Category: Amazing dish alert

Amazing dish alert, Event

Lots of food to eat: New spots, cool events

Help buy furniture for a new Kaka‘ako food “hub”—Taste, a collaborative venture between chef Mark Noguchi, his partner Amanda Corby, and Eat the Street founders Poni and Brandon Askew. Tonight they hold a grand-opening/fundraiser featuring food by Noguchi, Sean Priester, The Pig and the Lady (now run by Andrew Le’s mom, since he absconded to San Francisco to work at Rich Table), and Sweet Bread.  … Continue reading Lots of food to eat: New spots, cool events

Eatizen JaneLeave a comment
Amazing dish alert, Cheap eats, Instant winnah, Review

New No. 1: Honolulu Burger Co.

What happens when nightclub owners no longer love the nightlife? In the case of Ken Takahashi, they make burgers. Really good ones. I just got back from his Honolulu Burger Co. which opened six days ago, and I can comfortably say it’s the best burger in town. Continue reading “New No. 1: Honolulu Burger Co.”

Eatizen Jane4 Comments
Amazing dish alert, Event

And in other news

eChuck
I’ve always thought Chuck Furuya, master sommelier (and more) for D.K. Kodama Restaurants, would make a great social media personality—he’s got the gift of gab making wine education fun. His rudimentary email newsletters have always been a breezy yet informative read. Well, look out world. Facebook Chuck has finally been unleashed, and he wants you to be his friend. If you like insider wine news, I urge you to give him a click. Continue reading “And in other news”

Eatizen JaneLeave a comment
Amazing dish alert

Power food

While the Hawaiian Renaissance, started in the 1970s, has made remarkable strides in the revival of language, dance and cultural practices, we’ve been eating the same thin, machine-made plastic-bagged poi. Until now. Kalo crusader Daniel Anthony is taking Hawaiian food back to pre-contact purity with Mana ‘Ai, the world’s only producer of hand-pounded pa‘i ‘ai (pounded taro not yet watered down to poi) and poi. Continue reading “Power food”

Eatizen JaneLeave a comment
Amazing dish alert, Instant winnah, My favorite restaurants, Review

Kaua’i Grill Part I: The gala dinner

Over the past decade, brand-name chefs who have gone global with their food, conquering new cities like culinary Alexanders, have been scrutinized—is it really possible to run an empire and retain the quality and innovation that made the name in the first place? Alain Ducasse, Nobu Matsuhisa, Gordon Ramsay, and, closer to home, Roy Yamaguchi, are some of the kitchen stars who have turned into meteor showers. Continue reading “Kaua’i Grill Part I: The gala dinner”

Eatizen Jane4 Comments
Amazing dish alert, My favorite restaurants, Wine

Have you been to 12th Avenue Grill lately?

Big Island boar in broth with Hamakua mushrooms

Honolulu’s original contemporary American bistro turned five this year. And 12th Avenue Grill is only getting better. A dinner two weeks ago, with three discerning eatizen joes and a jane from San Francisco in tow, elicited surprised cries of delight. As usual, the specials were all instant winnahs. Like this starter of Big Island boar in a broth with gnocchi, hamakua mushrooms and other stuff (I just wanted to enjoy dinner and didn’t take any notes, gah). It is a quintessential “chasseur” dish that signals autumn is finally here.

Continue reading “Have you been to 12th Avenue Grill lately?”

Eatizen JaneLeave a comment
Amazing dish alert, Beyond Hawai‘i, Instant winnah, My favorite restaurants

Philadelphia: Don’t waste space on cheesesteaks

Deceivingly simple looking rabbit stew at Kanella in Philadelphia. When someone tells you he’s taking you to a Greek-Cypriot restaurant in Philadelphia, you expect rustic, hearty Mediterranean food—some grilled fish, melitzanosalata, baklava—right? Well Kanella is a Greek-Cypriot restaurant and that’s not what was served. OK, yes, those things are on the menu, but executed at another level from the Greek joint you normally go to. And after reading this Philadelphia Inquirer review, anyone would expect more. Continue reading “Philadelphia: Don’t waste space on cheesesteaks”

Eatizen JaneLeave a comment
Amazing dish alert, Celeb chef, Cheap eats, Craving, Event, Instant winnah, My favorite restaurants

Holy Tarte Tatin! Chef Mavro’s ‘Julie & Julia’ special starts Aug. 7

Julie & Julia beouf bourgignon

NOTE 9/4/09: Due to popular demand, Julie & Julia dinner has been extended through September, Tuesday-Saturday. Check the Chef Mavro blog for updates (and see how George Mavrothalassitis makes beouf bourgignon. Thing of beauty).

Yeah, recessions suck. But they also spur all kinds of good (and delicious) things. Like last winter’s Souper Tuesdays at Town, Hiroshi’s insanely cheap $35 Locally Grown Dinner,  and now Chef Mavro‘s Julie & Julia-inspired three-course dinner. Continue reading “Holy Tarte Tatin! Chef Mavro’s ‘Julie & Julia’ special starts Aug. 7”

Eatizen Jane2 Comments
Amazing dish alert, Celeb chef, Instant winnah

Meet Vikram Garg

Vikram Garg prepares to toast a spice.It’s not often that a new cooking talent comes to town (aside from the chefs at the battery of Japanese spots constantly opening), and boy have we received a big one. Last month the Halekulani had a press event in the kitchen of La Mer—a meet-n-taste with the hotel’s new executive chef Vikram Garg.

I thought: Didn’t I get a press release back in October announcing his appointment? During that time chef Garg has been getting settled, finding his sources, learning about the Hawai‘i culinary vernacular. And this little coming out party had everyone asking: When will new Garg menus be unveiled? Continue reading “Meet Vikram Garg”

Eatizen JaneLeave a comment