Restaurants

Better in the dark?

Formaggio Grill
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Formaggio Grill / The instant it goes on, I start panicking. I focus on taking deep breaths while also not stepping on the heels of the person in front of me as we’re led to our seats in a blind conga line. As dinner begins, I alternate between enjoying a guessing game of “what’s on… [»Read]


Farms animal

Foodland Farms in ‘Aina Haina
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Foodland Farms in ‘Aina Haina / Don’t expect a Foodland version of Whole Foods at the new Foodland Farms in ‘Aina Haina, which opened two weeks ago. For the most part, this is still a traditional supermarket–there’s the floor-to-ceiling case of cigarettes, a liquor aisle and aisles of high-fructose… [»Read]


From the top

Chef Sean Priester
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Chef Sean Priester / In these grab ’n‘ go times, many entrepreneurs and foodies alike have entertained the idea of running a food truck. To do so, however, most don’t have to to step down as the executive chef of a prominent restaurant. It takes guts to roam the streets of Oahu selling… [»Read]


Robert McGee elevates comfort food

Apartment3
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Apartment3 / For a chef used to the abundance of local produce in the Pacific Northwest, it’s been interesting for Robert McGee to meet the challenge of using as many fine local ingredients as possible, then going to pick up shipments of the rest. “When you gotta go down to the docks… [»Read]


Small plates, big dreams

Sapori
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Sapori / Honolulu is ready to get small. While izakayas, which pair Japanese small plates with beer and sake, remain popular, Honolulu diners have largely resisted the tapas-fication of menus popular in mainland dining cities. Even Alan Wong couldn’t make a go of small plates when… [»Read]


Soy dreams

Aloha Tofu
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Aloha Tofu / In the mythology of the American dream, the small, family-owned business grows as each generation continues to build on the founders’ dreams. The reality, of course, can be different, as ambitions and opportunities change with the times. Paul Uyehara, president of Aloha… [»Read]


You down with bulgogi?

WALTER RHEE’S COOKING CLASSES AND FOOD TOURS
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WALTER RHEE’S COOKING CLASSES AND FOOD TOURS / When you get your Korean plate lunch, do you always go for the kimchi, pajeon and other side dishes that you can’t even pronounce? Do you wonder how some Korean home chefs are able to whip up so many delicious dishes for a meal, while you don’t even know what noodles… [»Read]


Up on the farm

KOKUA MARKET
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KOKUA MARKET / On Kokua Market’s inaugural farm tour last Saturday morning, a six-car caravan of 30 people, ranging from a 3-year-old toddler on up, made its way out to the West side. On the agenda: Rocky’s Farm, Kahumana Farms and Ailani Gardens. None of these farms are commercial… [»Read]


Bloody good times

Comes with video
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What excuse do we have to drink now that we’re trying to work off an eggnog gut and the champagne celebration for 2010’s arrival was so three weeks ago? Oh, because it’s a Sunday? Sounds good. If it’s not time to pop the bubbly, it can at least be time for some great… [»Read]


Better eating through chemistry

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It’s a new year and Michael Pollan’s already got a new book of rules that expound on his edict to “eat food” (as opposed to food-like substances). But those unfamiliar and unprounceable ingredients he would have us shy away from? A handful of chefs and bartenders… [»Read]


It’s my food in a box

MAO Organic Farms
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MAO Organic Farms / So you’re jumping on the eating-local bandwagon. You support your favorite local restaurants, you buy only fruits and veggies that were grown in Hawaii and you wouldn’t be caught dead near any place with a drive-through window. What about taking it a step farther–and… [»Read]


Poppin’ bubbly

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Champagne’s magic lies in the tension between its power and its playfulness, the way it can explode out of the bottle but still dance lightly on the tongue. In other words, it’s in the bubbles. And, like fireworks, it wouldn’t feel quite like New Year’s eve without… [»Read]


Some like it hot and spicy

Comes with video
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We’re wearing long sleeves. Not just the sleeves of thin, button-down shirts that can pass for jackets the rest of the year, but even sweaters and scarves. Holiday time is here! And to the booze lover, that means an excuse to introduce more drinks into the imbibing rotation…. [»Read]


Food it yourself

Comes with video
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These days, it’s not just mom who thinks homemade presents are cool. Whether it’s the recession forcing more people into their kitchens or urbanites seeking a deeper connection with what they eat, there’s a distinct DIY trend en vogue. Conjure up your inner Martha… [»Read]