Touch
of class
Looking
for fine dining? O‘ahu is the place.
|
Chef
Chai Chaowasaree of Chai's Island Bistro
|
Reading
a table setting at a fine-dining restaurant can
be as difficult as trying to read an eye chart
without your eyeglasses. But you don’t have to
squint if you remember three basic rules: Start
with the outermost fork and work in; your bread
and salad plates are always to the left and your
glassware to the right; and, please, no elbows
on the table, except in between courses.
Now
that it’s time to dine — as opposed to grind
— here are the perennial fine-dining
favorites:
Aaron’s
Atop the Ala Moana
(955-4466)
Stunning views provide the background for
contemporary American cuisine.
Alan
Wong’s Restaurant
(949-2526)
Multi Advertiser Ilima Award winner chef Alan
Wong takes local cuisine to new heights.
Azul,
JW Marriott Ihilani Hotel & Spa (697-0079)
Is it worth the drive? Absolutely.
Bali
By the Sea,
Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort & Spa
(949-4321)
A consistent AAA Four Diamond Award winner, the
restaurant specializes in Pacific Rim cuisine.
The
Bistro at Century Center
(943-6500)
Swank, chic and flawless Continental cuisine.
It's a great spot for lunch, too.
Chai’s
Island Bistro
(585-0011)
Famous local entertainers and exquisite food
both sing to diners here. Exotic and open-air
atmosphere adds charm to the dining-out
experience.
Chev
Mavro
(944-4714)
Locally and nationally recognized as one of
Hawaii's top chefs, chef George Mavrothalassitis
uses his French and Mediterranean background to
wow diners.
Diamond
Head Grill,
W Hotel (922-3734)
Chef Guillaume Burlion will dazzle you with his
"truffle egg" and the rest of his
French technique-inspired menu,
Hanohano
Room,
Sheraton Waikiki Hotel (922-4422)
Oh, the Diamond Head and ocean views —
magnificent. The same can be said about the
food.
Hoku’s,
Kahala Resort & Hotel (739-8780)
New facelift. New menu. But it's still chef
Wayne Hirabayashi at the helm.
Tableside-prepared rack of lamb is every bit
indulgent as its steep price.
Hy’s
Steak House
(922-5555)
The dining room feels more like an upscale toney
private East Coast gentlemen's club. Kiawe-grilled
steaks and entertainer Audy Kimura are mainstays
here.
John
Dominis
(523-0955)
The waterfront restaurant continues to be a
"special-occasion" establishment.
Fresh seafood dominates the menu.
La
Mer,
Halekulani (923-2311)
Ocean view and award-winning cuisine by chef
Yves Garnier. The "Degustation Menu"
is a tasting to remember. And in October,
Garnier will celebrate the 150th birthday of
Auguste Escoffier by offering a classic
Escoffier menu.
Le
Bistro
(373-7990)
Hands-down, one of the best — if not the best
—neighborhood eateries. Alan and Debbie
Takasaki have triumphed in a location where most
have failed. Cuisine is stupendous.
L’Uraku
(955-0552)
Edison Ching is an up-and-coming chef. His food
is creative, but approachable.
Mariposa,
Neiman Marcus,
(951-3420)
Pacific Rim meets Southwest cuisine. And it
works.
Michel’s
at the Colony Surf
(923-6552)
Considered to have the best sunset view. Classic
Continental cuisine.
Nick’s
Fishmarket,
Waikiki Gateway Hotel (955-6333)
This old-school fine dining restaurant still has
its charm. Tableside flambees and cozy booths.
Ola,
Turtle Bay Resort (293-0801)
The scenic drive to chef Fred DeAngelo's
beachfront restaurant has its rewards, namely
nouveau American cuisine with Hawaiian flair.
Prince
Court,
the Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki (944-4494)
Trained in classic French cuisine, chef Khamtan
Tanhchaleun surprises guests with his prix-fixe
menus.
Roy’s
Restaurant
(Hawaii Kai, 396-7697; Ko Olina, 676-7697)
Still going strong and still expanding. Hawaiian
fusion cuisine at its best.
Sam
Choy’s Diamond Head
(732-8645)
Celebrity chef Sam Choy's flagship restaurant
remains one of Oahu's top tables. Start with a
wasabi cheesecake appetizer, then order a pulehu
steak and finish with a chocolate-dipped
strawberry at the fountain.
Sarento’s
Top of the I
Wine and Italian food combine for romance. A
bird's-eye view of the ocean helps, too.
Star
of Honolulu
(983-7827)
Fine-dining aboard a ship? Skeptics will be
convinced after having chef Eric Omick's
"Five Star Package."
Tokyo
Tokyo
When the sushi bar re-opens in November, look
for fresh fish flown in from Japan. Managers
already have a sushi set menu planned for $150.
This is to complement the Wagyu beef that also
comes directly from Japan.
3660
on the Rise
(737-1177)
New York steak alaea still outsells most
entrees.
