2011 ‘Ilima Awards: Oahu’s Top Restaurants
To compile the guide, a team of food and dining experts from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser selected more than 200 establishments.
View MoreBest Restaurants: People’s Choice
3660 On The Rise: Island flavors, Euro-style, served without pretension Chef Russell Siu looks startled when asked about the secret to the success of 3660 on the Rise, winner of the ‘Ilima People’s Choice award for best restaurant in Hawaii for the third year running. “Gee, I’m not sure how to answer that,” he says with modesty. But then he has a go at...
View MoreBest Restaurants: Critics’ Choice
Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas: Light touch in the kitchen makes a huge impact Chef Hiroshi Fukui loves cooking fish, and when he’s presented with the chance to cook one he’s never worked with before, “we do everything — saute, deep-fry, bake, steam, grill — to find out what works best, what features the best flavor and texture.” That’s the same...
View MorePublisher’s Choice: Dennis Francis
SARENTO’S AT THE TOP OF THE ILIKAI My favorites include Vongole (Manila clams in a white wine and parmiagiano broth with ciabatta bruschetta) from the tapas menu — the clams are juicy and flavorful, and the broth is killer. For a salad, try the Chopped Greek Style Gabriella with Maui onions, cherry tomatoes, feta, avocado and bay shrimp. Choosing an entree is more...
View MoreCritic’s Picks: Jason Genegabus
ZARATEZ MEXICATESSEN Paul Zarate has single-handedly elevated the simple street taco to must-try status at his truck on Kapiolani Boulevard. Other restaurants have been around longer and might offer a wider selection of menu items, but Zaratez Mexicatessen has most of them beat when it comes to location, speedy service and personality. After moving to Kapiolani from Kapahulu...
View MoreCritic’s Picks: Elizabeth Kieszkowski
VINO ITALIAN TAPAS AND WINE BAR This sophisticated yet casual Italian eatery, brought to you by master sommelier Chuck Furuya and chef-restaurateur D.K. Kodama, is all about good food and great wine. Vino is designed as a Mediterranean-style “enoteca” — “wine library” — where tasting a variety is welcome, if not expected, and rustic small plates...
View MoreCritic’s Picks: Nadine Kam
LE BISTRO Although the setting is casual, the upscale bistro menu and warm intimacy of the room and staffers make Le Bistro a popular spot for special occasions throughout the year. Alan Takasaki’s menu of classic French dishes, starting with French Onion Soup Gratinee or an appetizer of Escargot de Bourgogne in garlic-spiked olive butter, is augmented by local fusion daily...
View MoreCritic’s Picks: Joleen Oshiro
HIMALAYAN KITCHEN The Nepalese and Indian fare at Himalayan Kitchen is at once exotic and comforting. An interesting mix of spices is lively on the taste buds even if you don’t order the food spicy hot. A parsley chutney, for instance, waters eyes like a chili with its predominance of garlic and ginger. The array of curries in both thick-and-hearty and thinner versions can...
View MoreCritic’s Picks: Betty Shimabukuro
PEARL Culinary students at Leeward Community College are essentially practicing on you at the Pearl, so if your server seems a little nervous, that’s why. Be helpful, encourage her to flex her newly learned dining-room skills. You’ll both enjoy yourselves. And you — you will eat well and spend little. The students in the kitchen are trying out advanced skills on a...
View MoreStar Circle: ‘Ilima winners for 10 years or more
ALAN WONG’S When the leader of the free world comes to Hawaii, he dines at Alan Wong’s, where he’s especially fond of the Twice-Cooked Shortribs Soy-Braised & Grilled Kalbi Style. While many might quarrel with President Barack Obama’s politics, few have questioned his sense of style and taste. His repeat visits to one of Hawaii’s premier...
View MoreDHT Showstoppers: Chosen by the patrons and producers of Diamond ...
