FINE DINING | Chef Mavro
There’s a yin and yang at work at Chef Mavro, where meals are never anything short of amazing.
Chef-owner George Mavrothalassitis never rests on his laurels as a James Beard Award-winning chef and one of the founders of the Hawaii Regional Cuisine movement. Menus at the restaurant continually change, and diners can expect four seasonal menus during the year.
Yet whatever new dish is created by Mavrothalassitis and his chef de cuisine, Jonathan Mizukami, a thread of consistency runs through the menu: use of the finest ingredients, whether it’s Hanapepe salt, fresh local fish or Perigord truffles that go for a whopping $1,000 a pound.
That combination of change governed by consistency is the magic formula that has Chef Mavro’s contemporary regional cuisine, influenced by the chef’s native Provence, France, winning awards every year. And despite Mavrothalassitis’ desire never to repeat dishes, some have been so often requested that he now offers a rotating four-course Hana Hou menu featuring enduring favorites. Those include onaga baked in a salt crust, which the chef personally serves tableside; a Meli-Melo salad of upcountry vegetables; and snapper, Chinatown style.
The current fall menu includes such highlights as Roasted Rack of Lamb Provencale; herb-crusted Niman lamb served with sliced tomato, zucchini, eggplant and bell pepper a la monegasque; and the restaurant’s signature olive-oil caper mashed potato.
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1969 S. King St.; 944-4714; chefmavro.com Opens in a new tab. Dinner. $$$$
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BEST NEW RESTAURANT | Fish House
The Four Seasons brand connotes grace, elegance and discernment, which can imply a degree of formality and stiffness that’s far from fun. But that’s not the case with Fish House. The idea of seafood towers and shellfish bakes is synonymous with summer fun, and that’s the spirit exuded year round here.
Burgers, steaks and seafood are presented in a room with a rustic, beachy vibe that suits the location, which is mere steps from sand and sea. Of course, the focus is on seafood, and the restaurant has become known for its Seafood Tower, a feast of shrimp, oysters, king crab legs, lobster tail, mussels and clams.
Visit by day and in addition to poke and salads, you’ll encounter a short list of “Crispies,” dishes that go crunch, such as fresh-catch fish and chips, coconut-fried shrimp, fried chicken with smoked paprika, and brown butter-fried lobster tails.
By night, the Crispies are replaced by “Simmers,” pots of mussels, king crab, scallops and fresh catch steeped in broth such as coconut, ginger and lime for the scallops, and seaweed dashi for the fish.
Meat lovers will be sated by a 12-ounce, alaea-salted New York steak or 40-ounce tomahawk steak with chimichurri sauce.
Do not leave without trying the North Shore corn on the cob drizzled with condensed milk aioli, Parmesan, and lime-smoked paprika. It dazzles with its fresh, perfect crunch and burst of soulful, sunny flavors.
Despite the casual air, this being the Four Seasons, the details are pure luxe. Budget accordingly.
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At Four Seasons at Ko Olina; 92-1001 Olani St.; 679-0079; fourseasons.com/oahu Opens in a new tab. Lunch, dinner. $$$$
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BEST CASUAL | Diamond Head Market & Grill
When Kelvin Ro opened his modest takeout place 15 years ago he wanted to give local people local food, but with a more healthful bent. So yes, you can get teri beef or hamburger steak, but you’re getting it with a tossed salad. Potato-mac is $2 more. Or reach beyond altogether and get something like miso-ginger salmon or wasabi-shoyu ahi.
Ro uses longer marinating times (four days for kalbi) to build flavor, rather than pile on fat, so he can deliver fast service without a fast-food mentality. His goal was “back to vintage,” Ro says, but in a way that’s better for you, whether you know it or not.
The “market” side of the equation is an extensive and enviable grab-and-go selection that reaches far beyond salads and sandwiches to fresh pizzas and mini meals.
The baked goods are in a class by themselves and ever-growing, from the legendary scones (daily specials, check the website) to cakes, pies and ultra-decadent tortes. OK, maybe these sweet things aren’t exactly healthy, but you saved calories on your main course, so indulge.
