Tempura Ichika (434 Piikoi St.), led by Michelin-star executive chef Kiyoshi Chikano, held its grand opening on April 30.
The restaurant serves a 12- to 14-course omakase menu starting from $160 that boasts fresh, imported items, including seasonal shrimp, uni, cuttlefish and other fruits de mer from Toyosu in Tokyo, that is then combined with local ingredients such as hearts of palm, Maui onions and Molokai sweet potatoes.
The omakase showcases two seasonal appetizers and eight to 10 tempura courses, which include delectable delicacies, including kuruma ebi with fleur de sel from the Aichi Prefecture, Hokkaido scallops with truffle salt, maitake mushroom with tentsuyu, trout with shiso, anago with sansho pepper and more. A savory shokuji course of either rice, noodles, nigiri sushi, chirashi or a seafood ochazuke is then followed by dessert.
Tempura Ichika is open 5-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays.
Follow the biz on Instagram (@tempura_ichika) or visit ichikahawaii.com.
A new Hawaiian-inspired buffet
Plumeria Beach House at The Kahala Hotel & Resort just launched a new Paina dining experience. The Hawaiian-inspired buffet is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Sunday and costs $68 per adult ($45 for keiki ages 6-12).
Buffet highlights include Hawaiian-style poke, lomi lomi salmon, signature misoyaki butterfish, laulau, kalua pig, chicken long rice and Kahala signature bread pudding with creme anglaise.
You can also indulge in buffet enhancements like caviar service for two, auction seafood tower and 1-pound steamed king crab legs.
Don’t forget to check out the special 60th anniversary cocktails like the Millennium Star, which includes diamond shimmer and a caviar-stuffed olive.
To learn more, visit kahalaresort.com/dining/plumeria-beach-house.
A special Infinity Dinner
Save the date — chef Colin Sato of Mugen and chef Colin Hazama of C4 Table are partnering for a special dinner only available on June 1. This Infinity Dinner, which costs $275 per person, will replace the regular tasting menu for that night only (40 seats available). Wine is included in the cost; each food course will be intentionally paired with a wine selection.
The theme of the dinner is Hawaii Regional Cuisine: Homage to the Past and Present. It includes an amuse bouche, four courses — hearts of palm-wrapped big-eye ahi, Hokkaido uni and Kona lobster “kimbap” and curry casava Kona abalone, slow-cooked Kona kampachi, and Maui venison and foie gras — and dessert (apple banana spring roll).
“We are so excited to work with chef Alan Wong to craft a menu that showcases Hawaii’s culinary traditions and some of his most iconic signature dishes in a distinctly ‘Mugen’ style of cooking, which showcases hyper-local ingredients with elevated and contemporary cooking techniques,” Sato states.
Make reservations via Mugen’s page on OpenTable.
Made for mamas
Deck., located on the third floor of Queen Kapiolani Hotel (150 Kapahulu Ave.), presents two Mother’s Day brunch experiences.
Its Mother’s Day brunch buffet at the Leahi Room includes a generous spread for the whole ohana to enjoy. It includes an oyster bar, king crab legs, a prime rib carving station and a dessert bar.
Meanwhile Deck. will also be offering its usual brunch menu along with exclusive specials limited to Mother’s Day. Find items such as the Mother’s Day continental breakfast platter ($18), which features seasonal fruits, fresh-baked pastries, toasts, served with butter and jams. There will also be the Mother’s Day crab Benedict ($36) — which comprises two Maryland-style crabcakes over toasted locally baked English muffins topped with a bernaise sauce — and the Mother’s Day seafood tower ($57). The latter boasts poached jumbo prawns, yuzu cocktail sauce, citrus, king crab legs, oyster shooters, Tabasco sauce, ponzu and spicy ahi poke.
Both the buffet and Mother’s Day menu items are exclusively available on May 12 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (last seating at 2:15 p.m.).
Visit deckwaikiki.com.
