‘Hawaii’s Best’ celebration
Friday - July 04, 2008
|
Del.icio.us | 
Podcast | WineAndDineHawaii.com Share
|
You can tell it’s a good party if the chefs are having a great time, and award-winning chefs and restaurants at the 2008 MidWeek / Star-Bulletin “Hawaii’s Best” awards at the Pacific Club were in fine form. Award-winning restaurants included:
3660 On the Rise
Here’s Russell Siu (far right), chef-owner of one of Honolulu’s most popular fine-dining restaurants, relaxing with a glass of wine after an evening of hard work. His restaurant, 3660 on The Rise, features a blend of European and Pacific Rim cuisine.
Signature dishes like Ahi Katsu and New York Steak Alaea have earned the restaurant its reputation for excellence and creativity. Monthly specials, a Chef ‘s Table, cooking classes and wine tastings keep things interesting, and dishes like Kurobuta Pork Potstickers with a Bacon Garlic Sauce and Tomato Coulis ($9.95) and Burgundy Braised Short Ribs of Beef ($24.75) keep guests coming back for more.
|
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Winners yet again of the Best Steak House, the team from Ruth’s Chris Steak House delighted guests with tender-loin sliders with Ruth’s famous barbecued butter sauce and an addictively good sweet potato casserole. “Order the potato casserole at the restaurant with a side of ice cream - it’s fabulous,” advised director of sales and marketing Alex Kirley.
News at Ruth’s Chris Steak House includes early opening hours on Sundays (4:30 p.m.) for anyone looking to turn a late lunch into an early dining opportunity. Ruth’s Chris introduced a set menu priced at $39.95 late last year that now includes its succulent sizzlin’ prime rib. Needless to say, it’s a huge hit. “People love the menu, the choices of entrees and the affordability,” says Ruth’s Chris Restaurant Row general manager Don Asam.
Gyotaku Japanese Restaurant
The Gyotaku team is getting used to turning up and dishing out their award-winning cuisine - they’ve been nominated best Japanese restaurant in Hawaii for six years in a row. “We’re happy to be here,” said Gyotaku owner Thomas Jones, who took time to chat about the newly opened Gyotaku in Niu Valley. The restaurant features the regular Gyotaku menu of sushi and traditional and contemporary Japanese food, and has some great value specials including early bird dining complete meals (served Wednesday through Friday) for just $9.50.
|
Compadres Mexican Bar and Grill
A perennial award winner, Compadres yet again took the Best Mexican Restaurant award as voted by MidWeek/Star Bulletin readers. Compadres manager Kellie Harris along with Jeremy Walter and Robinson Adinaoay served more than 200 Aztec spiced salmon tacos and fresh corn tortillas with Mexican salad and topped with avocado-tomatillo and pasilla chili aioli sauce. The team also brought along its own brick-built cooking station to add an authentic touch and proved to be one of the hits of the evening. Compadres has been serving award-winning Mexican food at its Ward Centre location for more than 20 years.
Orchids at Halekulani
Darryl Fujita left the Orchids kitchen for the evening to create the most elegant form of comfort food imaginable in his sautéed onaga with cold-water lobster and Kahuku corn cream over Okinawan sweet potato mash and truffle essence.
Orchids is Halekulani’s “casual” oceanfront restaurant, but there’s nothing casual about Fujita’s approach and expertise. The lunch menu at Orchids changes every two weeks; the perfect view and fine dining ambience never alter.
|
Sam Choy’s Breakfast Lunch And Crab
Bringing fun food to a menu is nothing new to the team at Sam Choy’s Breakfast Lunch and Crab, and the award-winning microbrewery restaurant (which will soon be known simply as Sam Choy’s) offered a taste of breakfast at dinner with its Shrimp Cake Moco. Breakfast is served daily at Sam Choy’s casual restaurant on Nimitz Highway - lunch and dinner feature signature dishes of fresh fish, lobster, crab, steak, chicken and fish. Local beers are produced on-site by brewer Dave Campbell.
RumFire
Colin Hazama has been getting a lot of press recently for the incredible food he’s creating at the Sheraton’s new cocktail lounge, RumFire. For our fabulous food evening, Hazama created a vanilla lavender panna cotta on strawberry opal basil soup and lemon caramel tuille
“I like to balance flavors,” he says of the divine combination. On the RumFire menu, you’ll find irresistible dishes like ahi poke tacos with sea salt, Maui onion, tobiko, sour cream and ginger avocado, crab cakes with a Meyer lemon and tarragon aioli, as well as some beautiful, well-balanced desserts.
|
Hanohano Room
At the Hanohano Room, executive sous chef Ryan Loo is creating a buzz that’s as much about the food as the view. Ryan won the prestigious Best Commis de Cuisine award in the Chaine des Rotisseurs professional competition recently, and his menu at the Hanohano Room features a variety of fresh island fish, kiawe-smoked steaks, rack of lamb and sweet, succulent Tristan lobster tails.
Better Brands
The next time you go to a fundraiser - or any kind of wine tasting to raise money for charity - ask yourself where all those bottles of wine and fine spirits come from. The liquor industry in Hawaii, along with the restaurant industry, are the backbone of our fundraising community. Over the years, companies like Better Brands, under the leadership of president George Szigeti, have helped to raise millions of dollars for local charities. At the recent Hale Aina fundraising golf tournament for culinary students in Hawaii, Szigeti presented a check for $45,000.
E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS Comments (0) |
Most Recent Comment(s):