PRODUCER’S CHOICE RumFire Let’s start with the rum: more than 100 varieties. And then the fire: real flames in firepits on the patio. But those are just starting points. At RumFire you get beachside ambience, signature cocktails and a full-on restaurant experience. It is what you want it to be. There’s even a keiki menu. What to drink? Perhaps a Baja Sun with...
View More10 Foods We Love: A short list of gastronomic must-haves
1. This Lemon Crunch Cake is right up your alley In the olden days, the Lemon Crunch Cake served at the Alexander Young Hotel downtown was an island dessert icon. Decades later, people of a certain age still yearn for this yellow cake with its topping made of crushed bits of lemon candy. If the Alexander Young cake was anything like the modern incarnation served at the Alley...
View MoreSweet Stuff: Some of Hawaii’s best dessert places
It sounded like a “piece of cake” assignment: roam the island and find specialty sweets worth recommending. Thing is, I’m not a sweets person, so I had never been in some of these shops before. The payoff: I was delightfully surprised when I had my first taste of these offerings. The desserts I discovered are made with balanced flavors; sugary sweetness is not the...
View MoreThe Newbies: The best of Oahu’s newest restaurants
Reviewed by Nadine Kam, whose “Weekly Eater” column runs Wednesdays in the Today section of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. For full reviews, go to staradvertiser.com. ‘Ama ‘Ama The opening of Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, brings a couple of more dining options to the Leeward coast, which is great news for west siders looking for another weekend or...
View MoreBrunch: A good morning meal brightens any day
One of the great pleasures in life has to be the Lazy Sunday — the day of rest typically reserved for football in the mornings, baseball in the afternoons and family hibachi/kanikapila sessions all day long. But no matter what you’re up to, we all have to eat. And nothing goes hand in hand with a Lazy Sunday better than brunch. The brunch concept appears to be undergoing a...
View MoreBest of Pau Hana Patrol: Some of the best in TGIF’S happy-hour c...
Excerpted from “Pau Hana Patrol” in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s TGIF weekly entertainment guide. Full reviews available at honolulupulse.com. Prices may have changed; call establishments for updated information. Kailua Town Pub & Grill 26 Hoolai St., Kailua; 230-8444. Happy hour: 2:30-6:30 p.m. daily If you want an escape from the sunshine or the beach...
View MoreFood Events Calendar: From October 2011 through September 2012
2011 October Oct. 9: Sixth annual Hawaii Fishing and Seafood Festival, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Pier 38. More than 100 vendors, tours of the fish auction and fishing demonstrations. Visit www.hawaiifishingfestival.com. Oct. 15: Kona Chocolate Festival. Hawaii island chefs concoct innovative chocolate creations from 6 to 10 p.m., Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort. Visit...
View MoreTop Restaurants: A to F
4KINGS KITCHEN 4Kings Kitchen has proven to be a mecca for locals and tourists alike who crave upscale plate lunches at an affordable price. Owner and chef Kapo Kealoha even offers housemade dressings to go with his salads. 2671 S. King St.; 951-5464. Lunch, dinner (except Sunday), Sunday brunch (closed Monday). $$ 12TH AVE. GRILL See DHT Showstoppers. 3660 ON THE RISE See...
View MoreTop Restaurants: G to L
GINA’S BAR-B-Q There are countless Korean takeout restaurants in the islands, but this spot, owned by sisters Gina Song and Yong Hae Han, stands out for its lasting popularity, incredible value and right-on flavors. Recommended: kalbi, hot fried chicken wings, Korean spicy pork. Market City Shopping Center, 2919 Kapiolani Blvd.; 735-7964; www.ginasbbq.com. Lunch, dinner....
View MoreTop Restaurants: M to Z
MAC 24/7 BAR + RESTAURANT It’s hard to believe that before MAC 24/7, Waikiki lacked many 24-hour eating choices. The hours, and the menu of amply portioned retro-diner and local-food options, made an immediate hit. Recommended: towering pancake stack, chicken-fried steak with white cheddar mac and cheese, Char Siu Sumo Saimin, and peach and berry cobbler. Hilton...
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