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The Weekly Eater
OH breaking up is hard to do, and rarely a pretty thing. We scoffed at the antics of Tommy Lee and Pamela. We wondered whether Meg Ryan would stay with her husband Dennis Quaid or fall into the arms of fellow actor Russell Crowe. Who knows what will happen when the Angelina Jolie-Billy Bob Thornton marriage implodes (and don't tell me you're so Pollyanna you hadn't considered the possibility). Troy’s finds there’s
life after breakupHappens in business too. That's why entrepreneurs are warned away from partnerships, to no avail. Entrepreneurs by nature are an optimistic bunch, always counting on their ability to get along to pull them through any hardships. It doesn't always happen.
Troy's Kahala Bar & Grill
Food1/2
Atmosphere
Service
ValueAddress: 4614 Kilauea Ave.
I was sad to see Donato's Ristorante's principals part ways. In the beginning, chef Donato Loperfido and manager Troy Haley seemed to have a good operation going. Pasta patrons showed, the limonade flowed. Then, like a script for "True Hollywood Stories," came the turning point. Costs spiraled out of control. Differences of opinion about the menu surfaced. Something had to give.
Commercial break.
In mid-November we learned Donato was out. Troy was in. I wandered back soon after the transition to find operations smooth as usual, even with the expanded menu of steak, prime rib and chicken. I found the menu serviceable, but not particularly satisfying.
What a difference a month, a new year and a new chef -- James Rosenberry, another Roy's alumnus -- make. He continues to tweak the menu, which makes it hard to talk about. What's here today could be gone tomorrow.
For now you can look forward to some extravagant nightly specials in keeping with the new year, like Foie Gras Risotto ($30) and Seafood Bouillabaisse ($30) made with Australian prawns, opakapaka, divers scallops, calamari, rock shrimp and Manila clams.
Don't let those prices scare you. It won't be the norm, says Troy, whose goal was to serve steak, pasta and seafood in the $15 to $20 range. "I just wanted to create a great neighborhood restaurant where people don't have to wait for a special occasion to eat out."
At first I was afraid to try the pasta, afraid to be disappointed. I was relieved to find perfectly cooked Orecchiette ($15), a potent concoction of anchovies, garlic, red pepper and olive oil, topped with rapini, a thin, crunchy broccoli/rabe hybrid.
Ditto the Saffron Risotto that accompanied a skewer of Pancetta-wrapped Scallops and Shrimp ($20). I had been fond of Donato's Mushroom Risotto. The new risotto was a bit crunchier than in the past, but few would quibble with a dish so close to silky perfection.
Other new additions are 12- and 16-ounce slabs of Prime Rib ($20/$25), pressed with pepper and spices and pan-seared, and a juicy 8-ounce Filet Mignon ($25) wrapped with yet more pancetta, topped with melted fontina and fried leeks, a triple whammy.
Troy oversees all of this answering the phones or hitting the floor to make sure guests are well tended. Judging from his smile, he's recovered from the split with his old partner and has moved on quite nicely.
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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:
-- excellent;
To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to nkam@starbulletin.com
