We ate at Houlihan’s for two days of the Con.  On the first night, we had meant to go to Hard Times Café and were confused by the similar, next-door awnings.  I was glad for the confusion.  Houlihan’s has an innovative menu and more upscale fare.  However, despite an extensive menu with all kinds of choices, I had a hard time finding a dish I wanted.  I’m limiting carbs, especially white carbs like potatoes and white rice, but almost all dishes were breaded or mixed with rice. 

I settled on a grilled tilapia and vegetables.  The entrée was very good and the service by Yvonne was understated but present.My fellow dinner guests liked the place so much that we went back for a second night.  This time, I had a chance to sample some beer on tap.  They had a limited selection, but the seasonal wheat put my homebrew to shame.  The Guinness was good but not fresh (wow I miss Ireland).  I didn’t sample the mixed drinks, but the menu looked promising.  I was sitting next to a vegan and wanted to be respectful and order a non-meat dish.  Recall that I could only find one item that wasn’t full-o-carbs on the whole menu…I was stuck ordering a grilled asparagus appetizer that was *sigh* breaded and fried.  So much for the health-kick diet. 

My vegan guest could not find anything else he could eat either, though he was not limited by the white carb thing I’m following.  So we both ended up with plates of asparagus.  The asparagus was delicious.  Maybe part of the reason it was so good was that it was the first fried food I’ve had in months!  The ends were a little tough, but the horseradish cream was a delightfully unexpected twist.The service was really bad.  Our server (Shannon?) was thrown into being triple-seated.  Drink orders were missed, the vegan’s dinner came with cheese on top, dinner salads were forgotten.  Shannon was extremely apologetic and offered free dessert to the whole table.  I would have expected such a gesture, but was still pleased that she did so.  Throughout the ordeal, she remained pleasant and did not display her stress to us.  She then took it out on herself and reduced our tab by 20 percent!  I could tell that this was not her normal level of service. 

She was so accommodating that I would certainly go back there and request her as a server. My only real complaint is that for such a seemingly full menu, and I’m not a picky eater either, I was hard pressed to find a choice that was right for me.

Atmosphere: [rate 3]
Beer Selection: [rate 3]
Wine Selection: not rated
Food: [rate 3]
Service: [rate 3]

Another beautiful restaurant in Waikiki.  The theme of the restaurant is Chinese-Italian fusion.  Fusion is a big hit these days, as fetuccini alfredo can only be done so many ways.  This place had the right ambience for the most part.  However, they went a little too far with each staff member calling themselves by a fusion name: for example, one server’s “name” was “Bella Chai.”  Ha ha, we get it.  Please focus on the food.

We ordered and shared asparagus, the scallop ravioli, and a seafood lasagna that had been recommended to us.  The asparagus was crisp-tender with a light sauce, shiitakes, and bamboo shoots.  All three flavors blended well and were not overcooked or oversauced.  The scallop ravioli was a gorgeous presentation; however, the presentation made it nearly impossible to eat.  It was two large sheets of beautiful fresh pasta stuffed with small scallops and a light white wine cream sauce.  It was utterly delightful.  Again, the ingredient quality was stellar and each ingredient could shine.

I was chosen as the sommelier for this trip and I was picking lots of wines I’ve read but never tasted.  I chose a Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Riesling, thinking the East-West flair would go well with the dishes we’d chosen.  This New World wine has a clear green apple note with a lemon drop finish.  It paired well with all but the seafood lasagna.  Then again, the lasagna was gluey and lacked flavor, so I am not that disappointed.

The lasagna was highly recommended to us, so I was surprised when it was not good.  The fish and other seafood was almost indistinguishable from the sticky pasta pieces.  It was overgarnished with fried rice noodles.  The noodles were very good when just a few were eaten with the dish to add crunch.  I sincerely wonder if they were holding the dish too long or something because it was honestly out of character with every other aspect of this dining experience.

