at LE BISTRO, skip the Parisian standards for what the regulars are eating: slow-cooked short ribs that mimic a rich pot roast, soft pillows of sea bass in an earthy morel mushroom sauce and mysteriously spectacular lamb chops that are move about Asian spices than European herbs. Favorite items - like dessert - tend to run out suddenly, but if you whimper the chef might make you something special, like buttery caramelized pears with gelato. Just hide it from the waiting crowd, which still packs this little neighborhood place long after most of the city is in its jammies. Oahu Adds Pair of Food
Experiences To Its Menu Hawaii's growing reputation as a culinary destination got a boost recently with the introduction of two different food experiences on Oahu with the same aim: to give local culture the palate test. One is a new farmer's market at the end of Waikiki, the other a cooking class held weekly at the Lyon Arboretum, which is located 15 minutes from Waikiki in the Manoa Valley. The farmer's market is an enticing stopover for visitors to the Diamond Head Crater. Located at Kapiolani Community College along Diamond Head Road near the entrance to the crater trail, the market is open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon, selling products grown exclusively in Hawaii by island farmers and food producers. In addition to fresh food and easy-to-pack items such as jams and jellies made form mango, papaya, strawberry guava and other exotic fruit selections created from jaboticaba and oheio berries. The other food experience, Foods of Hawaii, which began in the fall of 2003, calls itself a cooking class and cultural history lesson rolled into one. Visitors are asked to arrive at 9 a.m. for the 10 a.m. class, held each Tuesday, to allow time for a tour of the arboretum's tropical, native and culinary plants, including nutmeg,cloves and vanilla orchids. Also on the property are cacao trees, sweet potatoes and fruit trees. "Whatever is in season or in bloom, we'll bring into the classroom," said Joan Namkoong, the program's creator and chef. In the demonstration kitchen, visitors are given snacks of seasonal island fruits along with a lesson on choosing and preparing fruit for eating. The three-hour cooking class features recipes adapted for home using island staples such as kalua pig (traditional Hawaiian roast pork), ahi (tuna) and vegetables. Participants then lunch on the food they have prepared. But cooking and tasting what you've made are only part of the instruction. "It's more than just a cooking class, it's a food experience, and it's a way to learn about Hawaii's culture through the food," said Namkoong. The cost of the class and tour is $85; transportation to and from Lyon Arboretum is not included (about $15 one-way in a cab from Waikiki). There is a minimum requirement of four people and a maximum of 15. A group of 12 can arrange for an alternate day and time. The deadline for reservations is noon on Mondays. Favorite Honolulu
Restaurants Alan Wong's Restaurant Hawaii's favorite son, chef Alan Wong, has introduced a new concept and a new restaurant at Ala Moana's Liberty House department store. Wong's PINEAPPLE ROOM restaurant and PATISSERIE BAR were first to open on the third floor, followed by the HAWAIIAN REGIONAL CUISINE MARKETPLACE on the fourth floor. The concept here is to showcase the freshest local products. Produce, such as pha berries, and white, purple, orange and yellow peppers come mostly from a cooperative of Big Island farmers who work with farmer Kurt Hirabara to supply only their best. There are concierges to guide you through the ordering process at the deli, to the fish and meat market, the bakery or the truffle department where you can watch your purchases being prepared. On the third floor, the Pineapple Room is open for breakfast, lunch, snacks and light dinners. It is an airy restaurant, seats 150 and sports an open kitchen surrounded by a long marble bar from which diners can keep an eye on their pizzas topped with kalua pig, as they emerge from a wood-burning oven. Wong, who has earned a reputation for his flair in presenting Island flavors in updated fashion at his King Street restaurant has perfected the art in the Pineapple Room. Crab cakes are shaped like pineapples. Chili, a local favorite, is served over mashed potatoes with seafood and topped with guacamole. Char siu-crusted onaga (snapper), nori-wrapped salmon and salt and pepper Kauai shrimp are three reasons to return again and again. Near the entrance to the Pineapple Room, weary shoppers can stop for a quick 'pick-me-up' of cappuccino, cream puffs or cocktails at the Patisserie Bar. At Alan Wong's, try the kalua pig won ton tacos with refried taro and avocado salsa. The NEW Willows Restaurant Before it closed five years ago, the WILLOWS was the kind of place where kamaainas donned long muumuus and took guests for extended lunches, while local entertainers strummed guitars and sang beside the koi ponds. The newly reopened Willows enjoys the same languid setting but with new touches: etched glass panels, a charming little chapel for small weddings, an outrigger floating on the main pond and an upper-story fine-dining room with windows all around that overlook trees, the