Opera patrons have many
options for elegant dining

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Star-Bulletin

Opera can be a hungry pursuit, so it's best you show up well-fed.

The Hawaii Opera Theatre is seeing to it that dinner and song are paired with ease through these special offers:

Prix fixe dining: Prior to Friday and Tuesday performances dine for $19.95 at a number of restaurants near the concert hall. The dinners are designed to be served and consumed in about an hour, so you'll make curtain time, as long as you're seated before 6 p.m. on Friday and 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Participating restaurants are 3660 on the Rise; Aaron's at the Ala Moana Hotel; Brew Moon Restaurant & Microbrewery; Cafe Sistina; Chai's Island Bistro; Keo's Ward Centre; Kincaid's Fish, Chop & Steakhouse; Palomino Euro Bistro; Ryan's Grill; Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar; Sarento's Top of the I; and Sunset Grill.

Seating may be limited, so reservations are required. Call the individual restaurant and ask for the opera Prix Fixe Dinner.

Gourmet to go: Before Tuesday night performances pick up a meal right at the Blaisdell Concert Hall and dine by candlelight under a canopy on the lawn. Elegant Catering is providing dinner for $15. Advance orders required; call 594-4015 three days ahead.

Dessert & Divas: After the opera, complimentary dessert will be served to anyone with an opera ticket stub at Cafe Sistina, Chai's Island Bistro and Indigo.

The season begins Friday with Verdi's "La Traviata," repeating Feb. 3 and 5 at the concert hall. Performance times are 8 p.m. Fridays, 4 p.m. Sundays and 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Call 596-7858 or visit the Web site, www.hawaiiopera.org.

Zippy's meets Old Dixie

Zippy's has added soul food to the menu to kick off a series of limited-edition, signature meals at all of its restaurants.

First guest chef is Debra Hopkins, of Deb's Southern Comfort Old School Soul Food, whose dishes will be featured at Zippy's as weekend specials for three months.

Among Hopkins' best sellers are ribs, barbecued chicken and Southern-fried catfish.

Other regional specialties are planned following Hopkins' run.

Also at Zippy's, kim chee is taking up a featured spot on the menu. Hae Jin, maker of Hae Jin Kim Chee, begins serving kim chee soup and kim chee fried rice tomorrow. Those dishes could be given a permanent spot on the menu.

Kim chee can already be ordered as part of any plate or sandwich at the restaurants.

Roy's rides the range

Roy's in Hawaii Kai is bringing back its wine-pairing dinners, to be held every six to eight weeks beginning with tomorrow's "Rhone Rangers."

Wines from Qupe and Bonny Doon will be paired with a four-course meal by Roy's chefs Jackie Lau and Ronnie Nasuti.

Cost is $65; dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Call 396-7697.

Heidi's consolidates

The three Heidi's restaurants are becoming two.

After 27 years, owner Micki Mortensen has decided not to renew her lease and will be closing the Bishop Square Deli Jan. 31.

The operation will be merged into Heidi's Downtown Bistro & Deli at Pacific Guardian Center and Heidi's Deli at Pioneer Plaza.

The Bishop Square location is now the only Heidi's open on Saturdays; those hours will be taken over by the Bistro & Deli, which will be open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 531-6118.

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