Two words: lamb Wellington. Of all the dishes that caught my eye on MARA Restaurant & Bar’s menu, that stood out the most. So much so, I booked a reservation on the restaurant’s opening night.
Located in the trendy Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa on Kapiolani Boulevard, MARA Restaurant & Bar specializes in Mediterranean fare. The eatery — which derives its name from the Greek meaning for “eternally beautiful” — highlights the cuisines of modern-day Italy and Greece, while infusing locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.

The menu is impressive, but so is the space — the chic, 6,700-square-foot restaurant boasts custom-designed chandeliers and an open kitchen, while the spacious bar features relaxing hues of shimmering copper and blue. A private dining room and alfresco terrace seating are also available.

The cocktail menu is creative and fun, with beverages like Mamma Mia!, La Sirena and Della Terra, to name a few. I’m usually a sparkling wine kind of girl, but the Della Terra ($17) — a balanced blend of tequila, fennel, rosemary grapefruit, Giffard pamplemousse and egg white — was a smooth start to the evening.
If you’re torn between appetizers, order the tasting trio ($28) — hummus, Greek yogurt tzatziki and Bocconcino Hawaii burrata (roasted beets, walnuts and pomegranate molasses) with hearth-baked pita. Bocconcino’s burrata is always delicious, but that tzatziki was solid — creamy (not liquidy), flavorful and balanced. Other standouts included ahi crudo ($21) and crispy zucchini chips ($22). The crudo was topped with chile crisps, crushed Castelvetrano olives and lemon gel; it was refreshing with a slight zing from the chiles. Meanwhile, the zucchini chips, served with Greek yogurt tzatziki and dill, were downright addictive. They were so light and crunchy, not to mention healthy — OK, not exactly, but they’re still veggies — that I had to have our server pack the rest for me before I got too full.

Speaking of veggies — the edamame falafel salad ($22) is a delicious option if you want a salad to share. I was intent on skipping the salad section of the menu to save stomach space, but our server convinced me otherwise. Falafel gets a bad rap for being too dry, but these petite-sized pieces were surprisingly moist and tender on the inside.

If you’re looking to indulge, the Kaluga caviar nest ($42) was a unique offering worth noting. The caviar came on a bed of crispy Kaitaifi (delicately shredded phyllo dough) with local ogo and green apple. The contrasting textures were incredible, but it’s an individual portion, so keep that in mind.

Diners may also choose from a selection of seasonally curated seafood with a choice of preparations inspired by the dynamic cultures of the Mediterranean Basin. Select from options like pistachio-crusted local ahi ($44), grilled day-boat scallops ($34) and daily local catch (market price). Featured preparations include acqua pazza — Ho Farms tomatoes, capers, roasted fennel and olive oil — and Greek and Moroccan chickpea tagine with Kalamata and Castelvetrano olives. We went with the recommended ahi with acqua pazza, which was a flavorful pairing.

As much as I love seafood, the roasted lamb loin “Wellington” ($48) captured my heart and was my favorite dish (for now). The puff pastry comprised spanakopita, feta, spinach and lamb.
“Wellington is a dish that my parents would make on special occasions,” says chef Michael Ocampo. “The flavors of spanakopita compliment the lamb loin, so when I thought about the two, a light bulb went off in my head. The Wellington is served with a mushroom kebab.”

Lamb can be too gamey for my preference, but this one was perfectly cooked.

If you prefer dishes for the table to share, sides like wood-fired cauliflower and lemon-garlic fingerling potatoes ($10 each) are available a la carte.

Highlights from the dessert menu include the farmers cheese künefe ($15) — which will probably end up being MARA’s signature dessert — and Manoa chocolate sokolatina ($14). Künefe is typically a crispy dessert that features kataifi filled with layers of cheese, pistachios or nuts. This version featured a unique presentation with Bocconcino’s mozzarella inside.
“An orange blossom honey syrup is poured over the künefe,” Ocampo says.

Meanwhile, the Manoa chocolate sokolatina — chocolate cream, coco nibs and salted caramel ice cream — is the best option if you want to end with something more indulgent.

My only complaint: I took too long taking photos and videos of the desserts, so the salted caramel ice cream was half melted by the time I started eating it.

Since I was there on opening night, I was pleasantly surprised by the servers’ attentiveness and attention to detail — not just for our table, but across the restaurant.

With dinner service underway, the restaurant will be starting brunch and lunch in the near future.

MARA Restaurant & Bar

Address 
1390 Kapiolani Blvd., Honolulu

Phone
808-450-3036

Hours
Open daily, 5-10 p.m.

Web
marahonolulu.com

Instagram
@mara_honolulu

Parking: Complimentary valet parking (three hours) when you dine at the restaurant