Dear Hawaii Diner Reader,
The restaurant scene is heating up again with news of new eateries on the horizon. Most exciting to me, and not just because I love Latin cuisines, is the eminent arrival of a Cuban restaurant. People often think Cuban food is similar to Mexican food but it is quite different with many African and Carribbean influences. Reportedly, this new spot will be located in Chinatown and we will keep you posted as details become available.
Over the past couple of weeks I've eaten at a few places that have become favorites and I was reminded of why they are such great choices. Nico's at Pier 38 really seems to be settling into its new hours (they are now open until 6pm Mon-Fri) and the food is better than ever. I took my nephew and his two friends there and they just loved the food and the atmosphere. Proving that a Frenchman can make great local food - the Loco Moco ordered by one of the guys was absolutely awesome. We also had take-out from Bac Nam which is really our current favorite restaurant. This is hands down the best Vietnamese restaurant in Honolulu. And, I can't forget to mention Shokudo. The nephew and friends paid them a visit and they are still raving about the experience. The better half and I also took his sister who was visiting from Volcano there for lunch and it was just a fun and delicious meal. I can't believe we ordered the Honey Caramel Toast and ate it all. (Don't forget the coupon for a free Dessert that's good through the end of the month.)
I'd like to close with a nod to Tony Liu who is here in Honolulu in support of the Hawaii State Student Culinary Expo at KCC. Regular readers will remember the great interview I had with Tony from his current home in New York City. His position as executive chef at August has made him a role model for young people here in Hawaii with culinary aspirations. It's good to see him make the trip in support of our local culinary programs and his alma mater. Joining Tony at some of the events and demos will be his buddy and fellow role model, Kevin Chong, chef de cuisine from Chef Mavro and Kevin's boss, George Mavrothalassitis. See details below in the Around the Island segment.
Mahalo nui loa,
Gail
Around the Island - Celebrate Kaimuki, Culinary Expo, More Restaurant News
Kaimuki is one of Honolulu's coolest neighborhoods and they are holding a street celebration of their 'coolness' all day Saturday March 25 along Waialae Avenue and on the campus of St. Louis and Chaminade. Restaurants (there are plenty in Kaimuki!), shops and craft vendors will be offering specials on all sorts of goodies plus there will be free trolley rides up Waialae Avenue from the St. Louis/Chaminade campus. The fun starts at 11am and be sure to stop in at our favorite Kaimuki spot and Everybody Eats restaurant, A Taste of New York, while you're in the neighborhood. Pick up one of the event brochures and get a 10% discount on the purchase of a whole sandwich - it'll easily feed two normal people!
The Hawaii State Student Culinary Expo will be held this coming Monday, March 27 at the Ohia Cafeteria at KCC. In addition to the student culinary competition there will be cooking demos, food booths and exhibits. Tickets are $10. The event begins at 10am and ends at 2pm.
It's likely that the most expensive restaurant slated for Honolulu is Nobu Waikiki which will take over space vacated by the Parc Cafe and Kacho at the Waikiki Parc Hotel - the boutique hotel owned by the Halekulani Corporation. Giving Nobu a run in the spending of money department could be the new Roy's planned for the Waikiki Beach Walk. Marianne Schultz reports that the artist's rendering of the restaurant are spectacular with lush fabrics, jewel toned colors and a large lanai. My question is this: who will be helming the kitchen at the new Roy's? Or, for that matter, Nobu's?
Featured Wine Article - Minerally Wines
Robin Garr muses in this article about the joys of wines that speak of the soil. He speculates that his love of mud-pies as a child may be one of the reasons he is so drawn to wines that feature strong mineral qualities. Read the article.
Remington College Building - Downtown's Hottest Food Court
I started seeing posts and hearing mentions of various new food outlets in Downtown Honolulu a couple of months ago, and I became quite intrigued by the variety and the fact that they were all located in a single building. The Remington College Building is at 1111 Bishop Street and, while there have been a few eateries there for several years, all of sudden there was a hot new Mexican Taqueria, a great local place, an upscale contemporary spot serving gourmet-style food at plate lunch prices, and more.
Enlisting the help of my trusty eating companions, Ryan and Jennifer Ozawa, we planned an eating assault on Remington College. On our first visit it became clear that it was going to take more than a single visit and we would need eating reinforcements to complete the job on time!
Here's a brief overview of what you'll find at Remington College right now and we offer a more in-depth look at each spot as well below. Starting on the ground level there is a coffee & snack bar, Coffee Factory; 3 Star Gourmet, whose specialty is contemporary seafood preparations; Just Tacos, which is exactly what it says - tacos with a variety of fillings; Catania, Italian favorites with an emphasis on pastas and salads; Komala Curry House, the oldest restaurant here, but they offer some of the best Indian food in town; and Senpai which serves tasty Filipino and local dishes. On the below-ground level there is Dim Sum House, serving cost-conscious dim sum and Chinese standards; Holimoli's, the only place in Downtown where you can get traditional Hawaiian food as well as Samoan dishes; and last, but not least, Io's Grindz, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner done local-style. Click on the links below for more photos and information on each restaurant.
Before we get to the food, a bit of history about the building. I spoke with Jim Steiner, the gentleman whose family owns the building, to find out more. Jim told me that the property has been part of his family for a very long time. His great-grandfather, James Steiner, arrived in Honolulu from Czechoslovakia in the 1860's on a steamer ship. He was working and touring the world, but as has happened so many times, he set foot on Oahu and never looked back. He started working in a curio store and over time he prospered and eventually built the Elite Building on this same spot in 1899. At that time the main entrance fronted on Hotel Street and it housed the Elite Ice Cream Parlor & Bakery, Island Curio Shop and a number of rentals. The original building was torn down in the 1960's and the existing building was built in 1964.
The family leased the building and it feel into a rather sorry state of disrepair over the years. In 2000 they bought out the lease and decided to take over management. At that time the building was in need of renovation and upgrades which they undertook at considerable cost. The building overhaul unearthed some fascinating finds including an antique gin bottle and a piece of the original electrical wiring for the old building - a length of wood with three separate bundles of copper wiring embedded in it. Jim told me that at the time the Elite Building was built in 1899, the general distribution of electricity in Honolulu was relatively new and the building boasted the most modern of amenities for its time.
Now back to the food. I asked Jim if they renovated with the goal of attracting restaurant tenants and he told me that they were actively discouraged from doing so as eateries are known for causing a great deal of wear and tear on a building. Regardless of the advice of well-meaning property management types, the marketplace ultimately rules, and they were approached time and again by people who wanted to open restaurants. (Jim did admit that a Mexican spot was actively sought after to appease his assistant, Fran Orian, who lobbied for one!) In response to the demand for restaurant space, they spent additional funds to create a common grease trap and exhaust system for the building. Though this was expensive to do, it has proven to be cost-effective.
One thing that particularly appeals to me about the restaurants at the Remington College Building is that there are no national chains, and all of the places are truly local enterprises run by families and small groups of like-minded individuals. When we support these eateries, we are not only feeding ourselves, but our small business-owning neighbors as well. Not surprisingly, Jim was able to rattle off his favorites from each place and said that he sometimes picks up dinner for the family in addition to the frequent lunches he enjoys from the restaurants.
Read the Full Story and See All the Pictures
