foodie fare
pupu picks
At Don Ho’s, the appetizers go best with pau hana beverages By Kyle Galdeira
| Start Me Up – From page 10
Straight from the 1981 album Tattoo You is a first course ready to Start Me Up: Roasted Kona lobster slathered in green garlic butter and Parmesan and served over a bed of Hamakua Springs tomatoes, tarragon and fresh mozzarella. The dish is paired with a Sage and Honey cocktail, a fresh blend of lemon, blueberries, sage, Hawaiian honey and Bombay Sapphire. “It’s very light, but it’s very luxurious, very simple and elegant,” Matsubara says. “I wanted to start with a bang.” The second set is an Oysters CasinoFella inspired by the song Casino Boogie from 1972’s Exile on Main Street, along with a Spiced Yuzu and Chiso Martini made from TY KU soju, yuzu, serrano chili and garden-sourced chiso leaves. “I wanted to do a cross between a Clams Casino and an Oysters Rockefeller,” the chef explains of his modern take of two perennial classics. This version takes roasted Pacific oysters and tops them with applewood-smoked pork belly, sakebraised spinach and béarnaise sauce. For the main course, Matsubara pays homage to two smash songs from 1965 — Little Red Rooster (The Rolling Stones Now) and Get Off of My Cloud (December’s Children (and everybody’s)). A Shelton
popular dishes, and each generous portion is served In Don Ho’s memorable with plenty of bite-size, melody My Little Grass golden brown pieces coatShack, the late entertainer ed with a furikake seasonspeaks about returning to ing. The calamari rings are his quaint dwelling on tender and full of flavor, and Hawaii’s Kona coast to are carefully prepared to catch up with “kanes and avoid the tough, chewy texwahines” from his past. ture commonly experiWhile Ho lives on enced when the dish is through memories and his overcooked. Don Ho’s calamusic, those who visit Don mari, which comes with a Ho’s Island Grill in Aloha passion fruit cocktail sauce, Farms chicken is braised in red wine and Tower Marketplace are able is “simple, yet effective,” brandy and sits atop a “cloud” of whipped to relax under the shade of according to general manYukon gold potatoes with Italian black the eatery’s own little grass ager Michael Maielua. Maielua says that the truffle. The Coq Au Van is paired with an shack that houses its full bar. Whether stopping by most common compliment elixir of Gentleman Jack, kiawe-smoked Fiji after work for some pau fielded by customers who apple, sweet vermouth and bitters. Closing the show is a Waialua chocolate hana beverages or enjoying chose the calamari is that dessert sure to give diners Sticky Fingers a scenic dinner along “it’s the best they ever Honolulu Harbor, Don Ho’s had.” He recommends pair(1971). “We’re basically making a little cake, pupu menu aims to please. ing the pupu with any one The Fried Calamari of the restaurant’s draft putting a little ganache on it and stuffing it with a ruby chocolate filling and sprinkling ($12.50) still stands as one beers from the bar that, in it with macadamia nuts,” Matsubara says. of the restaurant’s most Maielua’s opinion, offers “We use the best ingredients and do very little to it to really bring out the natural flavors of the food and the drinks, and it really makes a difference.” The “Beggar’s Banquet” dinner-andcocktail meal costs $99 per person and is sure to leave diners singing in satisfaction.
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The Royal Hawaiian 2259 Kalakaua Ave. 923.7311 azurewaikiki.com Valet and four-hour complimentary self-parking available Open daily from 5:30 p.m.
ALL DIM SUM
Chinese Chicken Salad • Scallop Soup • Peking Duck with Buns • Oyster Sauce No credit cards accepted for Abalone with Vegetables • Steamed Sea Bass special menu with Ginger Onions • Honey Walnut Shrimp Party Rooms • Chicken Cake Noodle • Steamed Rice for up to 450
FREE JAI 111 N. King St. near Maunakea with purchase of 7am -10pm Special Menu
(Monk’s Food)
1.89
$
Chinese New Year
521-8268
Don Ho’s Island Grill Where: 1 Aloha Tower Drive # 193, Honolulu
Call: 528.0807 Notes: Happy Hour daily from 3 to 6 p.m.
Azure Restaurant
Special Menu for10
$
the most extensive selection of local beers in Aloha Tower Marketplace — and maybe in downtown Honolulu. Don Ho’s also offers an extensive Happy Hour menu served daily from 3 to 6 p.m. The pupu menu offers a wide variety of items conveniently priced from $3 to $6, and includes fries ($3), kalua pork sliders ($5), mozzarella sticks ($5) and cheeseburger sliders ($6).
7AM-2PM
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1 The Fried Calamari ($12.50) features bite-size pieces coated with furikake seasoning. 2 Don Ho’s appetizers include the Teriyaki Tenderloin Beef Skewers ($12). Lawrence Tabudlo photos Exp. 2/28/11
Delicatessen & Catering
Chicken, Beef, Pork or Vegetarian Comes with homemade beans & spanish rice.
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2740 East Manoa Rd • 988-8448 • M-Sat 11am-9pm • Sun 8am-8pm 41-865 Kalanianaole Hwy, Waimanalo • 259-7374 • M-Sat 11am-8pm • Sun 8am-8pm
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