pond and waterfalls. Diners in open-air seating beside the pond and waterfall in the main part of the restaurant make lunch and dinner selections from a nicely presented buffet in an adjacent building. A triple carving station with roast turkey, prime rib and glazed ham form the centerpiece of choices that include the Willows' famous curries - shrimp, chicken or vegetable - as well as a salad bar with lomi lomi salmon, poke, pea salad and potato salad. Additional soups, entrees and desserts round out the $14.95 lunch buffet, while the $24.95 dinner buffet includes wonderful extras, such as suckling pig and portobello mushrooms with a beurre blanc sauce. Executive Chef John Stack, who cooked at the Willows 14 years earlier, also oversees the fine dining room, open Tuesday through Sunday, where entrees range from $21.95 to $27.95. The Veranda Cafe A favorite for its curry lunch buffet - the best curries are chef (Robit) Pradad's Indian and Thai offerings. Among the Indian choices may be lamb or beef rogari josh, a very popular northern Indian delight. Its primary flavors come from toasted and ground whole spices such as coriander, fennel, cardamom and cloves. His version is made with a rich, caramelized onion-tomato sauce, kissed with saffron. Thai curries usually have brighter flavors than the deeper, earthier Indian ones. The Thais love citrusy tastes like lemongrass and kaffir lime, along with galangal (a Thai ginger) and fresh basil leaves. The yellow seafood curry contains mussels, clams, fish dumplings and shrimp. The red crab curry is married with fresh Thai chile peppers. Along the North Shore Part of the adventure of a drive along Oahu's North Shore, aside from the obvious appeal of surf and scenery, is the assortment of restaurants, fruit and vegetable stands and food wagons that serve everything from broke-da mouth chocolate-haupia pies to field-fresh corn and apple bananas, to local laulaus. You can't sample everything in one trip, but it's not a bad idea to take a cooler packed with ice so you can bring home goodies for the next day. Cholo's Homestyle Mexican Its walls decorated with whimsical figures and serapes, has additional umbrella-shaded tables outdoors. This little cafe offers tacos, tostados, quesadillas and more, in all price ranges - depending on whether you order a la carte, plate or dinner. Fish tacos are a specialty but the shrimp tacos are just as good! You can bring your own wine or beer for a $1 corkage fee, per person. Open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Coffee Gallery In the mornings, you'll see a few local moms with their kids or working men and women on the screened lanai of this Haleiwa version of an upscale coffee shop. By noon, the crowd is an even mix of tourists and locals. The coffee and food service section is stocked with T-shirts, mugs and pure Hawaiian coffee to ship or to buy by the pound - Kona Sunbean Estate, Molokai's Malulani Estate, Maui's Kaanapali Estate and Kauai Peaberry. If you just want a cuppa to go with a poppy seed muffin, a slice of pizza, a veggie sandwich or a decadent chocolate desert, you can choose a zippy special like "sexual chocolate", a simple mocha or latte or a cup of hot tea to enjoy under the wildly painted ceiling panels of the lanai. Gateway Restaurant Buffet
and Alii Luau Buffet Many people don't realize that they can stop at the Polynesian Cultural Center for a buffet lunch, dinner or luau without paying for, or participating in, village activities. At lunch, you can opt for soups and salads for $8.30, or partake of the full buffet for a few dollars more. The dinner buffet for $15 features four entrees and an array of salads, fruit, hot and cold veggies, rolls and desserts. An Ambassador dining package for $25 adds Alaskan king crab legs and sushi to the salad bar, plus prime rib, baked fish and stir-fry scallops to the entree list. This is a great place to sample luau food at a reasonable $20. The buffet includes kalua pork, crispy deep-fried fish, poi and taro rolls, as well as guava cake and haupia coconut cake. Atmosphere in the big, airy restaurant is casual enough for shorts. The same goes for luau service, which has Hawaiian entertainers to keep things lively. Haleiwa Beach Grill Clean, casual and beachy-looking with gaily-colored umbrella tables out front, the Beach Grill is on Main Street but you're close enough to smell the sea breezes. Order-at-the-counter local fare includes teriyaki chicken plate lunches with two scoops of rice, macaroni salad and shredded cabbage. You also can order a burger or burrito, deep-fried shrimp or fried noodles with beef, chicken or vegetables. Onion rings, smoothies and shakes round out a reasonable menu served from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Haleiwa Joe's Seafood Grill Open seven days a week, with windows that overlook Haleiwa Boat Harbor, this surf-lover's hideaway is known for good-sized portions of quality food at reasonable prices. Islanders love to share the pupu platter filled with an assortment of ahi spring rolls, poke and sushi. Local fishermen supply fresh fish - mahimahi, ono, ahi and moi. For dessert, fruit caramel made with blueberries, raspberries and strawberries over macadamia nut ice cream with burnt