Quick Bites: Japengo, HASR Bistro, Hiroshi, more

Japengo’s first birthday: Japengo is celebrating its first anniversary with a special menu from today until Oct. 26.

The celebratory four-course menu includes the White Dragon Roll, Japengo Salad and your choice of Wafu Steak or Misoyaki Butterfish, finished off with a dessert of Japengo Coconut Creme Brulee.

For beverages, choose from one bottle of imported or domestic beer or a glass of Canvas Pinot Grigio or Cabernet Sauvignon, coffee or tea, or sparkling still water.

Cost is $35 per person. Valet or self-parking is also complimentary.

Japengo is on the third floor of the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, 2424 Kalakaua Ave. Call 237-6180 or visit waikiki.hyatt.com.

HASR Bistro: HASR Bistro opened for lunch Oct. 3 in the former Grand Cafe & Bakery Space at 31 N. Pauahi St.

Executive Chef Rodney Uyehara (formerly of Bistro, Beachhouse and Chai’s) teamed up with HASR Wine Co. owner Terry Kakazu to open the restaurant.

The lunch menu includes small plates such as Surfing Goat cheese pierogi, Hamakua mushrooms and escargot, and roasted eggplant and ricotta souffle. French onion soup, salads, cioppino and osso bucco are also offered.

Daily specials are available, including grilled pesto chicken with mixed greens and Big Island spinach gnocchi.

HASR Bistro also offers fresh-baked Mama’Nita scones.

Lunch is available from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays. Weekend brunch and dinner hours are coming soon. Info: 533-4277 or hasrbistro.com.

Hallo-Wine Tasting: Windward YMCA holds its ninth annual Hallo-Wine Tasting at the Ko’olau Ballrooms Atrium from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 27.

Besides heavy pupu and wine provided by Tamura’s Fine Wines & Liquors, there will be live music by Walt Keale, a silent auction and a costume contest.

Proceeds help send low-income children to YMCA Camp Erdman for a week. Costumes are optional.

Tickets are $65 per person ($50 for YMCA members) until Oct. 20, and $70 at the door. For tickets and information, call 261-0808.

Contemporary Kaiseki: Chef Hiroshi has set Oct. 30 as the date for his next “Contemporary Kaiseki Dinner” at Hiroshi’s, Waterfront Plaza (formerly Restaurant Row).

It’s an eight-course dinner featuring many locally grown ingredients paired with sake instead of wine for a change.

Start with an amuse bouche of Mari’s Manoa lettuce open-face summer roll, followed by two appetizers: braised island tako with Ho Farm’s long beans and roasted Mari’s baby beet salad with Mrs. Cheng’s tofu, island sea asparagus and Big Island abalone.

Next, enjoy a sashimi of chef-caught aku tataki and an in-between dish of Randy Yamada’s crispy-skin tilapia, followed by “bubu arare (crispy puffed rice) seared mekajiki” stewed with braised Shinsato pork, a sous vide of bacon wrapped in Kuahiwi beef tenderloin and chazuke.

Dessert is a milky panna cotta with Aloun Farm’s yellow watermelon granita.

Cost is $75; $100 with sake pairing. Call 533-4476 or email Sara at svilliers@dkrestaurants.com.

– Compiled by Nina Wu. Email “quickbites” news to nwu@staradvertiser.com.