When I first googled Lady Elaine, I was terrified. All I wanted was to make a dinner reservation and instead I encountered what I can only describe as the iconic possessed Conjuring doll, Annabelle, all grown up.
Suffice to say, I did not grow up watching Mister Roger’s Neighborhood and by the time my daughter was watching Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, the show’s creators had removed Ms. Fairchilde.
I got out of that search before my iPhone was haunted and typed “Hawaii” after “Lady Elaine.” I was then able to secure a table at Dusty Grable’s recently opened Manoa Maketplace restaurant, which is known for its Mediterranean-inspired cuisine.
Upon walking in, we were welcomed by charming and accommodating staff. They gave me a little basket to put my purse in, which I appreciated because I never know what to do with my purse when dining out. (It really is the little things.)
As the host led us to our table, I took in my surroundings. Tables were graciously spread apart for ultimate comfort for guests, which ranged from people on dates to loved ones reuniting with family from out of town and friends meeting up for a meal. I even saw Crave columnist and vegan chef extraordinaire Lillian Cumic seated two tables down, but I was too shy to say hello. (She’s so amazing, but I’m an introvert despite my extroverted front.)
We sat at a table alongside a dusty pink wall with the most intricate artwork, which I learned was done by Wahiawa native Aaron Padilla.
Old school, soulful music danced in the air at the perfect volume for us to enjoy while eating our meal — that is, not loud enough to intrude on our conversation.
We started with some cocktails, which were separated by Lady Elaine’s own creations and libations “created by others.”
My boyfriend ordered the Everyone’s Fancy ($18), which comprised St. George Raspberry Brandy, cognac, sumac, lemon and egg white. I got the Someplace Else ($18) with gin mare, italicus, botanika elderflower, rose water, lemon oil and Mediterranean tonic. Both were refreshing and delicious. I tend to sandbag my drinks, so our waitress generously offered to get me a new drink if I didn’t like it, but that wasn’t the case at all.
We started the meal with Lady Elaine’s bread and butter ($12), which confused us because isn’t that usually free? But I figuratively — and literally — ate my words when the dish was brought to our table.
This was the best bread and butter I had ever tasted. It featured bread from Breadshop in Kaimuki and a herb jam butter I wish I could buy by the tub. It had a cloud-like texture and is homemade using herbs that are then mixed with the jam and whipped into a butter-like consistency with salt and honey. It complemented the bread beautifully with its subtle yet savory flavor, and I would like to smother it over all my food from this day forward.
We also ordered the sumac cauliflower ($26), which is a roasted cauliflower with pickled onions and garlic atop a bed of ulu hummus. I had to look up what sumac was and discovered that it’s a traditional spice in Middle Eastern cooking that is tangy, smoky, earthy and slightly sour.
For entrees, we ordered the pimenton lamb ($38) and the blistered tomato pasta ($23). The lamb fell right off the bone and was slightly gamey. It came with romesco verde, charred Broccolini and gremolata, but I actually preferred eating it with the sumac cauliflower and hummus.
As for the pasta, it wasn’t my favorite, but only because I thought the dish would be like a classic spaghetti. This version tasted very healthy as it featured Ho Farms tomatoes, basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano — which I wish there was more of.
We finished the meal with Lady Elaine’s ricotta fritters ($14) — which featured lemon curd, powdered sugar and cinnamon.
It reminded me of a bougie malasada or those fried Twinkies you get at a carnival, but it was actually very light and refreshing.
The menu changes seasonally and lunch will be added sometime this year.
So, yes, while I might get nightmares from the image of Lady Elaine Fairchilde, hopefully they’ll be replaced by sweet dreams of that heavenly bread and butter.
Lady Elaine
Address
2756 Woodlawn Drive 6-102, Honolulu
Phone
808-888-3030
Hours
5-9 p.m.
Mondays-Saturdays; closed Sundays
(Lunch will be added soon)
Reservations
resy.com
Food: 5/5
Drinks 5/5
Price: $$$/$$$$
Ambiance: Homey, open-air dining concept with chill vibes
Service: 5/5
Parking: Free parking at Manoa Marketplace