caramel sauce is worth the drive to the North Shore! Jameson's By the Sea This is North shore dining at its best! The sun sets on the ocean while you sip a mai tai on the open-air deck, then move upstairs for a dinner that might start with summer rolls and progress to New York steak or to shrimp and scallops stir-fried with Chinese pea pods and water chestnuts. People drive an hour out from Honolulu to savor the grilled crab and shrimp sandwich at lunch, topped off with macadamia nut cream pie. Dinners are served with linguini, French fries, rice or fried rice, vegetables and crispy garlic rounds. Too full for dessert? Step next door to the Fudge Works and take home a half-pound ($4.65) of chocolate macadamia nut fudge for later. Jameson's indoor-outdoor lower level is open Monday and Tuesday until 9 p.m. and for lunch seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. More formal dinner dining upstairs is offered Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. Recipe for Chef Colin Cabibi's Baked Stuffed Shrimp Pizza Bob's Sit outside on the open deck for a casual pizza any weekend night and you'll see half the people who live on the North Shore. You also can opt for a comfy maroon booth in the cool, air-conditioned interior if you want a little more intimate atmosphere. Pizzas have a raised edge to contain everything from pepperoni to shrimp, capers or artichoke hearts topped with a secret sauce and five cheeses. Besides great salads and sandwiches, regulars rave about chicken Barcelona, a chicken breast sauteed with garlic, basil, capers, tomatoes and artichoke hearts and served on pasta with a parmesan cream sauce. An inside-outside apple dessert is a whole apple baked in a crust with brown sugar and cinnamon, served a la mode. For the best values, ask about dinner specials that change nightly. Seatide Room Normally used for special group events, the Seatide Room is open to the public only on Sunday for brunch, offering a lovely respite if you're making a leisurely drive to the North Shore. This pretty hotel venue overlooks incredible ocean views through floor-to-ceiling windows. The brunch buffet ($26.95 for adults, $14.50 for children 4 to 11) includes jumbo crablegs, shrimp cocktail, seafood salad, suckling pig, prime rib, made-to- order omelets and waffles, multiple salads and desserts, juices and coffee. The hotel also houses the Palm Terrace, a family-style restaurant open daily for breakfast, lunch and theme dinners that might focus on seafood, prime rib or other selections. Ted's Bakery The best way to describe Ted's chocolate pies topped with a layer of haupia and whipped cream is "heaven in a pastry shell". This low-key Sunset Beach store bakery also has take-out strawberry cream and "mocca" cream pie (whole or by the slice), eclairs, cinnamon rolls, soft drinks and chips to take out for beach-side snacking. It does not offer restaurant seating. Dreaming and Dining on Oahu Sheraton Moana Surfrider The trick to finding the most relaxing place for a bite to eat is to time your meal before or after a lunch or dinner rush. But even in the midst of frenetic Waikiki, remnants of gracious living remain where you can relax like the rich and famous in a bygone era. For tea, go with a friend at midafternoon or take a book, if you're alone and settle into a wicker chair on the stately 100-year-old SHERATON MOANA SURFRIDER hotel's veranda. Earl Grey aromatic with lavender or a house blend of mango and lilikoi tea steeps in the pot, while beachboys and bikini-clad lasses perfect their golden tans a step away on Waikiki Beach. Silver lemon squeezers and tea strainers add to the mellow mood as you munch on scones slathered with tart lemon curd, nibble dainty crustless sandwiches that arrive on a three-tiered tray, then get wildly indulgent on chocolate tortes, cream puffs and flaky little fruit tarts. Waioli Tea Room Not far from Wakiki, another tranquil retreat on Oahu provides a relaxing escape for Sunday brunch or everyday lunch. Early on a weekday, WAIOLI TEA ROOM in Manoa Valley, can be nearly deserted. Birds sing, the wind ruffles the leaves and the waitress might hum under her breath as she delivers your chicken quesadilla or a salad piled with shrimp or fresh ahi (tuna). Sometimes a limousine pulls into the curving driveway to deliver a bride and groom to the quaint stone church on the property, but seldom are more than half a dozen people in the wedding party, so the peace of the place remains intact. During the past year, Oahu has welcomed a cornucopia of restaurants, from a lively neighborhood hangout, to a relaxing open-air retreat, to a traditional steakhouse. No matter how loyal we may be to our favorites, these new eateries, too, bear exploring as they truly offer something for everyone. |
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AURELIO'S AT THE MAKAHA RESORT GOLF CLUB - Chef Aurelio Garcia wisely kept his prices reasonable and serves his entrees with vegetables and starch, which attracts local people to this off-the-beaten-path, hotel restaurant. Chicken marsala with pasta costs $9.25 and mahi mahi served on a Newberg sauce is priced at $12.50. The restaurant has an open-air feeling with green carpeting that seems to extend to the emerald golf course outside the plate-glass windows. Makaha (808) 695-9544. |
