Over the past 20 years, Italian restaurants on Oahu have fallen into two camps: the Assaggio school of rich, garlic-saturated dishes or the Japanese school of delicate sauces accented with uni, mentaiko and other briny essences.
The Hawaii-Japanese fusion has been so pervasive that the truly Italian is something of an outlier.
If you need a refresher on authentic Italian cuisine, you might want to take a day trip out to Kapolei Marketplace, to Le Nonne, where chef Pier Antonio Micheli cooks up the traditional fare that he grew up eating in Forte dei Marmi (Fort of Marble), Tuscany, where his parents owned a resort. As soon as you enter Le Nonne (a tribute to grandmothers’ cooking), you’ll see a mural depicting his beachy hometown, which, save for the buildings, looks a lot like Hawaii.
He went on to open a restaurant in Utah before arriving in Kapolei, where he saw a vacuum when it comes to Italian cuisine, or any other cuisine for that matter. Every time I go there, I see the same restaurants: Ho Ho, Hapa Grill, En Fuego Grill. In a place where there are fewer options, everyone has a place in patrons’ rotation.
Le Nonne’s interior is spare and clean, looking like a sophisticated cafe you’d find anywhere in the world. Sit inside, or outside, where you’re reminded of where you are by the vista of Farrington Highway and Kapolei Regional Park.
Fresh focaccia served with wonderful olive pesto sets the tone for meals here. The difference between day and night menus is the availability of sandwiches for lunch.
At night, antipasti choices include classic fried calamari ($12), bruschetta ($10.50) and two kinds of carpaccio. If you opt for ahi ($14), it’s topped with asparagus in addition to the usual shaved parmesan, lemon and extra-virgin olive oil. The beef version, with thin-sliced filet mignon, is topped with arugula instead of asparagus.
Several salads are offered, including the expected Caesar ($6) and caprese ($12). For the warm months ahead, you might want to cool off with scampi e pompelmo, a refreshing mix of spring greens tossed with asparagus, tiny bay shrimp and chunks of ruby red grapefruit, and a light citrus dressing.
Fans of gnocchi ($17) will swoon over chef Micheli’s soft, pillowy potato dumplings. They’re much more dainty than the thumb-size dumplings served up throughout town. You can have it blanketed with Bolognese, pesto, tomato basil or gorgonzola sauces. I had it with the Bolognese, a light tomato and meat sauce that was the perfect weight for the delicate morsels. Coming off a juice cleanse, I had to refrain from licking the plate clean.
The ravioli I tried was less successful. There are spinach ($16), lobster ($18), veal and ricotta ($18) and crab-stuffed ($18) iterations. I had the crab, which had enough stuffing to taste the crabmeat. But I found the combination of wrap and cream sauce overly heavy. That’s the Japanese influence at work. I’ve become more accustomed to lightness. The other versions might be better. The lobster is served in a pink sauce with garlic, chili peppers and diced tomatoes. The veal and ricotta raviolis are served in a butter sauce with truffle oil.
Pastas are on par with anything else in town. Penne alla arrabbiata ($13) still lacked the spice I desire, and farfalle al salmone ($17) had the great smoky flavor of Norwegian smoked salmon, but I tired of the cream sauce quickly.
For those who prefer meat, there are simple entrees of pounded chicken breast, simply grilled ($18) or served with marinara sauce ($20) or sauteed mushrooms and wine sauce ($28).
Another favorite dish is the 8-ounce filet mignon, sauteed in a cream sauce with Dijon mustard, brandy and plenty of green Madagascar peppercorns that burst on the tongue.
Chef Micheli is just getting started, and has been called on to cater many a private event. Once he gets more trained help in the kitchen, he may also be able to bring his services into homes for special-occasion birthday, anniversary and Valentine’s Day meals. Who wouldn’t want a private chef?
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Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.
