Holiday dinner @ Town (picture heavy)

The family took our annual visit to Town last night. I'd picked Wednesday, because I was hoping to try "wine down Wednesdays" at Town...which I had read about on Twitter and seemed to be a $25/3 course with wine tasting dinner, to help pick their "diner favorites" on the wine list. Unfortunately when we arrived, the lovely hostess (the stunning hula dancer Beverly Noa, Ed Kenney's mother) told us that we had to pre-book for the special, so we went with the regular menu.

Focaccia and baguette to start, with amazing EVOO:
Homemade mozzarella with prosciutto, roasted eggplants and saba (a balsamic reduction):

Mussels with perfectly toasted bread:

Twice fried french fries...nice & crispy

Town's take on the Zuni Chicken & Bread salad: perfectly roasted chicken, tatsoi greens, croutons and roasted fruit (grapes??):"

Hand cut pasta with sugo sauce (pork gravy)

Pan roasted opa on roasted vegetables:

Salted chocolate pretzel tarte (baked by Chris!): this won rave reviews

Brown butter almond financier...so rich...

And a final palate cleanser -- grapefruit campari sorbet

An outstanding meal!

Town

3435 Waialae Ave. (corner of 9th)

735.5900

Chef Mavro
1969 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 944-4714
Restaurant website

There are a few restaurants in Hawaii that come to mind when you want to celebrate a special occasion: Roy’s, Hoku’s, Alan Wong’s, and Chef Mavro. Hoku’s is our family’s usual spot for fancy dinners, but for this celebration, we wanted to try something new. I couldn’t get a table before 8:30 pm (on a Tuesday!) at Alan Wong’s, so we ended up at Mavro. They were very accommodating, easily being able to move our reservation back 20 minutes when I called to let them know we were running late.

Of course, people have different standards of fine dining in Hawaii. We overheard an entertaining conversation at the table next to us:

“For fine dining in Hawaii, we have Costco. But then for super fine dining, there’s 7 restaurants that can be considered fine dining.”

I’m still curious which his seven restaurants are.

Mavro only offers a set menu; you can choose the 4 course ($78) or 6 course option. The menu lists the suggested 4 or 6-course option, but they are flexible and let you pick items from the 6-course, even if you are only ordering the 4-course meal. So it’s very “design your own meal.” Between the 4 of us at dinner, we tried practically every dish available.



A complimentary amuse-bouche: a creamy soup with pickled grapes

Maitake mushrooms with watercress and an unidentified veggie (the white shavings that look like a parmesan cheese-green papaya according to the menu) in a lemongrass dressing

Their version of a miso cod

Provencale catch of the day – with capers and olives – note the thyme foam on the top

Deconstructed lobster paella

Wagyu shortribs (left), fried chickpea mash (middle) and wagyu steak (right)

Palate cleanser – honeydew in a champagne jelly

Dessert – lilikoi butter filled malasadas with coconut pineapple ice cream

Having just had a similar special occasion meal at Daniel Boulud’s Maison Boulud in Beijing’s spectacular Legation Quarter, I can say this meal was even superior in terms of food, but the setting (doesn’t look like Mavro has renovated since the restaurant opened over 10 years ago) and service couldn’t quite compare to Boulud’s staff. Was interesting to note that there were only male wait staff working that night – very curious if that is a standard practice or just happened the night we were there.

A trip back to Nobu

2233 Helumoa Rd
Waikiki Parc Hotel
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 237-6999
Yelp

We got a great Christmas gift from one of my aunties – a gift certificate to Nobu! Both my brother and I had been there before, but this was my parents first trip. On a weekday night between Christmas and New Years, the place was packed (but it seems we’ve had a good tourist season this holiday, Waikiki has been packed every time I’ve been down there this year). The restaurant was a bit of a madhouse – servers bumping into each other, very noise, diners squatting on the super low bar tables at the bar (outside the main dining room) eating dinner.
We started with my favorite dish – yellowtail with jalapeno in a ponzu sauce

Sushi – salmon avocado roll and spicy scallop – yum

“Tacos” – lobster, shrimp, tuna and salmon on tortilla chips--> this was beautiful & delish!

Shitake salad – also a winner

The most famous dish – miso black cod

Tasmanian trout with crispy spinach – this is the only dish that I wouldn’t order again – too greasy and fishy tasting

Nobu Waikiki

Nobu
2233 Helumoa Rd
Waikiki Parc Hotel
Yelp reviews

I finnnnaalllly got to try out Nobu! Having never been to one on the mainland, I got to try Nobu Waikiki (at the Waikiki Parc Hotel) when a friend was visiting from the mainland and celebrating his recent engagement. This is Nobu's 20th restaurant, and it opened just over a year ago, in May 2007. Like the Honolulu magazine review I was also surprised by how casual the restaurant was. Yes, there will be 3 or 4 staff attentively serving your table at all times, but their attitudes, the decor, and the other diners make Nobu feel like a relaxed, casual dining experience.

We ordered a bunch of Nobu classics...all the dishes were very large portions and meant to be shared family style:

Hamachi sashimi in ponzu dressing with jalapeno slices

Sashimi salad

Rockfish shrimp tempura (didn't like this one, too mushy and saucy)


Wagyu beef flambe with mushroom medley and baby bok choy


Black cod with miso (so buttery) in lettuce wraps (this was awesome!)


Sashimi (toro, hamachi belly, king salmon) and a house roll


While it was a pretty phenomenal meal and a very fun evening, I don't know if I could justify going back any time soon unless it was a very special occasion. I would be inclined to go try the omakase at Sushi Sasabune first...