A sexy, sweet Valentine’s

Jo McGarry
By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Friday - February 08, 2008
| Del.icio.us | podcast Podcast | WineAndDineHawaii.com Share

Executive Chef Sean Priester, Top of Waikiki
Executive Chef Sean Priester, Top of Waikiki

A (romantic) bite-sized look at the restaurant scene in Honolulu.

‘Sexy’ Tasting Menu At Top Of Waikiki.

Sean Priester, the executive chef at Top of Waikiki, has a talent for combining memorable menus and good music. This Valentine’s night, flamenco jazz trio Cerro Negro will perform in Waikiki’s highest restaurant from 6:30 p.m., and there’s a tasting menu that should satisfy even the hungriest appetites.

Oysters on the half shell,antipasti plates and an appetizer of mango, grapes and pear with Camembert encourage eating without utensils and sharing. Lots of seafood on the menu along with a choice of lamb chops, garlic-rubbed chili N.Y. steak or lemon grass chicken.

Desserts include a coffee milk-shake. Lots of talent and humor on this menu - a must for anyone who wants an adventurous food-ie first date.

Top of Waikiki
2270 Kalakaua Ave.
Top Floor
Free Validated Parking
Open nightly from 5 to 9:30
Cost $85 per person.
Reservations: 923-3877

Sweet Nothings For Your Sweetheart.

You can tell how much Darrin Yokoyama loves his job by listening to him talk to his customers. Last Saturday, as two customers explained their need for some sugar-free treats for their diabetic niece,Yokoyama came from behind the bakery case to point out dozens of hand-made chocolates, bags of candies and pastries, all made with diabetics - especially kids - in mind.“This is why I started the store,” he told the aunties with a smile.“We want to be able to let all kids enjoy special occasions with something sweet.“The sweet somethings at Sweet Nothings all come sugar-free, something that’s not immediately obvious as you enter the clean, sweet-smelling bakery.

The store on Waimanu Street offers a wide range of baked goods, pies, pastries, desserts, chocolates, cookies and candy. “We’ve had tremendous success this year with new items like our corn-bread,” says Darrin.

Valentine’s week, Sweet Nothings has gourmet boxed chocolates for sale, along with loose or pre-packaged cookies,heart-shaped pastries and a colorful selection of candies. Just the thing if the sweet thing in your life likes things sugar-free.

Aurelio Garcia, Sam Choy's BLC executive chef
Aurelio Garcia, Sam Choy’s BLC executive chef

Sweet Nothings
1218 Waimanu St.
593-1234

Wailana Offers Value For Valentine’s.

It’s often hard to beat the value for money menu offered at Wailana Coffee House on Ala Moana Boulevard. This year is no exception, as a Valentine’s menu offers rib roast au jus, seafood continental and roasted chicken breast with macadamia nut stuffing. Prices for complete meals that include Wailana’s famous all-you-can-eat salad bar, baked or mashed potatoes, fries or rice, corn, dinner rolls, dessert and a drink, start at $12.50.

Wailana Coffee House
1860 Ala Moana Blvd.
955-1764

Valentine’s At Sam Choy’s BLC.

If the way to your valentine’s heart is through his stomach, then head to Sam Choy’s Breakfast,Lunch and Crab on Nimitz Highway, where large portions are always part of the menu. Executive chef Aurelio Garcia enjoys the challenge of creating new menu items for special occasions, and this year he’s offering a romantic lunch and dinner that include oysters Rockefeller or shrimp cocktail, New England clam chowder or Caesar salad, Pulehu beef tenderloin with shrimp or Maine lobster thermidor.Dessert is a red velvet cake with chocolate-dipped strawberries. The complete four-course dinner is $49.95 per person. Sam Choy’s BLC also will be featuring deluxe chocolate-dipped strawberries at $30 a dozen or $17 for a half dozen.

Sam Choy’s Breakfast Lunch and Crab
580 N. Nimitz Highway
545-7979

Sansei Offers A La Carte Romance.

If dinner for two on Valentine’s means sharing, then there’s no better place to head than to a sushi restaurant where delicately presented, bite-sized morsels of food are perfect for feeding your partner. At Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar, there are Valentine additions to the menu that include ootoro (blue fin tuna) served as nigiri or sashimi, along with a version of Sansei’s popular spicy tuna inside out roll, a creamy crab dip for two and some torched shiromi carpaccio. Entrees include Chef Jason’s Chirashi (sushi rice with fresh ahi, hamachi, salmon and ika served with pickled veggies) and steamed fresh island fish. Romantic desserts include a duet of red velvet and white chocolate cakes. Sansei’s regular menu also will be available.

Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar
Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa
931-6286

 

E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS Comments (0) |

Most Recent Comment(s):

Posting a comment on MidWeek.com requires a free registration.

Username

Password

Auto Login

Forgot Password

Times Supermarket

 

Wine And Dine Hawaii

 

 


Tiare Asia and Alex Bing
were spotted at the Sugar Ray's Bar Lounge