MORSELS

Performances add to buffet

The Aloha Friday Luncheon Show at Kani Ka Pila Grille this month features performances with Jeff Rassmussen and Danny Couch and a Hawaiian buffet lunch at Outrigger Reef on the Beach.

Deejays Billy V and Bruddah Wade, from radio station Hawaiian 105 KINE, host.

The lunch runs at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the show starts at noon. Cost is $22.95. Reservations required; call 924-4990.

Chang's preps menu for prom

P.F. Chang's is offering prom-goers a dining special: a four-course prix fixe menu for two for $45.95.

The menu includes choices of soup; starters that include options of chicken lettuce wraps, crab wontons, salt-and-pepper calamari or spring rolls; entree choices of spicy chicken, Mongolian beef, ginger chicken with broccoli, sesame chicken or pepper steak; and desserts.

Foundation lauds new york chef

Dan Barber, a pioneer of the so-called farm-to-table restaurant movement, was named the nation's top chef Monday by the James Beard Foundation.

Barber was lauded for using his New York restaurants—Blue Hill New York and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills—to highlight the difference seasonal and sustainable agriculture can make on the plate.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten's New York restaurant Jean George was honored as the nation's top restaurant.

Event features local food, culture

Partake of cuisine highlighting locally grown products and the diverse culinary culture of Hawaii at L'ulu, Leeward Community College's Culinary Arts Program fundraiser from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at LCC's Pearl Restaurant and surrounding lanai.

The second annual event, which also features entertainment and a silent auction, will honor Alan Wong. Wong is one of 12 founding chefs of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine phenomenon that was created some 20 years ago. Roy Yamaguchi was honored last year.

Tickets are $125. Call 455-0298.

Cookbook on the menu

Chef Chai Chaowasaree is offering a prix fixe menu to showcase dishes from his new cookbook, “;The Island Bistro Cookbook,”; at Chai's Island Bistro at Aloha Tower.

The five-course meal features an appetizer platter of macadamia nut-crusted jumbo black tiger prawns, Alaska king crab cake and fresh ahi katsu; sweet corn chowder; smoked duck carpaccio salad; deconstructed beef tenderloin Wellington; and a creme brulee sampler.

Cost is $55. Parties of two or more ordering this menu will receive a free copy of the cookbook.

“;The Island Bistro Cookbook”; includes more than 90 recipes from Chaowasaree's restaurants, Chai's Island Bistro and Singha Thai Cuisine. It is priced at $32.50.

Call 585-0011.

Tea party offers moms fun and fashion

Moms and daughters can enjoy an afternoon of tea and fashion at Cinnamon Girl's “;Sugar and Spice Mother Daughter Tea,”; from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Moana Surfrider.

Models will show clothing from Cinnamon Girl from 1:30 to 3 p.m. while guests enjoy specialty teas, finger sandwiches and pastries.

The Classic Tea Menu, for $32.50, features ham on focaccia, smoked salmon roll and turkey salad on a miniature croissant (vegetarian sandwiches available upon request), plus scones with clotted cream and lemon curd, chocolate cookies, mousse, fruit tart, cream puff and sorbet. Classic Children's Tea ($18) includes juice or milk; ham and cheese, egg salad and tuna sandwiches; and a cupcake, Jell-O and cream puffs. A Chocolate Afternoon Tea ($45) features champagne, chocolate liqueur, chocolate scones, chocolate-covered strawberries and Hawaii chocolates.

Call 921-4600 or visit www.moanasurfrider.com.

Mom's cookies will have heart

Need an idea for Mother's Day? The Honolulu Cookie Co. is offering special heart-shaped versions of its Lilikoi Mango, Dark Chocolate-dipped Lilikoi and White Chocolate-dipped Lilikoi shortbreads.

The cookies are even packaged prettily so no wrapping is necessary. A dozen goes for $7.95; two dozen, $16.95; three dozen, $24.95.

Call 845-1778, ext. 2552.

DINING

La Mer features Japanese cuisine

A special five-course menu of award-winning cuisine from Japan's Imperial Hotel will be featured at Halekulani's La Mer through Saturday.

Grand chef Kenichiro Tanaka and Thierry Voisin, chef de cuisine, will be at the La Mer kitchen to offer this lineup: Provencale tomato in citrus jelly with basil sorbet; crab with eggplant, green olive tapenade and almond oil; oven-baked cod with oceanic sauce, crushed potatoes and butter; grilled sirloin of beef with mousse of green asparagus and creamed morel; and rose of reims biscuit sabayon, with rose champagne sorbet and red fruit.

The menu commemorates a new partnership between Halekulani Corporation and Imperial Hotel, a Japanese luxury hotel group, which will be taking over reservation service, sales and marketing in Japan for Haleku- lani and Waikiki Parc Hotel.

The menu is $150 without pairing. It replaces Yves Garnier's usual nine-course degustation menu. Restaurant hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Reservations required; call 923-2311.

TODAY

LOOK: Last day to watch “;Wendy and Lucy”; at the Doris Duke Theatre. The touching film stars Michelle Williams (below). Call 532-8768.

LISTEN: “;Jessica,”; by Victoria Vox (www.victoriavox.com)

DO: Mom can't remind you but we will: Order your flowers for Mother's Day and book your brunch or dinner reservations for Sunday.