Stuffs
[ RESTAURANT REPORT ]
Dining around the islands
2 isle eateries garner national recognition
Sister restaurants L'Uraku and Furusato have been singled out for national recognition by Distinguished Restaurants of North American -- DiRoNA, for short.The two are the only Hawaii restaurants out of 61 deemed outstanding this year.
Restaurants are evaluated through anonymous inspections that cover all aspects of dining and service, from the taking of the reservation to the presenting of the check.
L'Uraku, on Kapiolani Boulevard near Ala Moana, and Furusato Japanese Restaurant in the Hyatt Regency Waikiki, are under shared ownership. Furusato includes a traditional sushi bar and the trendy "pop" Japanese cafe Youme.n. L'Uraku is a contemporary Japanese fine-dining restaurant helmed by chef Hiroshi Fukui.
The DiRoNA winners' list, posted at www.dirona.com, is a good resource for travelers looking for a place to eat.
Dixie kids
Dixie Grill has updated its children's menu to offer more healthy choices for families.While the menu still consists of favorites such as grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets and miniburgers, parents now have the option of wheat bread and added vegetables. A fresh fruit smoothie has been added to the dessert menu.
Also new is the Marshmallow Fondue, which gives kids chocolate, raspberry and caramel sauces as dips for marshmallows -- not so low-calorie, but very kid-friendly.
Dixie Grill also offers Kids Katering takeout party foods and provides Dixie Diaper Bags for emergency use by dining families.
Call 596-8359 (Ward Avenue) or 485-CRAB (Aiea).
Wines of summer
Kapiolani Community College and Diamond Head Grill in the W hotel are teaming up for a summer series of wine tastings that begins Wednesday.Lisa Gmur, of Better Brands, leads the six classes. All sessions are 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Cost is $32 per class, which includes food by chef Todd Wells.
To enroll, call 734-9211.
A Taste of Sonoma: Wines from the California appellations of Russian River, Alexander Valley, Sonoma Coast and Dry Creek; Wednesday.Summer Solstice: Wines that pair well with summer foods such as barbecue and corn on the cob; June 2.
Bubbly!: Sparkling wines from California, Spain, Italy, France and Australia; June 16.
The Gold Coast: Wines from California's Gold Coast, Santa Barbara; June 30.
Bastille Day: French wines, including Bordeaux, Rhone, Languedoc, Alsace and Burgundy; July 14.
Life is Beautiful: Inspired by the Italian film, a class on wines from Italy, including Campania, Verona, Piemonte, Trentino and Tuscany; July 28.
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