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The Weekly Eater
THERE'S far too little Moroccan food here, so when I heard about Cascada's weeklong "Taste of Morocco" promotion, I had to drop in. The event ends Saturday, too soon for many to enjoy, but the prix fixe menu provided the perfect opportunity to revisit this restaurant. Cascada tries
and tries againSince opening in 1993, Cascada has tried to appeal to locals as well as tourists. Cascada has changed chefs, changed menus and experimented with brunch, merely to find its name rarely mentioned on anyone's list of culinary destinations.
It's a shame, because the restaurant is pretty, albeit in a faux Continental sort of way. To start, the Royal Gardens lobby is dressed in marble, with upholstery in clear reds, golds and midnight blues, and monumental arrangements of silk flowers. There's even an imitation Renoir. Sounds kitschy, but barring close inspection, it does create an ambience worthy of the restaurant's Spanish name.
The dining room's main attraction is the hotel's swimming pool with its columns and swift, hypnotic cascade. Naturally, tables nearest the water get snatched up first -- not always for the right reasons. It was amusing, for instance, to see a visitor from Japan wash his hands in the pool.
CASCADA
Food 1/2
Atmosphere Service Value Address: Royal Gardens at Waikiki, 440 Olohana St.
Having recently sampled Chez Michel's extraordinary $19.95 prix fixe dinners, I'm all for this chef-selected sampler, but at $45 per person, Cascada's "Taste of Morocco" is rather steep to serve as much of a promotion. And while the concept was tempting, the reality was disappointing.
In this setting, the rations seemed meager. The hummus, with the consistency of peanut butter, is little more than inexpensive chickpeas and tahini. The soup could have been beautifully presented given the right earthenware, but in its gleaming Noritake bowl, it tasted great but looked unappealingly gray. A small salad might have added a touch of color.
The mahi was OK, but hardly nuanced with a chermoula, or relish, of onion, garlic, red chilies and mint, almost as fiery as a harissa sauce.
I had to surrender to the regular menu. The setting is so nice some couples dropped in early for a light sunset supper of appetizers and salads. Try the Ginger Rubbed Salmon Tartare ($8.50) or the combination appetizer ($10.95) of ahi sashimi, "bronzed" by a soy glaze, and a single golden crabcake, Maryland blue crab meat mixed with green onions, cilantro and lemon zest.
An Avocado and Papaya Salad ($7.95) was generous, with slices lined up in graduating sizes like caterpillar roll sushi. I was appalled by the brown "gravy" on top, but this balsamic and truffle vinaigrette was lighter than it looked. Less might have been used on the papaya, but then, the dry fruit may have required reconstitution.
Entrees included a Seafood Risotto ($21.95) of crab, shrimp and scallops, a Thai-Grilled Pork Tenderloin ($18.95) and Veal Marsala ($22.95). The chef's signature Mongolian Grilled Lamb Chops ($26) are made for local palates, marinated in hoisin and sesame oil, infused with pressed garlic, and topped with a hoisin and orange honey glaze so rich and thick it was like dark chocolate.
Of course the thought of chocolate led me to the chocolate souffle, which only took 5 minutes to get to the table.
So maybe the special menu didn't quite work, but it lured me back, it could lure others. Gotta keep trying, si?
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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 nkam@starbulletin.com
