COURTESY MAD BENE
Mad Bene sous-chef Jake Saito finishes a dish of spaghetti and meatballs with a sprinkle of cheese.
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Henry Yoon’s first two restaurants which he co-owns with Jin Hong are reflections of his heritage and birthplace. Mad Bene is a nod to his childhood.
Yoon was born in Seoul. From age 2 until 17, he lived in Queens, N.Y., and northern New Jersey. The co-owner of the Kapolei restaurant that celebrated its grand opening Tuesday grew up loving Italian food, especially pizza.
He and his team have appealed to local tastes with Korean food at Cafe Duck Butt in Kakaako, and at DB Grill at Kapolei Commons, which opened three years ago.
Mad Bene is right next to DB Grill, but the food’s origins are continents apart. The menu covers traditional Italian with some local ingredients, like scampi featuring Kauai shrimp. Prices run just under $20 for pasta; $22 to $32 for entrees.
But pizza is the star of the show. New York pizza. The 12-inch pies have New York-style firmness, Yoon said, so they can be eaten by hand, but they also have the quality of Naples-style pies.
“The technique of our craft is very important,” said Jennifer Akiyoshi, COO of DB Restaurant Group. “We’re sourcing very specific food items and using sound techniques.”
A two-day proofing technique for the crust and mozzarella made in-house are selling points for the pies that range from $15 to $18. Fresh pasta is also promised.
Reservations: madbene.com or call 744-7400.
