News for Restaurants in Hawaii
April 2013 Archive

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HAWAII RESTAURANT NEWS

Openings

Nobu Lanai has opened in the Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay

Celebrity chef Nobuyuki "Nobu" Matsuhisa has opened Nobu Lanai in the Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay, the first Nobu restaurant in the Four Seasons portfolio. Nobu Lanai features Nobu's signature Japanese cuisine and also new dishes incorporating local ingredients. Expect Kona Kampachi with a yuzu miso and jalapeño salsa, and local opakapaka (Hawaiian pink snapper) tempura with amazu ponzu. Specialty cocktails include the Matsuhisa martini with ginger and cucumbers; and a Peruvian caipirinha with pisco, fresh lime, shiso and ginger beer. In addition, Nobu Lanai exclusively serves Hokusetsu saké from Sado Island off the coast of the Niigata prefecture in Japan. Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay is also the first hotel to offer Nobu by The Pool. Guests can enjoy spicy tuna rolls, fresh sashimi roku, soft-shell crab rolls, and other Nobu Lanai dishes poolside. Nobu Lanai is open seven days a week from 6 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Dinner nightly. Nobu Lanai, Four Seasons Resort Lana'i at Manele Bay, 1 Manele Rd., Lanai City, HI 96763, 808-565-2000.

Philip "Ippy" Aiona, best known as a contestant in last season's "Food Network Star," has opened Three Fat Pigs, the Big Island's first gastropub. Aiona, along with sous chef Joe Bosworth and bar chef Nikki Martin, is offering menu items with a creative twist, such as sweet corn soup fritters, which are fritters filled with soup; sea scallops with white chocolate foam; and chocolate bread pudding with Maker's Mark caramel sauce, finished with crispy bacon bits. Prices range from $8 to $16 for small plates. Although Waikoloa is rural, it is still considered a resort town, so the restaurant is viewed as dressy; more casual patrons can go to The Thirsty Wolf Pub upstairs to take in craft beers, pub snacks and the charcuterie bar. Dinner nightly. Three Fat Pigs, King's Shops, 69-250 Waikoloa Beach Dr., Waikoloa, HI 96738, 808-339-7145.

News Bytes

Tickets On Sale for Annual Joy of Sake Honolulu
Tickets are now on sale for the annual Joy of Sake Honolulu, happening from 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. on August 16 at the Hawaii Convention Center. The event is the public tasting that follows the U.S. National Sake Appraisal; over a two-day period, a team of five judges from Japan and five from the U.S. will evaluate aroma, taste, balance and overall harmony in each entry. After all sakes are judged and awarded, the public is allowed to taste the entries --- last year, there were 360 entries from 171 breweries and from 39 different prefectures. The evening will showcase an extensive line of premium sake styles in the Junmai, Ginjo, Daiginjo and Kimoto categories, many of which are not otherwise available in the U.S. Sake enthusiasts will also be able to sample an array of sake appetizers prepared by 15 of Hawaii's top chefs. Tickets are $85 per person pre-sale; $95 at the door. For information and tickets, visit www.joyofsake.com. Hawaii Convention Center, 1801 Kalakaua Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815, 808-222-0195.

Da Ala Cart Moves Into Lotus Downtown
Da Ala Cart, a food truck best known for its late-night, Japanese-style grilled foods, has moved its operations into a Chinatown bar and nightclub called Lotus Downtown. The truck will continue to serve up grilled musubi (rice balls), pork belly, mochi and vegetables in Lotus Wednesday through Saturday from 10 p.m. until the food runs out. Da Ala Cart, Queen's Marketplace, 34 N. Hotel St., Honolulu, HI 96817, 808-224-5110.

Chef Shuffles

Justin Yu has been named the new chef at The Whole Ox Deli in downtown Honolulu, replacing Bob McGee, who has left to spend more time on agricultural projects and working with Hawaii farmers and ranchers. Yu, who is originally from New York, most recently worked in San Francisco at Quince, Hawker Fare and Commis prior to moving to Hawaii. The Whole Ox Butcher & Deli recently celebrated the anniversary of its first year in business. Lunch Mon.-Sat., Dinner Tues.-Sat. The Whole Ox Deli, 327 Keawe St., Honolulu, HI 96813, 808-699-6328.

Closings

CLOSED FOR GOOD
Take your taste buds on a walk down memory lane! Check out our exclusive closed restaurant database for Hawaii to virtually visit your favorite dining spots from the past. Kincha, R.I.P.

21 Degrees North at the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu closed on April 7, 2013. The restaurant will undergo a short refurbishment and re-open with a new name. The menu will still feature contemporary island cuisine. 21 Degrees North, Turtle Bay Resort, 57-091 Kamehameha Hwy., Kahuku, HI 96731, no phone.

Le Guignol has announced that its last evening of service will be April 30, 2013. This well established French restaurant in Honolulu has been in business for 14 years. Le Guignol, Medical Arts Building, 1010 S. King St., Honolulu, HI 96814, 808-591-1809.

After 15 years, Sam Choy's restaurant closed on March 31. Sam Choy's owners decided not to renew its lease. Sam Choy's, 580 N. Nimitz Hwy., Honolulu, HI 96813, no phone.

CULINARY EVENTS
Want to learn to cook? Try new dishes? Meet a foodie friend for fun? Check out our compilation of culinary events in your area.

View our calendar of Wine Dinners & Tastings in Hawaii

BEYONCE INSPIRED LIBATIONS

Try these whiskey cocktails inspired by Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter album.

Check the recipes.

BOURBON IN YOUR AIOLI

This cashew aioli recipe gets a kick with bourbon.

Get the recipe.

GAYOT'S RESTAURANT AWARDS

Over the years, we have been electing restaurants to be on GAYOT's Yearly Restaurant Awards.

Check the list.

News for Restaurants in Hawaii April 2013 Archive

News for Restaurants in Hawaii
April 2013 Archive