Italian

Baci Bistro

30 Aulike St., Kailua (262-7555). Lunch Mon.-Fri. 11:30am-2pm, Dinner Nightly 5:30pm-10pm. Entree: From $13.95-$26. AmEx, MC, V.

Don’t leave without trying the tiramisu. Where most places take on the traditional dolci as an Italian version of the Midwestern trifle, Baci treats it right–each layer separate, but all coming together perfectly on the fork. The lady fingers are moist, not wet; the mascarpone layer is light, not cheesecake-like; the amaretto is complimentary, not overpowering. The answer is simple: When in Kailua, eat at Baci Bistro.

– Kawehi Haug (5/9/07)

Buon Amici Ristorante

3605 Wai’alae Ave. (732-5999). Tue.-Sun. 5pm-9pm. Entrees: From $20.50. AmEx, MC, V.

Buon Amici has retained the tradition of making fresh pasta. The wide sashes of pasta danced between firmness and the slightest tenderness, a feat that only the freshest cooked al dente can achieve. When tossed with herbed Italian sausage, salty bits of pancetta and sweet strips of caramelized onions then bathed in a tomato sauce further richened by both wine and cream. Entrees include costoletta d’aggnello, grilled Australian lamb chops so tender that they’re worth smuggling across town to Wai’alae Avenue and salmon aneto, Atlantic salmon cooked in anise flowers, bay leaves, shallots and cream.

– Napua Leong (2/21/07)

Pasta Basta by Donato’s

Restaurant Row, (523-9999). Lunch Mon.-Fri. 11am-2:30pm, Dinner Tue.-Sat. 5-9:30pm. Entrees: $9-$15. MC, V.

Pasta Basta does brisk business for the lunch crowds that come pouring out of neighboring office towers around noon, and while ordering at the counter may seem unglamorous, it’s a smart way for the restaurant to maximize its lunch service. From the oven come handmade pizzas including spicy shrimp, margherita, napoletana and grilled chicken-portobello versions. If you like fresh pasta but want a simpler dish, there’s fresh spinach fettucine with Bolognese sauce, linguine with basil pesto or cappellini with sauteed mushrooms, fresh tomatoes and garlic.

–N. L. (4/25/07)

Japanese & Okinawan

Gaku Sushi Izakaya

1329 S. King St., (589-1329). Mon.-Sat. 5pm-11pm, Closed Sun. Entrees: $7.50-$40. Disc, JCB, MC, V.

The staff is exceptionally knowledgeable about the menu, even though a good portion of it changes daily. Izakaya style specialties include baked king crab, ribeye steak with garlic or ponzu and asari clams either sauteed in garlic butter of steeped in sake. Among the cooked specials, there was beef tongue wrapped in shiitake mushroom and grilled green mussels. A hand-lettered and photocopied menu insert of the day’s specials showcases what Kikuchi picked out that morning at the fish market.

–N. L. (4/4/07)

Kyoto Ohsho

Ala Moana Center Ho’okipa Terrace (949-0040). Daily 11:30am-10pm. Entrees: $11.50-$1350.

The new sit-down-and-order dining format is not a bad thing. The teishokus (set meals) are very affordable. The Grilled Misoyaki Butterfish is tender, sweet and juicy, just like Grandma used to make. More options for teishokus include Hamburger Steak, Grilled Yellow Tail Kama, Chicken Cutlet, Beef Teriyaki, Sweet & Sour Pork, the giggle-inducing Grilled Horse Mackerel and other favorites. All come with miso soup, assorted vegetables and chawanmushi–egg custard steamed in a cup. Expect friendly service and the frequent bussing of superfluous plates.

–R. S. (2/27/08)

Matsugen

255 Beach Walk, (926-0255). Daily, 11:30am-1:45pm, 5-9:30pm. Entrees: $7.80-$35.50. AmEx, DC, MC, JCB, V.

The handwritten, photocopied menu reflects the artisan allure of hand-crafted soba. The fresh soba noodles are perhaps best enjoyed mori style, served simply boiled and chilled and reverently laid atop a slattered lacquer tray alongside a carafe of tsuyu dipping sauce to pour into a broader dipping dish along with a clump of fresh wasabi and sliced scallion whites. There are izaka-style appetizers whose origins are primarily confined to the maw of sea creatures. There’s no sushi here, but you can get assorted seasonal sashimi and traditional ‘Edo’ style poke.

–N. L. (2/30/07)

Nobu Waikl-kl-

2233 Helumoa Rd. (237-6999) Lunch Mon.-Fri. 11:30am-2pm, Dinner Daily 5:30am-2pm, Entree: From $11-$24. AmEx, DC, Disc, MC, V.

Dinner is divided into two sections on the menu, cold dishes and hot dishes, with entrees, sushi and sashimi . It doesn’t take a savvypalate to recognize that Nobu really likes him some ponzu. It seems to be on everything. What was fascinating, different and exciting was the duck breast with wasabi salsa. The space itself is breath taking and almost alive with subdued swirling chic attitude. It’s a restaurant you bring a date to with the expectation of getting laid after desert–or after the chu-toro, for that matter. To that end, Nobu is a stomach-driven aphrodisiac in a whole new style for Honolulu.

–R. S. (6/13/07)

Wasabi & Nadaman

1006 Kapahulu Ave. (735-2800). Lunch Mon.-Fri. 11:30am-2pm, Dinner Daily 5:30-10pm. Entrees: $13-$80. AmEx, MC, V.

The environment is a fine-dining classy affair. Fresh flowers and pleasantly scented pillar candles accent the nicely spaced tables and certain parts of the room have larger orchid arrangements that denote key areas. The option to order dishes izakaya-style is there, so if you’re in the mood to scarf, by all means, this is the better option with which to dine in style. But food snobs will not be disappointed by the kaiseki menu. Food snobs with smaller stomachs, that is.

–R. S. (10/24/07)

Middle Eastern & Greek

The Fat Greek

3040 Wai’alae Ave. (734-0404) Daily 11am-2pm, 5pm-10pm. Entree: From $7-$19.95.

While the food isn’t startlingly original, the atmosphere and its patrons give the place a certain collegiate, white-collar appeal. The soundtrack of the establishment is a firm mix of upbeat tunes from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. The prices at this place really can’t be beat. Once the bourgeoisie onslaught diminishes, The Fat Greek will probably become a favorite for starving dorm students who no longer feel like heating up a Cup o’ Noodle.

–R. S. (2/13/08)

Southeast Asian & Indian

Bombay Indian Restaurant

Discovery Bay Center, 1778 Ala Moana Blvd. (942-3990). 5-10pm. Entrees: $9.95-$21.95. JCB, MC, V.

One of the highlights of Indian cuisine is its wonderful treatment of vegetables, and I was thrilled to see my favorite dish on the menu: Baingan bhartha, baked and mashed eggplant cooked with onions, tomatoes and spices. The popular veggie standards are here also: palak paneer, chana masala and dal makhni plus lesser-known variations like bhindi masala made with okra. While some Indian desserts can be either excessively floral or clunky, the ones at Bombay are subtle and mostly pleasant.

–N. L. (1/3/07)