PREMIUM PICK | Arancino at the Kahala
I will try not to make this an ode to Arancino’s brick-oven pizza. But when multiple varieties of mushrooms and cheeses, and white truffle oil are involved, I promise nothing. Start with the Pizza Funghi e Tartufo, have a slice and take the rest home (you will thank me for this) because other items on the menu deserve your attention.
Chef Daisuke Hamamoto takes pains to make sure everything here comes beautifully plated. And the taste matches that presentation.
Standouts on a recent five-course Menu Degustazione included the Aracini ai Funghi Porcini, a deep-fried stuffed rice ball with mushrooms; and the Stracotto di Manzo, a tender braised short rib accompanied by truffled mashed potatoes and vegetables.
Finish your meal with a deconstructed tiramisu — a perfect balance of coffee, chocolate and lightly sweetened mascarpone — or my favorite, the Monte Bianco, a creamy chestnut puree piped around a custard filling with yuzu honey sauce. Triangular shards of meringue form a peak around it, evoking the snowy mountain caps of its namesake.
Don’t forget the leftover pizza you’ll have for a midnight snack. That’s amore, no?
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Kahala Hotel & Resort, 5000 Kahala Ave. (Arancino also has two locations in Waikiki); 380-4400; arancino.com. Lunch, dinner. $$$
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Ai Love Nalo
I was a vegetarian for 13 years and all that time I never thought I could be a vegan. Ever. I’d miss ice cream, eggs, yogurt … and I couldn’t live without cheese. But Ai Love Nalo has changed all that.
The entirely vegan menu focuses on ingredients sourced mainly from local farms. The result is fresh, healthful fare that leaves diners with a feel-good vibe for body and planet.
My go-to lunch is the Medi Bowl, a generous portion of warm kalo falafel, served with scoops of beet hummus, smoky baba ghanoush and a millet tabbouleh over local greens. I usually accompany it with a creamy Daily Dose smoothie, Kona coffee blended with coconut milk, dates, banana and cacao powder. I can’t get enough of those items.
The menu was a harder sell for my other half, whose diet consists mainly of meat and cheese. But he was sold on the barbecued portobello sandwich with coconut slaw. Surprisingly, he also took a shine to the spicy tofu poke bowl, which he said “tastes pretty close to the real thing.” Agreed.
If you have room for dessert, get the Outta This Swirled. Seasonal local fruit is spun into a delicious soft serve and comes with oodles of toppings from diced fruit and granola to cacao “magic shell” sauce.
I’d consider moving to Waimanalo just to be closer to this place. In the meantime, I’ll look forward to the scenic drives from town while daydreaming about the Medi Bowl.
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41-1025 Kalanianaole Highway, Waimanalo; ailovenalo.com. Breakfast, lunch. $$
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Spalding House Cafe
Up your weekday lunch game and head up to Makiki Heights, where the laid-back Spalding House Cafe quietly turns out fresh and satisfying fare, tucked into a secluded courtyard at the Honolulu Museum of Art’s hillside outpost.
Chef Susan Lai Hipp updated the menu in July with notable items including cavatappi pasta with pan-seared grape tomatoes, capers, arugula and crisp prosciutto; and a cheesy sausage-and-peppers grinder, a nod to Lai Hipp’s Connecticut roots. Neither dish is too heavy for lunch. One of my favorite starters also got a revamp — the creamy deviled eggs now come with bright, lemony kale pesto and a pickled pepper confetti.
The delightful setting is also perfect for intimate weekend brunches with friends. Tip: It’s BYOB and there’s no corkage fee.
Lai Hipp will even provide a picnic lunch for two, with tatami mats, that can be carried onto the lush green grounds for a spectacular view of Diamond Head. Even on drizzly days, it’s a popular option.
Not quite ready to go back down the hill? Make a day out of it and pay the $10 museum admission fee to wander through the galleries while getting a dose of culture, too.
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Honolulu Museum of Art Spalding House, 2411 Makiki Heights Drive; 237-5225; honolulumuseum.org. Lunch. $$
