The Weekly Eater Nadine Kam

Mealtime is rush hour
at Jackie Chan’s
Jackie’s Kitchen

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At a YWCA benefit auction held late last year, Rhoderika Miranda, somewhat of a newcomer to the islands -- I don't care if it has been four years; if you can't separate wooden chopsticks, you're a newbie -- hit upon a novel way to eat around town.

Miranda bid on and won dinner dates to go a-reviewin' with News 8's "Cheap Eats" team of Lyle Galdeira and chef Sam Choy, who took her to a hole-in-the-wall Kapiolani barbecue restaurant whose name she cannot remember, and on a separate occasion, she ended up at Jackie's Kitchen earlier this week, with moi.

Now, this is no easy feat, as nothing prepares the novitiate for the sudden influx of food that comes with this job. Upon arriving at such a scene, as at any buffet in town, the initial reaction is one of joy, but sooner or later, physiology takes over and you are left with a belly that stretches out to greet the table and an overnight date with Celebrex.

It was only after Miranda and I parted ways that I thought I should have warned her about overdoing it. As for me, my stomach has been conditioned over several years of dining workouts, so I can certainly take on anything martial arts action/comic star Jackie Chan's crew could throw down.

As it happens, Miranda -- though standing a mere 4-feet-11 plus three-quarters of an inch -- is no slouch herself, telling me later that no matter where she's worked, she's always remembered for her appetite. The ribbing starts the minute she's spotted in the company cafeterias with her telltale towers of food. Luckily, she's made her career in the hotel industry -- currently as executive meeting manager at the Renaissance Ilikai Waikiki Hotel -- where food equals hospitality and there's plenty to go around.

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RONEN ZILBERMAN / RZILBERMAN@STARBULLETIN.COM Juanita Aguerrebere serves up the popular lamb chops and shrimp chow fun at Jackie's Kitchen.

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THOSE WHO instinctively migrate to the food court while shopping at Ala Moana Center will find getting to Jackie's Kitchen takes a little more work, climbing the escalators to the upper level near the Mai Tai Bar, California Pizza Kitchen and Bubba Gump's. Jackie's is done up in a clean, contemporary mall aesthetic, with a bit of warehouse flavor from its high ceiling and exposed ducts.

I don't know what Chan's other 40 or so Asia restaurants are like, but just as he's been able to roll with the punches on film (I couldn't resist), he's assembled a culinary team headed by executive chef Michael Longworth -- formerly of Sam Choy's and Buca di Beppo -- to customize a local-style menu with Asian flair. If it reminds you of Jackie Chan at all, it's only because we tend to think of him as one of us, having watched him on the big screen for so long.

The restaurant is suitable for those in search of a full meal or those who simply want to make a pit stop to rest their feet and get a little sustenance in between rounds of shopping. The latter group may linger by the bar to watch the "flair" bartenders at work and order burgers ($7.95) or pupus such as steamed chicken and shiitake shumai ($5.95); a twist on the usual potstickers ($7.95), made here like deep-fried poke with a filling of fresh slices of ahi; and meaty crab cakes ($11.95) made with plenty of blue crab and a light coating of panko. If decision-making is a problem, there's the JC Stunt Team Platter ($18.95) featuring honeyed hoisin baby back ribs ($9.95 a la carte), tender chicken satay ($6.95 a la carte), crab wontons, spring rolls and shrimp dumplings.

Satisfy your appetite for a salad with a traditional Chinese chicken salad ($6.95) or, for a taste of Thailand, the green papaya salad ($12.95) topped with grilled shrimp.

As for entrees, you'll find grilled lamb chops ($18.95) flavored with Chinese five-spice and braised short ribs ($17.50) on the menu, plus several wok-fried rice dishes. Jackie's House Special fried rice, made with disappointingly minute flecks of lup cheong and char siu, is also shot through with hot peppers for those who like fiery foods.

Far from Chinatown, Jackie's Kitchen's tea-smoked duck ($16.25) was a hit, even with Miranda's friend Christina Vitug, who said she normally doesn't like duck.

A miso glaze served over seared salmon was heavy, even for this strong-tasting fish, and is best left to those who really, really love miso. And as the restaurant is still in its fine-tuning phase about a month after its soft opening, some concessions have already been made to satisfy the local palate. A lemongrass-crusted fish (most recently, mahimahi) has been toned down so there's a mere hint of the strong-tasting herb.

One dish that could use some toning down was a dessert of apple-ginger pie ($5.95). Ginger works in Diamond Bakery's Ginger Royal Creem crackers but was a little off-putting here, only because we've been conditioned to crave the flavor of cinnamon with our apples. Poached pear wontons ($5.95) had more wrapping than pear, but mango creme brulee ($6.75) hit the spot. It can only get better when summer brings juicier wedges of mango.

Although the restaurant had its soft opening in December, Chan may find his way into Honolulu for a proper grand opening. Stay tuned.

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Jackie's Kitchen Ala Moana Center, upper level / 943-CHAN (2426) Food Service Ambience Value Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily Cost: About $30 to $55 for two, without drinks

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See some past restaurant reviews in the Columnists section.

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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin. Star ratings are based on comparisons of similar restaurants:

	excellent;
	very good, exceeds expectations;
	average;
	below average.

To recommend a restaurant, write: The Weekly Eater, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802. Or send e-mail to nkam@starbulletin.com

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