Valentine’s Day dining at the Top of The ‘I’
Friday - January 30, 2009
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A bite-sized look at food events on Oahu.
Still Going Strong at Sarento’s.
With rumors of restaurant closures running at an all-time high, it’s no surprise to Sarento’s owner Aaron Placourakis that his phone has been ringing.
“People have heard that the Ilikai may be closing,” he says, “so naturally they’re concerned that we’re still going to be around.”
They are. The restaurant - on the top floor of the Ilikai Hotel - remains a favorite destination, offering one of the best city views and a menu that features Italian-inspired dishes. Among the homemade pastas and fresh island fish are signature dishes like osso bucco and lobster ravioli.
Housed in Jiro’s wine celler is one of the largest wine lists in Hawaii with rare and fine wines, which also has a huge selection of Italian varietals. To complement rustic, hearty Italian dishes there are big, bold Italian wines such as Barberesco, Barolo, Veneto and Merlot. For delicately flavored salmon, lobster and tender calamari, there’s a fine selection of cool whites from Burgundy, along with some notable Californian Chardonnay. Super Tuscans sit next to deep, mellow Cabernet Sauvignon, and there are beautiful jammy, dark, rich Chianti Classicos that go incredibly well with the richer pasta dishes.
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Special Valentine menus include some of Sarento’s best-loved dishes like pan-roasted opakapaka, Caribbean lobster tails, and the fabulous lobster ravioli. It’s one of the most sumptuous - and best-value - Valentine’s menus we’ve seen so far.
Sarento’s
Top of The “I”
1777 Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu
955-5559
Loving Creations at Hiroshi.
If you haven’t yet made Valentine’s Day dining reservations, then let this be a reminder that there are only a few days left before panic booking begins. Restaurants fill up fast during the first week of February, and while many will extend a Valentine’s menu over several days, some, like Hiroshi, offer a truly special menu for one night only.
This year, the talented Hiroshi Fukui offers a menu that includes salmon ceviche, shrimp and mushroom dusted scallops, lobster ravioli with tomato pasta and a tarragon pesto, and a choice of entrees that include Maui Cattle Company meatloaf stuffed with brie, bacon and shiitake mushrooms.
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Desserts are designed for chocolate lovers - such as chocolate mousse in a chocolate cup with chocolate sorbet.
The complete Valentine’s menu ranges in price from $57 to $59, and reservations must be made in advance.
Hiroshi Eurasian Tapas
Restaurant Row
533-4476
http://www.dkrestaurants.com
The Colony at Hyatt
Feel like it will take more than a romantic dinner to recharge your batteries? The Hyatt might have your perfect Valentine’s package. Offering more than just a dinner date, the luxury resort and spa in Waikiki has an overnight kamaaina package that includes complimentary self-parking, breakfast for two at the Terrace Grille Restaurant and a room category upgrade for an all-inclusive $149.50 rate. In addition to the room/breakfast package, there are Valentine’s dinner menus offered at both The Colony Restaurant and Ciao Mein.
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The Colony is Hyatt’s signature fine-dining restaurant, and Valentine’s Day dining choices include a sushi sampler, Caesar salad, grilled filet mignon with either fresh island fish, jumbo tiger prawns or scallops and classic steak house side dishes of asparagus and baked potato. The menu is $79 per person and includes dessert.
For reservations and more information on couples massage, the spa and Valentine’s menus:
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa
2424 Kalakaua Ave.
237-6140
Romantic Cafe Sistina.
At Café Sistina, it’s not hard to find romance. Owner Sergio Mitrotti has, over the past 18 years or so, re-created some of the great works of Michelangelo on his restaurant walls - hence the name. On the Café Sistina menu you’ll feel the love in a variety of dishes created from generations of family recipes. In fact, Sistina is one of the few family-run Italian restaurants in Hawaii. “I grew up in a family where food was incredibly important, and I learned to cook by watching my grandmother and my mother,” he says.
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“My classics are an attempt to lead people gently to the food of my culture,” he explains. “If they are not too familiar with real Italian food, then there is some comfort here, something they will recognize.”
Homemade Italian sausages, for example, or Fettuccine Bolognese. Or a rich, classic puttanesca with tomato-based anchovies, kalamata olives, capers and garlic. The atmosphere is casual, the wait staff is friendly, and there’s lots of easy parking behind the restaurant.
If you’re looking for a neighborhood Italian restaurant with something exceptional, check out the culture of Café Sistina. Looking for a casual-but-different place to impress your Valentine’s date? This is it.
Café Sistina
1314 S. King St.
596-0061
Sugar-free Treats at Sweet Nothings.
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If your sweet-toothed valentine loves the taste of chocolate but should avoid the calories, then the aptly named Sweet Nothings is the place to go shopping. Originally conceived as a store where diabetics could indulge in sugar-free pastries and treats, Sweet Nothings has become a regular stop for those who enjoy all the advantages a sugar-free bakery offers. There’s a full range of baked goods including pies, chocolate éclairs and doughnuts, and a complete section that offers handmade chocolates and candies. With everything from gummy worms to bags of cookies, the store looks completely like a regular candy store - without the sugar.
Boxed chocolates are available for Valentine’s Day, and cookie platters may be ordered in advance.
Sweet Nothings
1218 Waimanu St.
593-1234
sweetnothingshawaii.com
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