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POSTED: Wednesday, October 15, 2008

COMING UP

Isle Restaurant Week aims to offer a bevy of meal deals

Plans for Hawaii's first Restaurant Week were formulated with the high hopes of earning $250,000 for the Culinary Institute of the Pacific. But that was in a better economic climate.

In these post-crash times, the school will be happy to break even, director Conrad Nonaka says. “;If we get even a dollar left over, that helps, but the intent is to expand the network.”;

That would be the network of restaurants, chefs and diners taking an interest in the CIP's plan to build a culinary school at the old Cannon Club on Diamond Head.

The concept of Restaurant Week is popular in many major cities as a way of drawing customers out to eat during slow times. Participating restaurants offer special deals that are well-publicized in co-op ads.

The CIP's plan was to capitalize on the idea to make a dent in the $16 million needed for the Cannon Club project. Restaurants will donate $250 to $5,000 to the school, which will pay for all the advertising and promotion. If all goes well, the school nets some cash, the restaurants draw in new customers and diners feast for a week on some good deals.

How good? Orchids at the Halekulani, Nobu Waikiki and Roy's Restaurants will offer a $32 three-course meal. Others may offer two-for-one purchases or other steep discounts. More than 30 restaurants have signed on, and Nonaka says if the event is a success, it could expand statewide next year.

Restaurant Week is Nov. 16 to 22, but the deadline for restaurants to sign up is next Wednesday. Call Nonaka at 734-9539.

 

MORSELS

Big Isle bounty

Chicken Papaya from K's Drive-In, Steamed Mullet from Seaside Restaurant, Loco Moco from Cafe 100—these are the foods of Hawaii's biggest island, according to a new cookbook by Audrey Wilson, writer of “;Let's Talk Food”; in the Hawaii Tribune Herald and a cooking teacher.

“;What the Big Island Likes to Eat”; reaches bookstores at a $31.95 cover price in November, but is available pre-sale for $21 through October. Visit www.mutualpublishing.com to order, or go to a KTA store on the Big Island. Postage is another $5.

KTA has sponsored publication of the cookbook and is donating a portion of sales to the Hawaii Island United Way.

The book is Mutual Publishing Co.'s follow-up to last year's “;What Hawaii Likes to Eat”; and adheres to that book's mix of traditional plantation dishes and home-cooking, combined with upscale restaurant recipes. It also includes a chapter matching one in last year's book, “;Gone But Not Forgotten,”; with recipes from restaurants past, such as Hard Tack from the Hilo Macaroni Co. and Candied Popcorn from the old Kress Store.

 

Turkeys in the imu

An imu-steamed turkey is a Thanksgiving tradition for many, and the Kailua High School athletic program is happy to make it happen.

The school's fundraising imu opens with space for rent on Nov. 26, with turkeys, pork roasts, sweet potatoes and more emerging the next morning, Thanksgiving Day.

Cost is $15 per 25-pound tray of food—packed in large foil baking trays. Meats should be thawed, seasoned and well-wrapped in heavy-duty foil. Drop-off—on campus, 451 Ulumanu Drive—is 3 to 4:30 p.m.; pick-up is 8 to 9:30 a.m. the next day.

Students, faculty and alumni will keep the imu steaming through the night.

The 350 spaces are usually reserved by early November. Make checks payable to Kailua High School and mail to the school, 451 Ulumanu Drive, Kailua 96734. Write “;Attention Mel Imai”; in lower left corner of the envelope.

Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope along with payment, which will be returned with a confirmation ticket. Be sure to include name and telephone number.

Call 266-7910 or 728-7389 (do not call the school). Proceeds will benefit athletic programs at Kailua High.

 

Wine tastings

Pearl Harbor Swirls: Tasting of 32 wines and heavy pupus, 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Pacific Aviation Museum. Cost is $85, to benefit Operation Homefront Hawaii, the museum's education programs and Rotary Club projects. Call 487-5304 or visit www.pearlharborrotary.org.

The Art of Blind Tasting 101—Demystify Wine: Learn to identify flavor profiles of specific varietals in order to identify wines without seeing the labels; 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Wine Stop, 1809 S. King St. Cost is $25, including pupus. Call 946-3707.

The Wine Stop offers free wine tasting from to 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays and from 4 to 8 p.m. on the second and third Fridays of every month.

 

DA KINE

Schools can apply for Grammy events

High school music programs and their students are invited to take part in the Grammy Awards experience through three nationwide programs.

The selection process runs through Oct. 22. Applications are available online at www.grammyintheschools.com. Winners will be announced in March 2009.

Grammy Jazz Ensembles: 30 top high school instrumentalists and singers from public and private schools win trips to the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, with the chance to perform in Grammy Week events and record a CD at Capitol Records studios.

Grammy Camp: A two-week residential summer camp for high school students is hosted by the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music in Lost Angeles, open to 65 students interested in careers in audio engineering, concert promotion/production, DJ-remixing, film scoring, instrumental performance, music journalism, music production, songwriting and video-game music and sound design. Cost is $2,500, with financial aid available.

Grammy Signature Schools Program: Public high schools are recognized for their commitment to music education through awards and monetary grants of $1,000 to $10,000.

 

Symphony offers ticket deal

The Honolulu Symphony is offering a “;3 for $45”; fall ticket sale through Oct. 22.

But three tickets for the same event, or mix and match from among four selected Halekulani MasterWorks and three Toyota Pops performances though January. Additional tickets cost $15.

Choices are the “;All-Strauss Experience”; (Nov. 8 and 9) and “;Peter and the Wolf”; (Dec. 13 and 14), as well as “;The Music of Ray Charles,”; (Oct. 24 and 25) Holiday Pops with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (Nov. 28 and 29) and jazz with Dave Koz (Jan. 16 and 17). The Beethoven's Ninth concert series is not included, nor are premium seating sections.

Call 792-2000 (weekdays) or 524-0815, ext. 245 (evenings) to purchase the package. E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or visit www.honolulusymphony.com.

 

‘Mamma Mia’ ticket discount

Tickets to next spring's performances of “;Mamma Mia!”; have been discounted 10 percent in October, in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The hit musical based on the songs of ABBA runs at Blaisdell Concert Hall May 12 through 24. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays.

Tickets are $40 to $85, available at the Blaisdell Box Office and Ticketmaster locations. Call (877) 750-4400 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

The discount does not apply to Friday or Saturday evening performances. Use the code CURE when purchasing tickets.