The service was understated but prompt.  The food actually came too quickly, as my dad didn’t have time to finish his salad.  I don’t like to feel rushed and I think that the kitchen simply had poor timing.

Once again, I was dealing with a relatively short wine list with a heavy bias toward new world- specifically California- wines.  Maybe because California is closer geographically?  Or the import taxes are awful in Hawaii?  If any wine geeks read this blog, please comment and tell me why this is so.

Atmosphere: [rate 5]
Beer Selection: Not rated
Wine Selection: [rate 3]
Food: Bipolar! [rate 5] and [rate 1]
Service: [rate 4]

Another hotel restaurant.  I was forced by nostalgia to go to this place.  I had been nine years earlier and I thought it was the kind of place my dad would like.

I was nonplussed by the “famous” salad bar.  It was good but not any more special than any other salad bar I’ve seen.  No special tropical dishes, just regular white mushrooms, sprouts, and pots of dressing.  It was a good salad, just not “famous.”

Dad and I both chose the fresh fish.  I asked what was freshest and the server was quite knowledgeable.  I chose monchong, firecracker style, and Dad chose monchong, Duke’s style.  The fish was superb in flesh and flavor in both styles.  The side of rice had lots of broken grains and was obviously scooped from a big, congealed batch, but did have good flavor.  Both styles worked well with this kind of fish, and the firecracker heat was very low, allowing the fish flavor to shine along with the fresh guacamole relish topping.

For the wine, I picked Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio from Italy.  I normally only use Pinot Grigio in making white sangria because its flavor is often too mild to stand against a food pairing.  However, my dad is intolerant of lots of stronger wines, so I thought I would try this wine a friend had recommended.  It was crisp, refreshing, and tasted like fresh apples and light spice.  It was overwhelmed by the firecracker fish, but paired well with the milder fish prep Dad had.  It would be refreshing to drink on the patio on a hot summer day, but too boring to stand alone for long.

Duke’s is fun but tourist-y.  Dad liked it and so did I.

Atmosphere: [rate 3]
Beer Selection: Not rated
Wine Selection: [rate 3]
Food: [rate 3]
Service: [rate 3]

As our first meal in Hawaii, this restaurant did not disappoint.  I was hoping to eat at fewer hotel restaurants but this place was good enough for us to eat there twice.

My dad had designated me as the trip’s sommelier.  I also knew we’d be eating lighter, tropical fare, so I crumbled and started to learn more about white wines for the trip.  I realized I was being snobby and narrow-minded by only drinking reds.  So I read a lot, watched some shows, and attended some tastings.  Tonight was my first attempt.

I chose a wine that’s in my cabinet at home but not yet tasted.  I chose the 2003 ZD Chardonnay Reserve from Napa.  The cool fermentation and oaking temperatures result in a wine that is less oak-ridden than many chardonnays.  There were flavors of tropical fruit, notably pineapple, with a zingy-ness that was refreshing but not overpowering.

We had an island seafood chowder that was great except for the addition of corn and haricots verts that seemed more like a pack of frozen veggies than fresh.  The clams and other seafood were firm and flavorful in a light, creamy base.  I had the ahi three ways as an entrée.  It was gorgeously presented and delicious as well.  The poke was incredible- an explosion of flavors, colors, and textures.

The others in my party enjoyed their meal as well, especially the mushroom ragout.  I had creamed spinach that was fantastic and garlicky.  By this time, we were ready for another bottle of wine, and one of my guests had a craving for merlot.  *sigh* 

The restaurant had a very short wine list (too short IMHO), and the merlot selection was only four types.  I chose a Clos du Val 2003 Merlot from Napa.  I have had this wine before and it has changed little in six months.  The fruit is not assertive enough against the dried herb (specifically thyme) flavors.  The tannins are still too tight and a year or so might make this a more balanced wine.

Atmosphere: [rate 3]
Beer Selection: Not rated
Wine Selection: [rate 2]
Food: [rate 4]
Service: [rate 3]