THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Hawaiian Tropic Zone

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Hawaiian Tropic Zone Restaurant Review:

The Hawaiian Tropic Zone could only exist in Times Square. Enter through the glass front doors and you’re greeted by a wall of scantily clad young women who look like they’ve just jumped out of the pages of a men’s magazine. At seven and nine o’clock, the door greeters and waitresses are paraded out, numbers attached to their bikini bottoms, and diners are encouraged to pick up the voting slip at each table and choose their favorite. With all this, it would be understandable if you forgot there was food here too. But chef David Burke’s decidedly masculine Italian menu does a good job of rivaling the aesthetic pleasure of the Tropic Zone. Seared beef carpaccio (served atop a blanket of fresh arugula) and crispy jumbo crab cakes make for great starters (or pre-pageant snacks). The filet mignon is tender enough to almost slice with a fork and the “Thanksgiving style” sea bass, topped with a sweet potato-vanilla purée and accompanied by corn and Brussels sprouts, is as pleasing on the taste buds as it is inventive.