DAVE AND BUSTER'S - This 40,000-square-foot restaurant and entertainment center entices visitors with three floors of diversions. The lower floor includes the Grand Dining Room, the Viewpoint Bar with one giant and four smaller, television screens and a separate room for billiards and shuffleboard. The second floor is designed for action with flight simulators, video games, and horse race games, a carnival for adults. The rooftop entertainment deck offers a grand view of Honolulu's city lights. Dark woods, attractive wall sculptures and murals create an upscale atmosphere for lunch, dinner and late-night snacks. The various menu choices, such as sirloin steak portabella, Philly cheese steak sandwich, grilled chicken salad and buffalo wings, guarantee that there's something to suit everyone's taste. Honolulu, (808) 589-2215. |
LE BISTRO - Chef/owner Alan Takasaki has already established his 57-seat bistro as a "cozy neighborhood restaurant" where guests can enjoy a variety of dinner items bursting with flavor, such as seared scallops. The international menu includes Japanese appetizers, French coq au vin and Italian pastas, as well as several steak entrees and seafood. Reservations are highly recommended on weekends. Le Bistro is open from 5:30 to 9 p.m. every day, closed on Tuesday. Honolulu. (808) 373-7990. |
MORTON'S OF CHICAGO, THE STEAKHOUSE - This 150-seat, high-end steakhouse on the ocean side of Ala Moana Center sports a clublike atmosphere with private meeting rooms and special wine storage for repeat customers. Decorated with mahogany woods, soft lighting and white linens, Chicago-based Morton's features a menu of steak, lobster and veal and boasts generous portions of porterhouse (24 and 48ounces), New York sirloin and double-cut filet mignon, with or without bernaise sauce. Elegant desserts like souffle for two, Godiva hot chocolate cake, New York cheesecake or Key lime pie complete a satisfying meal. Morton's is open Monday through Saturday from 5:30 to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m. Honolulu (808) 949-1300. |
NIUMALU CAFE AND BAR - Set off the lobby of the new Kalia Tower at Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa, this casual restaurant with flagstone flooring has a sophisticated, tropical ambiance. You can sit at wicker chairs and shaded umbrella tables outdoors or dine indoors on deli sandwiches, roast turkey wraps or shrimp salad in papaya. Distinctive Hawaiian coffees make breakfast and lunch a treat and taste delicious with desserts such as chocolate cake with chocolate haupia (coconut pudding) filling. Hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. Waikiki. (808) 949-4321. |
PINKY'S PUPU BAR AND GRILL - With a name and a location that bring memories of a long-ago favorite restaurant (Pinky's Broiler closed in the early 1980s), this new Pinky's offers livelier night life than the windward side usually sees, plus the food is good! Set beside a canal, the restaurant is decorated in art deco Hawaiiana (rattan, canoe paddles, sculptured fish and tiki torches) is brightly lit, even around a horseshoe- shaped bar near the entrance. Besides about 25 appetizers and mixed ohana platters big enough to serve a family, the menu offers generous portions of kalbi ribs with papaya marinade, fresh fish tacos, prime rib, chicken entrees and Hawaiian food plates. Open 4 to 10 p.m. everyday. In Kailua. (808) 254-6255. |
THE PAVILLION CAFE - This open-air cafe sits in the courtyard of the new Luce Complex at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. At lunch, warm Big Island goat cheese salads, turkey breast sandwiches, piadinas (Italian flat bread with tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella and prosciutto) and daily specials (possibly seafood pasta) come with so many healthy greens that you'll end up almost too full for warm fruit crisp a la mode. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 1:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Honolulu. (808) 532-8734.
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WINTERBOURNE TEA PARLOR - Diners have been slow to discover this idyllic retreat that opens to a shaded courtyard at Mission Houses Museum. Decorated with a variety of eclectic period pieces, such as wicker chairs, formal dining chairs, printed and plain linens, hand-painted dishes, mismatched, gleaming silver and a Victorian display case with memorabilia, the parlor offers breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea on weekdays only. For lunch, proprietor Nikki Yasutake and partner Rosie On-Lawson limit the menu to two sandwiches (such as chicken cashew or crab cake on croissant) and two salads. Petite lemon or pecan tarts or a rich, creamy bread pudding with hot or iced tea complete the repast. Afternoon tea includes a sampler plate of a scone, three tea sandwiches, two desserts and a choice of tea for $12. On the weekends, the location moves to the Aston Waikiki Beachside Hotel where a full afternoon tea service is offered between 2 and 5 p.m. for $20 per person. Reservations are required at both locations. Honolulu. (808) 537-3806. |
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