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The Weekly Eater
NO matter how hard they try to escape, some people have restaurants in the blood. They may question the long hours, the stress and the fact that EVERYONE'S a critic, and try to retreat back into civilian life. To no avail. Paolo returns with
dishes hot off the grillSo it is that not long after closing Philip Paolo restaurants in Kailua and Hawaii Kai, chef Paolo and wife Connie Ortiz-Sarubbi are back. In Kailua, the pair branched out beyond Paolo's Italian mainstays, introducing a menu of all-American fare, local and seafood dishes. Once again, the adaptable duo is trying something new, ditching the fancy tablecloths, fresh flowers and wine list in favor of a homey mom-and-pop approach to mealtime.
Kama'aina Grill serves a mix of sandwiches, plate lunch standards such as Beef Stew ($6.50) and Hamburger Steak ($5.95) and Italian specialties such as Chicken Marsala ($8.50) and Eggplant Parmigiana ($8.50). Sometimes the two worlds fuse, but it's rare to crave Kalua Pig Pasta ($8.25).
As if all this variety isn't enough, daily specials include the likes of Frutti di Mare ($13.95), or pasta with seafood, and Stuffed Pork Medallions ($10.95), a savory roulade of pork loin filled with spinach, diced carrots, onions and mushrooms. This was also breaded and baked, a step I could have done without for aesthetic reasons. The breading neither added nor detracted from the flavor of the dish.
SOME local dishes could use fine tuning. I liked the liberal use of peppercorns with the Chicken Adobo, but the dish was heavy on soy sauce, without much of a vinegar bite. This was redeemed by a smooth, mild Thai Chicken Curry ($6.25), and they still have a way with Caesar Salad, with chicken ($5.50) or without ($4.25).
KAMA'AINA GRILL
Food 1/2
Atmosphere Service Value
Address: 1901 Kapiolani Boulevard (at McCully Street, same building as Bali Indonesia)
The site once housed a teppanyaki eatery, and the couple retained the grills for hibachi dinners also. Couples planning to order the "Super Hibachi" shouldn't shy from commandeering a table for four. You'll need the space. Though priced at $9.95 per person for a minimum of two, the combination of teriyaki beef, kalbi, chicken, pork, rice and vegetables would easily serve four.
The combo comes with fresh sliced mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, garlic and green onions, as well as smokey barbecue, Thai sweet chile, light teriyaki and tonkatsu sauces.
The chicken and kalbi -- a meaty 3/4-inch-thick cut that cooks down to 1/2-inch thick -- were fine without sauce, but I tried all four and liked them all; what's more, they worked harmoniously in such combinations as barbecue sauce over sesame-flavored kalbi.
A deluxe hibachi dinner features shrimp and squid in addition to the above, for $12.95 per person, minimum of two.
Of course the meats always cook perfectly because you're in charge of the grill.
Both hibachi meals are offered day and night, but you won't want to go back to the office after a meal like this. Even if you don't fall into siesta, the smoke will cling to your hair and clothes, leading people to think you're having too much fun.
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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews run on Thursdays. Reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:
To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to features@starbulletin.com
