restaurant roundup

RESTAURANT
ROUNDUP
By SUE KIYABU
Spring—a time for new beginnings—hit O’ahu with a bright, refreshing punch this year: a slew of new restaurants. The highly anticipated openings from several of the Islands’ most notable chefs, in
addition to talented newcomers, invigorate O’ahu’s already lively
dining scene.
More than 15 years ago, the Hawai’i Regional Cuisine (HRC)
movement transformed dining in Hawai’i, making continental cuisine a thing of the past and creating strong bonds between chefs and
local growers. Today, those bonds are solidified, along with Hawai’i’s
reputation as a dining destination.
Two of HRC’s high-profile founders began new ventures this
spring: George Mavrothalassitis with Cas si s by Ch ef M av ro and
Philippe Padovani, who joined forces with Honolulu favorite Donato Loperfido for ‘Elu a Restaurant & Wine Bar. Tow n’s Ed Kenney checked into his master file for his new restaurant, Do wnt own
@ th e Hi SAM and former Big Island chef Jon Matsubara brought
his credibility and contacts to O’ahu with Stage. O’ahu foodies finally got their fix from Nobu Matsuhisa, who opened his restaurant
No bu Waik iki in the Waikiki Parc Hotel in late May. With creative
chefs offering a fresh spin on island cuisine, while promoting local
ingredients and farmers, spring sprung new life into dining options
on O’ahu. Here’s a look at recent openings.
Cass is by Ch ef Ma vr o—George “Chef Mavro” Mavrothalassitis
returns to his roots in Southern France. The James Beard Award–
winner says his customers have long asked him to open a bistro that
pays homage to the classics. Cass is was inspired by four different
cooking regions—Cassis, Alsace, Paris and Honolulu—and offers a
sophisticated but casual experience, a straightforward cooking style
that embodies the modern bistro. The 295-seat downtown space,
once occupied by the Palamino restaurant chain, received a facelift
by Honolulu uber-designer Mary Philpotts and now is graced with
warm earth tones, dark-marble tabletops and high-end designer
lighting. With help from his chef de cuisine Ben Takahashi,
Mavrothalassitis has expanded his list of local producers. “What is
going on on the Big Island with produce is just amazing, with the
goat cheese, with the mushrooms … oh, you name it,” Mavrothalassitis says. Farm-raised oysters from the Big Island are served simply on the half shell with a choice of two house-made sauces; mussels
make their way into moules frite; greens from Hirabara Farms can
be found on the house-smoked duck salad and mushrooms from
Hamakua flavor a rich risotto. Cassi s is open for lunch and dinner
Monday through Friday and for dinner on Saturday. Cassis by Ch ef
Mavr o, 66 Queen St. (at Bethel); 808-545-8100;
www.cassishonolulu.com.
Above, f ro m lef t: Executive Chef Ben Takahashi and Chef/owner
Mavro of Cassis; grilled Ahi Nicoise salad.
EDIBLEhawaiianislands.com
Summer 2007
37
Do w nt ow n @ t h e HiS AM—Two years ago, Ed Kenney
opened Tow n, committing himself to local and organic producers for his American bistro with an Italian slant. “Two years ago,
it was a little tough, we almost felt limited,” says Kenney. “But
now, it’s to the point where because there is so much to choose
from, that if it isn’t grown locally, we don’t even think about it.”
In May, Kenney—who keeps a file of restaurant ideas—opened
his take on the museum café, along with chef-partner David
Caldiero and chef de cuisine Steve Brown. It’s a modern space
with clean, Scandinavian lines in the historic Hawai’i State Art
Museum building. Do wnt own seats 80 inside and 20 outside,
and offers a local twist on the take-out lunches. Panini sandwiches, soups and savory tarts are served along with a choice of
sides—in the style of Korean barbecue, but with European influences. “So instead of taegu and watercress, we’ll have marinated
mushrooms and eggplant caponata,” Kenney says. For sit-down
service, the menu will change seasonally, but look for a beef stew,
house-cured meats, beet salad with goat cheese and a housemade North Shore Cattle Co. haute dog. Downtown is open at
7 a.m. for pastries and coffee, and serves lunch from 11 a.m. to
2 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Downt own @ t he Hi SAM,
250 South Hotel St.; 808-536-5900.
Lef t, fr om to p: Chef de cusine David Caldiero and Chef/owner
Ed Kenney; a seasonal salad.
