The Weekly Eater
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kristina Poulos served a large shrimp cocktail in a giant martini glass at the Ship's Tavern Restaurant, where the ocean view is spectacular.
From the charming Banyan Veranda at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider, I'd occasionally glance up at the second-floor Ship's Tavern, wondering why anyone would want to be indoors when it's so pleasant to be near the sand, cooled by tradewinds and enjoying live music while sipping wine or a cool ice tea -- all good reasons to stay awhile. When it’s hot outside,
chill at The Ship’s TavernLittle did I suspect that a wrinkle in this delicate balance would tip the dining decision in the Ship's favor.
What was out of kilter? The weather. It wasn't as suffocatingly humid as being in the South or Asia, but it was pretty uncomfortable this week to be sitting anywhere out of reach of air conditioning.
The Ship's Tavern had that plus a new menu after having run aground after Sept. 11 when business dropped off. The updated menu is described as more fun than the old and includes more appetizers to give diners the option of grazing, rather than ingesting one heavy entree.
For those who have never explored territory beyond the Moana's veranda, heading to the Ship's Tavern allows you to fully appreciate the "reverse" renovation effort that captures the spirit of 1901, the year the Moana was born.
The Ship's Tavern evokes the equally romantic steamship era. Walking into the room, one gets the feeling the ship has just reached land from some distant port, and finally, there is the famous stretch of Waikiki sand and Diamond Head! After catching your breath, you sit down, gaze out the window (reservations a must for window seats), and suddenly realize you want to be out there, toes in the sand.
But then you remember how hot it is, out there, in the sand ... Oh well, whatever, never mind.
ON CUE, waiters bring cold towels to banish the day's discomfort. Their second act is to ply you with wonderful bread and lavosh and a salmon dip that tastes so thoroughly fatty and bad for you that people will love it. I would have been thoroughly content if all I had to eat were this bread, soup and a single appetizer, with choices such as carpaccio of beef tenderloin ($12), steamed Manila clams in a green curry Kaffir lime broth ($9.75) or Alaskan King Crab legs ($12).
Of course, I had to order the most decadent of appetizers, the pan-seared foie gras ($17.25) with cognac jus, asparagus tips and a wild mushroom ragout, in which the 'shrooms were still nicely crunchy rather than wilted as they might be in less caring hands.
In a nod to local style, there is an oxtail soup ($7), though old-timers swear by the Moana's clam chowder ($7), rich with cream. Balance that with Ship's Tavern Salad ($6.75), with its mesclun, tomato slices, bay shrimp and caramelized macadamia nuts topped with a light sprinkling of sherry raspberry vinaigrette.
At this point, I could have walked out, fully satisfied. This is the point at which one remembers stock market losses, wonders how long that old refrigerator/washing machine/car will last, and the cost of one's pending vacation. All good reasons to run. But having had such a pleasant time so far, the brave press on into territory where a garlic rosemary crusted rack of lamb is $28, Black Angus pipikaula steaks are $27 to $34 and lobster thermidor is $42. Seafood selections, including a Hawaiian bouillabaisse ($28), round out the menu.
The budget-conscious would do fine to order chicken ($22). I was quite surprised to find how elegant this common bird could be after having bathed in a cumin-mint marinade till tender, then pan-roasted. If you want to feel like you're getting more for your money, a surf-and-turf combination with an "East meets West" twist pairs this chicken with sautéed salmon topped with a mild Thai lobster curry sauce, with a side dish of linguini in Christmasy red and green.
Similarly, snapper and mushroom lumpia ($9.75 as an appetizer) can be combined with a medallion of Maui onion-crusted petite filet ($28). I'd probably stick to the lumpia, the snapper first deliciously wrapped in a sheaf of nori, as appetizer. The steak proved too bland, and the onion crust was more like a pudding that didn't do much enhancing.
We did the tourist thing for dessert, ordering the North Shore pineapple tart ($7.25) topped with macadamia nut ice cream.
If you still miss the Veranda, you can always settle in for aperitifs downstairs. More likely, after being ship-bound with all that food, you'll want to walk around.
Sheraton Moana Surfrider second-floor tower wing; complimentary valet parking or free parking at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani with validation / 922-3111 THE SHIP'S TAVERN
Hours: 6 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays
Food 
Service Ambience Value
Cost: About $80 for two without drinks
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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:
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excellent; very good, exceeds expectations; average; below average.
