The Weekly Eater
The Weekly Eater
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
It can't be Hawaii without a tiki bar, so we've got one ... finally. Fred DeAngelo presides in the kitchen at Tiki's Grill & Bar in the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel.
Humble developments made
the most noise in 2002On the restaurant front, 2002 was a very quiet year, but that was no surprise. With the security of the nation's well-being in question after 9/11, and all economic signals pointing downward, it seemed safer to stand still than make grand gestures. The mood set in those waning months of 2001 carried over to the present.
Here's a look at how we ate in 2002:
>> Smaller mo' better: Unless snapping up houses or luxury cars through the magic of low-interest loans, consumers were guarded about discretionary spending. Retailers and restaurateurs felt the pinch, and many newcomers tried to seek out specialty niches or offer meals at no more than $10 per person.
Former Hawaiian Bagel, Inc., owners Mona and Steve Gelson returned to open This is It Bakery and Deli at 443 Cooke St., going back to their roots for their famous bagels, cream cheese spreads, deli sandwiches and salads.
Those in the Sand Island area could fill up on Spadaro's Italian Market and Bronx Deli, fare, with a menu based on Spadaro sausages. A sandwich could be had for less than $4.
Ahimsa Curries opened on Kapiolani Boulevard, offering a diverse, tummy-warming Indian curry buffet for less than $7 per person.
Ed Wary opened his namesake eatery offering just the basics -- burgers and frozen custard (read: ice cream). Isn't that enough?
>> If you can't beat 'em, join 'em: All those years of eating in restaurants then tuning into Food TV paid off. More diners empowered by newly found cooking skills and humbled by pay cuts opted to simply stay home. Even so, there were times laziness set in. The Gourmet Express in Kahala Mall started up its weekly meal programs to help people reach for a healthy selection five days a week.
Meanwhile, Kelvin Ro returned with his budget-conscious Diamond Head Market and Grill on the site of the former Burgerland at Campbell and Monsarrat. He brings Hawaii regional cooking to the drive-in, serving up fresh fish plates, char-broiled entrees and signature Portobello mushroom sandwiches with balsamic jus, topped off with specialty desserts.
To address desires of take-home cooks, he also offers deli meats, salads and poke, plus sauces and imported goods to supplement or enhance whatever's on the menu.
>> Let them drink tea: The Royal Hawaiian Hotel restarted its Royal Tea service this year, trying to recreate the laidback ambience of 1930s Honolulu, with guests attended by kimono-clad waitresses. This adds to afternoon teas served in the stately Moana, Mariposa at Neiman Marcus, the quaint downtown realms of Tea at 1024 (Nuuanu), Colleen Chun at the Courtyard (12 King St.) and the Winterbourne Tea Parlor at Mission Houses Museum.
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM The Royal Hawaiian Hotel was among the destinations that had soothing pots of tea waiting.
Chef Chai Chaowasaree lived up to his name and introduced his own brand of chai, ranging from the evocative monkey-picked oolong to herbal blends graced by a touch of island blossoms such as jasmine and hibiscus.
L'Epicier opened with a vast selection of teas at Ala Moana Center. Yet to come is Sotta, a tea bar and boutique slated to open at Ward Centre early next year.
>> Oahu finally gets a tiki bar: It was an October night to remember when Tiki's Grill & Bar opened in the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel with a vast array of pupu cooked up by former Palomino chef Fred DeAngelo.
Why it took so long to get our own tiki bar I'll never know. Didn't we pioneer tiki culture back in the '50s? This time -- and now that the trend has shifted to mughal ambience -- we're the last back in the pool. Something's wrong when Portland, Ore., can beat us.
Tiki's Grill & Bar is actually too slick to be kitsch, but the tiki mugs, statues and torches are all here, and if you listen, maybe you'll hear bird calls -- oh, no, that's the mai tais calling. The menu is 21st century slick also, with such contemporary fusion fare as kalua pig-topped quesadillas, a memorable prawn martini with wasabi cocktail sauce, panko-crusted fish and chips. As for entrees, look no further than the Omaha steaks.
>> To your health: We're all getting older, and a few restaurateurs plan to be there when we're ready to move beyond denial.
At Bizen at Stadium Mall, only organic fare is used, but prices are kept reasonable for dishes of fish, tofu steak and salads.
In Queen's Plaza downtown, Mr. Goodburger opened to indulge our weakness for burgers by serving soy-based veggie patty in the beloved format. Baked tater tots replace fries.
>> Just plain fun: Benihana of Tokyo marked its post-renovation opening in February with restaurateur Rocky Aoki and son Kevin Aoki, Benihana's vice president of marketing, in the house. Chefs sliced and diced their way through a thoroughly entertaining evening.
Sergio's also reopened mid-year at the Hilton with a food fest of equal caliber.
Gyu-Kaku opened on Kapiolani and showed why it's Japan's fastest-growing food chain. Dishes are pupu-portioned, and drinks are cheap if you can wrangle an early bird seat. That's a big if.
Happy dining in 2003!
See some past restaurant reviews in the
Columnists section.
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
excellent; very good, exceeds expectations; average; below average.