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3158 Monsarrat Ave.; 732-0077; diamondheadmarket.com Opens in a new tab. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. $-$$
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BEST BREAKFAST | Bread & Butter
Leisure is symbolic of a good life, but even if you can’t afford to take many weekends off, Bread & Butter can make you feel like a king of the world. A lazy morning or afternoon spent with friends over mimosas, eggs, potatoes and bacon is priceless.
With its high ceiling, the restaurant has an open, spacious feel, with light pouring in through glass walls, perfect for starting the day on a sunny note.
The menu is small, but varied enough to cover all bases, from breakfast burritos to lox and bagels. Options range from light and healthy to hearty and decadent. On the light side are a fruit parfait with Greek yogurt, a papaya bowl and an acai bowl with fresh berries, bananas, granola and honey.
You’ll also find traditional pancakes topped with a blueberry compote and cream cheese, as well as more chewy taro-flour pancakes topped with bananas, berries and a cloud of fresh whipped cream. One of the best dishes is a mild kim chee fried rice-filled omelet layered with slices of Portuguese sausage.
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1585 Kapiolani Blvd.; 949-3430; alohabreadbutter.com Opens in a new tab. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. $$
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LUNCH | Restaurant Kaona at Forty Carrots
Bloomingdale’s opened Forty Carrots in 1975 to appeal to its fashion-conscious customers, and now that the store has reached Ala Moana Center, the restaurant is the place to be for an equally elegant, stylish lunch.
Chef Jon Matsubara developed a menu that showcases seafood and uses plenty of locally sourced ingredients that go into everything from a “daily inspiration” soup to a luxurious ocean bouillabaisse of the day’s catch, and an ocean salad of lobster tail, jumbo shrimp, crab, seared ahi and avocado over Hirabara Farms greens.
Salads will help diners maintain their svelte figures, while managing to satisfy protein cravings so they can continue shopping after lunch. These include combinations of greens and meat, such as grilled chicken and green papaya, or frisee with slices of Big Island smoked pork.
The ultimate dish is Matsubara’s lobster moco, a monster moco with the foodie’s holy trinity of lobster tail, sauteed foie gras and Italian black truffle in a rich Madeira sauce. A crown of Ka Lei egg is the finishing touch.
To go with your meal, there is a short list of wines, yogurt smoothies and fresh-squeezed juices.
Don’t fill up before you try Forty Carrots’ signature frozen yogurt. Start with plain yogurt before moving on to flavors such as blueberry, strawberry or chocolate. Finish with a handful of $1 add-ons that range from candy sprinkles to local honey, shredded coconut, malted milk balls, chocolate-covered kakimochi or fresh fruit.
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Third level at Bloomingdale’s, Ala Moana Center; 800-3638. Lunch, dinner. $$$
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NEIGHBOR ISLAND | Hana Ranch Provisions
As a key to their survival in the 21st century, farms are strengthening their game by taking ownership of restaurants. One of the best examples is Hana Ranch Provisions in Paia, marking Hana Ranch’s first foray into the restaurant business in an attempt to diversify.
The restaurant delivers the farm-to-table experience at its best, with equal measures of the rustic and the sophisticated.
Menus are subject to constant change, depending on what the farms can provide, and highlight — from beginning to end — Hana- grown, certified organic produce and Hana Ranch grass-fed beef. Each ingredient is given the respect it’s due, and there’s enough diversity to keep diners coming back for more.
Lunch comprises a short list of appetizers, salads and sandwiches, with heavier entrees reserved for dinner. Dishes might include curry kabocha soup, Vietnamese-style beef meatballs, Hana burgers and a beet carpaccio of striped Chioggia beets sliced as thin as sashimi.
For dessert, a rosemary panna cotta is a thing of beauty, to both eyes and palate, with its whisper of rosemary essence — too much would be overpowering — topped with kumquat marmalade and dark chocolate bark.
In late September, building problems led to the temporary closure of the restaurant, but the ranch is dedicated to reopening as soon as viable. Stay tuned for updates.
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71 Baldwin Ave., Paia, Maui; (808) 868-3688; hanaranchprovisions.com Opens in a new tab. Lunch, dinner. $$$
