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Hiroshi uses flavored
foam to top off
some drinks

Martini nights are nothing new to Honolulu. Spend the time to do the proper "research," and you'll find a number of places that offer different versions of the cocktail for less than $5 each.

But what makes the new "Wet and Wild Wednesdays" at Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas worth a visit isn't what goes into the martinis -- it's what goes on top of them.

Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas Location: Restaurant Row Hours: 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. daily Call: 533-4476

ONE OF the ways chef Hiroshi Fukui distinguished his new venture at Restaurant Row from others in town was the incorporation of foam into selected dishes. Instead of a sauce, complimentary flavors are combined with pressurized gas to produce a topping that resembles the consistency of whipped cream.

After developing food dishes using the flavored foam concept, the focus of attention shifted to Hiroshi's drink menu. The result is a number of creations that use foam as a finishing touch, adding to both the appearance and taste of the drinks.

Contrary to what you might have read elsewhere, the new martinis aren't just offered on Wednesdays. A co-worker and I had no trouble ordering them last Friday, but be prepared to spend $6.50 on each one instead of the special $3 price.

SO DOES foam really make a difference in the way a martini tastes? It depends on what kind you order.

After a few minutes of contemplation, we decided to start with a Peach Melba-tini and something called a Peach Apple Cobbler. A mix of vanilla vodka, peach schnapps and tuaca with raspberry foam, the Peach Melba-tini was an instant favorite.

While the foam was light and airy, it changed the way the martini felt in my mouth when I took a sip. Along with a slightly creamier consistency, I also noticed it lessened the alcoholic bite that vodka normally has.

Fans of sweet-tasting drinks will love the Peach Apple Cobbler. Apple Pucker and peach schnapps are combined with cranberry foam, resulting in a drink that tasted like a Jolly Rancher and went down as easy as a cup of Kool Aid.

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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Bartender Stephen Tamloo adds the finishing flavored foam on a "Sex in the City" martini at Hiroshi Eurasian Tapas in Restaurant Row. Also pictured is the "Metrosexual" Martini.

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For our second round, we followed up with a Sex in the City, made with vodka and triple sec with a lemongrass foam topping, and the significantly stronger Raspberry Temptations, which paired raspberry and vanilla-flavored Stolichnaya vodka with cranberry foam. It definitely packed a punch, although I didn't especially like the end result of mixing these particular flavors.

At this point, I finally realized what the foam reminded me of. Being a beer drinker, I'm used to a little head when guzzling my brew out of a glass.

The "head" on these martinis tastes a lot better, but I found myself wiping my upper lip after each sip. I also noticed that the foam dissipated pretty quickly, leaving you with a typical martini once you're halfway through the drink.

IF YOU'RE feeling adventurous, skip out on the crowds at Vino next Wednesday and sidle up to one of the 14 seats at the bar in Hiroshi.

A brighter paint scheme and the removal of a wall that separated the bar area from the rest of the restaurant takes way from the slightly more intimate drinking experience that this place offered when it was home to Sansei. And I'm not a fan of the metal racks that have been bolted on to provide storage for wine glasses and extra liquor bottles. Icicle lights don't do much to help things either.

But for just $3, you can't go wrong with the value that "Wet and Wild Martini Wednesdays" offers. It will also give you a chance to check out Hiroshi without having to spend the money on a full meal.

How much for a Bud Light?
The Barfly drank $6.50 martinis at Hiroshi. If Vino is too busy, pay this place a visit to marvel at a tap system used to prolong the life of opened wine bottles.

Get things to do?
Other than talking to the bartender, there isn't much to do here but drink. Bring a companion (or some reading material), if you don't want to spend all your time examining the sugar that lines the rim of your glass.

What about the grinds?
The tapas style of dining focuses on small plates -- and even smaller serving sizes. The pan roasted shrimp ($6.95) was tasty with a roasted garlic aioli foam, but you only got two pieces per serving. A yellow mustard foam with specks of tobiko added to the panko crusted ahi ($11.50), but I'm not too sure it was worth the price we paid. If you go, be sure to try the complimentary homemade rice cakes with wasabi aioli. Good stuff!

And the help?
There's not much of a pau hana crowd at Hiroshi, since everyone seems to love the vibe at Vino. That just makes it easier to get a drink here, and you don't have to worry about finding a place to sit either.

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Been there,
done that

Slammers Bar and Grill
1683 Kalakaua Ave. / 946-4209

Cheap drinks, ono grinds and friendly service make this place worth a stop. Thursdays feature a club-like vibe with DJs in the mix; happy hour lasts all day on Sundays.

Kapono's
Aloha Tower Marketplace / 536-2100

Sit back and enjoy live entertainment under the stars, just steps from the base of Aloha Tower. Be sure to bring a credit card; food and drinks can get a bit pricey here.

Hanagasa Inn
1343 River St. / 531-5988

Just a few weeks after my review, Hanagasa Inn changed management. No word if the Okinawan and Japanese pupu menu survived the change - pay them a visit and let me know!