Sam Choy, Randy Schoch
TRUST me when I tell you the hottest restaurant in town right now, hotter even than the lunchwagon at Kewalo Basin, is Sam Choy's new Breakfast, Lunch & Crab on Nimitz Highway. I met a friend there for dinner at 6:30 p.m. -- early for me -- and not only was the 380-seat restaurant already filled with diners, there were 30 people in the entryway who'd checked in at the desk and were waiting for a table. Even with a reservation it took some 10 minutes to be seated. At about 8 p.m. I glanced at the door and the entryway, fortuitously lined with seats, was still full. I asked the manager if it is always like this. "At breakfast, lunch and dinner," he said, "ever since we opened." ... RSVP a must
for Sam’s hot eateryWE looked over the breakfast and luncheon menus and could see how such fare, supervised by Chef Choy, could attract hoards of people, particularly at reasonable prices. But at night, when crab is featured in some 18 different ways, the entree prices creep up into the $30-plus range, and the place is still swarming with people, almost all of them local. The diners seemed more at home than they might at Choy's more upscale, white tablecloth eatery on Kapahulu. They seem to like the paper table coverings, the open feel of the place, the visible kitchen, the live lobsters on display, aquariums crawling with crabs and even a water fountain in the center of things for washing the juices off your hands after dinner ...
BLC, as its followers are already calling it, appears to be the new popular place to take visiting firefighters as well. The night we were there, who should be brought in by friends but Chuck Rolles, founder of Chuck's Steak Houses, who now spends most of his time in Aspen, but is back for a brief respite. Also there was Micque Quenzer, former co-owner of Quenzer Driscoll Dawson, the TV production company. He now lives and works in Seattle, but was brought back to town to do a new series of spots on Ala Moana Center ... Fortunately, they have valet parking at night, and for goodness sake, don't go near the place without a reservation ...
SPEAKING of eateries, you may have heard that Andrew's, formerly in Ward Centre, has taken over the Centre Court space in Executive Centre and once again is serving up Italian food with a flair. What you may not know is the chef in the kitchen is none other than Lori Wong. As president of Pacific Food Services, she presided over Andrew's and a dozen or so other restaurants before going into bankruptcy proceedings. She spends much of her time these days in Andrew's kitchen "when I'm not at an attorney's office." The other day she served two famous local chefs, Alan Wong (no relation) at lunch and Ed Goto, chef at the Lodge at Koele, at dinner ... Wong turn
FOOD seems to be the topic today, which leads to the question, when is a noodle more than a noodle? Answer: When it's been certified. Thailand's Minister of Commerce and Finance, Dr. Narongchai Akrasanee, was in town and dined at Singha Thai. He took the occasion to certify the noodles on the spot. He explained that the Thai government is now certifying Thai restaurants around the world that uphold the authenticity, flavor and quality of the native cuisine. For what it's worth, Singha Thai is the only isle Thai eatery so certified ...
HE was Schoched but not surprised when Ruth's Chris, operator of a great many steakhouses across the country was named "top restaurant in the U.S." by the Robb Report. We're referring to former Black Orchid co-owner Randy Schoch, who oversees Ruth's Chris from his Scottsdale, Ariz., home. He and wife Cherie have been visiting the steakhouse they operate in Restaurant Row and also are exploring Maui for an expansion site. It was quite a picture in Restaurant Row the other night when Randy's longtime pal Levi Stanley, once one of the most feared linemen in WAC football, was bouncing the two Schoch children, Randall and Victoria, on his knee, looking more avuncular than vicious ... Schoch-ing news
Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.