Isle restaurants help
feed Red Cross fund

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By Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.com

Bartender Alex Nikolich was shaken after he learned a friend was in the World Trade Center when hijackers crashed into the twin towers.

"I haven't been the same," Nikolich said. "I've been walking in a daze."

On Oct. 11, Nikolich and other employees at Indigo plan to donate a portion of their tips to the Red Cross Relief Fund to help families who were affected in the attacks. Their efforts will be part of a nationwide campaign organized by the National Restaurant Association called "Dine for America."

"It hit me pretty hard," Nikolich said of his friend, John O'Neil, 45. He said he hasn't heard from O'Neil since the attacks.

"I plan to give everything that night ... whatever it takes," he said.

Many Hawaii restaurants will be donating all or a percentage of their sales to the Red Cross on Oct. 11.

Indigo Eurasian Cuisine will give all proceeds from its dessert menu, which includes double chocolate torte, rich goat-cheese cheesecake and Madame Pele chocolate volcano.

Laura Stutler, a server at Indigo, said, "I think it's a wonderful chance to show our support."

So far, more than 800 restaurants have agreed to participate in the program, said Ed Wary, Hawaii's representative for the restaurant association.

Dixie Grills in Honolulu and Aiea and sister restaurant Auntie Pasto's all will donate 20 percent of their proceeds on Oct. 11. The Dixie Grills will also sell "Blues, Brews & BBQ" T-shirts for $15, with $10 per shirt going to the Relief Fund.

Employees at Compadres Bar & Grill also will donate a portion of their gratuities, said owner Rick Enos. Compadres and Maui's Lahaina Cannery will donate all proceeds of food and beverage sales.

Compadres general manager John Langan, a native of New York, said he's amazed at Hawaii's sense of community among the restaurants.

"We're all in this together," he said.

On the day of the attack, Langan immediately called family members on the East Coast to make sure they were OK.

"I just couldn't believe it," he said. "It's very surreal. ... It's like somebody wiping out Diamond Head."

FEED THE FUND Restaurants participating in the "Dine for America" program, in which they will donate all or part of their sales to the Red Cross Relief Fund: >> Ryan's Grill >> Kincaid's Fish Chop & Steak House >> Palomino in Harbor Court >> Outback Steakhouse >> Big City Diner >> Nick's Fishmarket >> Payao Thai >> Ocean Club >> Ruth's Chris Steakhouse >> Sansei >> Kengo's >> Jose's Taqueria >> Boomerangs >> Subway >> Red Lobster >> Indigo Eurasian Cuisine >> Dixie Grills >> Auntie Pasto's >> Compadres Bar & Grill >> Maui's Lahaina Cannery