South African wines, Cinco de Mayo and Cassis

Sam Choy’s Diamond Head has a well-deserved reputation for wine dinners that are fun and good value. If you’ve ever been to a stuffy wine dinner, and have been less than impressed with the pairings, you really should go to one of these to see how the combinations can be anything but dull.

The next wine dinner at Sam Choy’s will feature South African wines, with chef Aaron Fukuda pairing the food. The dinner features kiawe-smoked sable fish, Cornish game hen served two ways (a confit of leg and pan-seared breast), seared day boat scallops and veal scallopini. The South African wines featured include Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc ‘05, Glen Carlou Chardonnay ‘04, and a couple of Pinotages. Pinotage is an interesting wine, a grape variety created in South Africa in 1925, it was an attempt to cross Pinot Noir - a notoriously thin-skinned and difficult-to-cultivate grape - with Cinsault, an easy-to-farm and prolific one. Not well-received when it was originally created, the varietal is now gaining positive attention, particularly in Europe, as its growth continues.

The wine dinner at Sam Choy’s provides an opportunity to try this “newcomer” wine.

What: Wine Dinner Sam Choy’s Diamond Head

When: May 24, 6:30 p.m. Where: Sam Choy’s Diamond Head Restaurant, 449 Kapahulu Ave.

Cost: $75 per person Call: 732-8645

Chef Mavro Set To Open Cassis.

Chef George “Mavro” Mavrothalassitis and wife Donna are expecting their second restaurant, Cassis, to open Monday, April 30. Chef Mavro signed a lease on the Harbor Court building following the closure of Palomino in February, and the enthusiastic French chef is looking forward to serving lunch and dinner with a “fisherman’s theme.“A blessing for the restaurant will be held this coming Friday; lunch and dinner service will begin Monday. Cassis is named for the first restaurant Chef Mavro opened in Marseilles in 1978.

Celebrate Cinco De Mayo.

You can pretty much find dishes to celebrate this festive Mexican holiday everywhere during the next couple of weeks. Wailana Coffee House never misses an opportunity to celebrate a food event. Its Cinco menu will run on Saturday May 5 from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and as usual, prices can’t be beat.

A Burrito Platter served with sour cream, rice and refried beans is just $10.50, and the Polo Loco (grilled glazed chicken served with rice and beans) is $12.50. Dinner plates at Wailana always come with an all-you-caneat salad bar. There’s validated parking in the restaurant building, and Wailana is open 24 hours seven days a week.

What: Cinco De Mayo Menu Where: Wailana Coffee House, Ala Moana Boulevard

When: Saturday, May 5, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.

Spa Cuisine - Courtesy of Kraft.

Need a pre-summer boost to get ready for the beach? Head to the supermarket and look for some of the new Kraft South Beach Diet foods that include hot breakfast wraps, dressings and meal-replacement bars. The convenient foods, with an emphasis on healthy living, are in most supermarkets now. The Kraft campaign invites Hawaii residents to get ready for the beach and runs through May 4. Prizes include spa packages at Mandara Spa, located within Hilton Hawaiian Village, and at The Marriott in Wailea and Waikoloa.

One grand prize winner will receive a head-to-toe Mandara Spa package complete with an Elemis Visible Brilliance Facial, Elemis Cellutox Aroma Spa Ocean Wrap, Ultimate Spa Manicure, and a haircut. Three first-prize winners will receive Mandara Spa’s Balinese Aromatherapy Massage.

Official entry forms are located in this edition of MidWeek.You may also fill out a 3-by-5 piece of paper with your name, date of birth and complete mailing address and send it to: “Pamper Yourself Before Heading to the Beach” sweepstakes, P.O Box 75171, Honolulu, HI 96836.

Dine at Nine at d.k’s Steak House - and Save.

Not a fan of early bird dining? Then try a late-night steak at d.k’s Steak House in Waikiki and save 25 percent off your food bill. D.k’s Steak House is the only place in Hawaii with a dry-aging room where steaks are hung for a period of between 21 and 30 days to achieve an intensity in flavor and increased tenderness in the meat. The steak house, with traditional booths, dark intimate lighting and a view across Waikiki beach, offers a range of steaks, fresh island fish and lobster, as well as a number of comfort food dishes such as stuffed island pork chops, and D.K.‘s mom’s meatloaf with mashed potatoes. d.k’s Steak House Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa

2552 Kalakaua Ave. 931-6280

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