Stuffs
[ RESTAURANT REPORT ]
Dining around the islands
Chef of iron
Former "Iron Chef" Hiroyuki Sakai will appear on the cooking show "Two Skinny Chefs," and host Chai Chaowasaree is making a party of the occasion.The show will be taped before an audience, 6 to 9 p.m. next Sunday at Chai's Island Bistro in the Aloha Tower Marketplace.
Along with Sakai's appearance, the Brothers Cazimero will entertain and a full spread of food and wine will be offered.
Along with Sakai and Chaowasaree, cooking that night will be Edwin Goto of the Maunalani Bay Hotel & Resort, Russell Siu of 3660 on the Rise, Wayne Hirabayashi of the Kahala Mandarin Oriental, Rodney Uyehara of The Bistro, and Chaowasaree's sister, Joy, of Singha Thai Cuisine.
Tickets are $85. Call 585-0011.
"Two Skinny Chefs" features Chaowasaree and Beth-An Nishijima of Nori's Restaurant in Hilo. It airs on KGMB at 6:30 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays.
Hula on!
The newly opened Hula Grill Waikiki recalls the atmosphere of an early 20th-century plantation manager's home, except that here no one is required to work the fields.The restaurant opened June 22 at Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach.
Executive chef is Mark Kowalkowski, who most recently worked with chef Peter Merriman at Hula Grill Maui.
His menu is labeled Hawaiian Regional Seafood and signature dishes include Fire Grilled Ono, served with pineapple salsa; and Screamin' Sesame Opah, roasted Szechuan-style.
The 170-seat dining room is filled with Hawaiian collectibles, including, of course, hula dolls. Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. daily. Call 923-HULA (4852)
Hide-aways
David B. Goldman's new guide to Hawaii's hole-in-the-wall restaurants, "Island Grinds" (Bess Press, paperback, $11.95), summarizes 100 family-run eateries, including carry-out counters and roadside trucks.Restaurants are divided into regions, with pricing information, family stories and house specialties all covered.
They run from the fairly famous -- Shiro's -- to places little known outside the neighborhood. Have you heard of Aunty's Seaside Cafe in Maili?
Goldman is a travel and food writer who once reviewed restaurants for the Los Angeles Times.
Education in wine
A monthly series of wine-tasting seminars will be held at the Hanohano Room through the end of the year. "WineView" sessions, led by various wine distributors, run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and are limited to 15 people. Appetizers or cheeses will be offered at each session. Call 931-8383. The schedule:Red, Red Wine: A comparison of the eight major red grape varietals and how they differ by winery and growing region; Aug. 19; $30.
Endless Summer Whites: Six global white varietals other than chardonnay; Sept. 9; $35.
Precious Pinot Noir: Six wines from California, Oregon, Burgundy, New Zealand and Italy; Oct. 14; $35.
Cabernet Sauvignon, the Alii of Reds: Reserve wines from the Robert Mondavi portfolio; Nov. 10; $40.
Tiny Bubbles, in the Wine: Seven top champagne producers -- Veuve Clicquot, Moet & Chandon, Perrier-Jouet, Billecart-Salmon, Pol Roger, Bollinger and Louis Roederer, paired with selected caviar and sushi; Dec. 2; $65.
Sipping sessions
For more wine, the Pacific Beach Hotel has scheduled weekly "Wine & Cheese Wednesdays" at Neptune's Garden Restaurant.The sessions feature two whites and two reds from different wine regions each week, complemented by cheeses, fruit and nuts. Self-education comes through fact cards describing each item. Entertainment is by Keith and Carmen Haugen.
All sessions run 5:30 to 7 p.m. and cost $25. Call 921-6112 or 922-1233. The July lineup: Washington wines, Wednesday; Oregon, July 14; Spain, July 21; California, July 28.
Click for online
calendars and events.
Send questions, stories
or other story ideas or comments to:
Features, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, P.O. Box 3080,
Honolulu, HI 96802 or send a fax to 523-8509
or E-mail to features@starbulletin.com.
Please include your phone number.