‘ El u a Res t au r a nt & Wi ne Bar —Two of O’ahu’s most
celebrated chefs got together this year to produce one fairly
revolutionary concept. In the space once occupied by L’Ur a ku on Kapiolani, Donato Loperfido and Philippe
Padovani opened ‘ Elua, which means two. Loperfido had
a cult following at D o na t o’s , the Manoa Italian eatery
which closed last year, and Padovani, an HRC founder and
pioneer of the upscale wine bar on O’ahu, closed his
namesake restaurant in 2005. Both moved on—Loperfido
with a busy import business, consulting for other restaurants and his new venture, Past a et Ba sta in Restaurant
Row and Padovani with his high-end chocolate shops.
This year, the duo came up with an unusual premise: two
chefs, two separate tasting menus, one restaurant. “The
tasting menu will change every three days,” says Loperfido, although ‘Elua also offers standing menu, which will
change seasonally. Each chef heads the kitchen on separate
days; each chef has his own sous chef and his own tasting
menu. Once a month, they work together on a menu.
‘ Elu a also features wine pairing and a 24-spigot magnum
Cruvinet system. Open for lunch and dinner. ‘ E l u a
Re st a u r a n t & W i ne Ba r, 1341 Kapiolani Blvd.; (no
phone number yet).
38
Summer 2007
Above: Chef Donato Loperfido with some of his signature dishes at ‘ Elua.
edible hawaiian islands
Nobu Waiki ki—O’ahu has been waiting
for Nobu Matsuhisa. Rumors of the
restaurant’s opening circulated for more
than a year, causing one anxious food
writer to declare that it would be “opening sometime this century.” For fans of
his “new style” Japanese cuisine, Nobu is
worth the wait. No bu Wai ki ki, located
in the Waikiki Parc Hotel, includes his
signature dishes—such as Black Cod
Saikyo Miso and yellowtail sashimi with
jalapeño—along with new dishes invented at his growing worldwide empire.
Nobu is known for his use of fresh, local
ingredients and the Waikiki location will
be no exception. The 7,500-square-foot
chic, modern space, designed by the
Rockwell Group, will accommodate up
to 250 in the main dining room and also
includes a separate bar/cocktail lounge.
Nobu Waiki ki, Waikiki Parc Hotel; 808237-6999.
Above: Chef Nobu Matsuhisa.
L eft : Scallops, Nobu style.
Stage Restau r ant—Jon Matsubara wants his latest restaurant to reflect his passions—travel and food. Matsubara,
who worked at Big Island’s CanoeHouse at the Mauna Lani
Resort and also in New York at Bou ley, Tabla and Restau r ant Jean Geor ges, says that when he travels, he likes to
replicate his culinary experiences for his family. At St age,
he’s doing that on a larger scale. “I want to take the best of
what I’ve experienced and share that with the people of
Hawai’i,” Matsubara says. Not surprisingly, Big Island growers play an important part of his menu. Hirabara Farms
grows specific items—like micro lemon grass—to fit his flavor profiles, which are on one hand eclectic and on the other
classic. Vinegar made with baby beets is paired with lobster,
while chicken is paired with Swiss chard, chiles and a
Parmesan sauce. He plans to change the menu when inspired and subscribes to the philosophy that “you have to
cook with two feet on the ground.” St a ge Res ta u r a nt,
Honolulu Design Center, 1250 Kapiolani Blvd.; 808-2375429.
Above: Chef Jon Matsubara performs on the line at Stage.
The new guard promises to infuse new life into dining in
town, showcasing the creative talents of chefs and the creative uses for island produce.
EDIBLEhawaiianislands.com
Summer 2007
39