‘Plum dinger’
of feast with winesTWO Wongs make a right fine couple of hosts. Dr. Gene Wong and wife Debbie, along with Christie's wine auctioneer Dennis Foley, put on a wine dinner that had oenophiles and gastronomes alike searching for superlatives. Hoku's chef Oliver Altherr outdid himself with a five-course feast that began with Kamuela Red and Gold Vine Ripened Tomato Mousse with Fresh Kona Prawns. Then came Fresh White Asparagus with Black Truffles. Next was Kiawe Grilled Ono with Fresh Chanterelles. The piece de resistance was Braised Beef Cheeks with Potato Gnocchi and Root Vegetables. And topping it all off was Hoku's Trio of Plums - Creme Brulee, Ragout and Sorbet. Oh yes, the wines. They began with a champagne reception of 1964 and '62 Moet et Chandon "Dry Imperial." Then came a 1979 and '83 Corton Charlemagne, Louis Latour. To die for, a 1952 La Tache, DRC-Jeroboam and a 1952 Romanee-Conti, DRC-Magnum; and with the plum desserts, the plum perfect 1976 Chateau d'Yquem. Among the guests were such connoisseurs as real estate broker Carl Smigelski (who represented the Japanese exec who bought the Keck estate for $11 million), Gerry Wong, Gordon Mau, Paul Pinsky with son Steve, Drs. Gene Doo and Steve Berman, attorney Jon Miho and Mitch Kysar. Auctioneer Foley is here for this weekend's Lupus Foundation's eighth annual Honolulu Wine Festival at the Hilton Hawaiian Village ...
WE mentioned that the national premiere of filmmaker Edgy Lee's "Paniolo O Hawai'i" was being held in Washington, D.C., this week. The hills of Waimea met Capitol Hill Tuesday and among local dignitaries attending the premiere were Bishop Museum's Donald Duckworth and OHA's Clayton Hee. Local lei maker Raymond Wong helped brighten the stately hall of the Smithsonian with floral arrangements, and among those admiring the isle flora was ex-isle resident Ron Paik, a former high school student of Wong's. Several hundred guests sampled island delicacies, such as local beef, Kona coffee, haupia and lilikoi cake, and the appreciative crowd was treated to a serenade by Leabert Lindsey, who sang "Unchained Melody." Read your own political statements into it ... Edgy in Washington
MORE exported local talent: The New York Times reported on "Water Fire," an art installation by Barnaby Evans (Iolani class of '79) in Providence, R.I. Billed as "singing bonfires," Evans' "Water Fire" demands that he stoke cedar, oak and pine logs into 40 bonfires that blaze from sunset to midnight on Providence's rivers. Shades of Christo! Wonder how environmental firebrands would react to seeing that recreated on the Ala Wai? ...
RAN into Katie Doyle of the Institute for Human Services at the opening of "Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back" at Manoa Valley Theatre, and she's gone blonde! "I do feel different," she allowed ... The show is a surefire hit, funny even to those who've never seen a Broadway musical, and the more you've seen, the more you'll "get" from the show. Director Brad Powell came up with five absolutely terrific performers: Lesley Bianca Alexander, Suzanne Boyd, Lance Rae, Lance Corey Wheeler and Kathleen Stuart, the latter, unbelievably, still a 16-year-old high school student at Castle who is talented beyond her years and experience. She plans to graduate a year early and seek a career in theater, and my experienced opinion is I think she's got a good shot. Get your tickets quick ... Having more fun
Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.