Hot Restaurant

Culinary Magic

Savor innovative flavors and palate-tempting flair at Azure
The first thing that strikes me about the dining room formerly known as The Surf Room at The Royal Hawaiian is that architect Terry Hendrickson actually
understood the original architecture of the hotel.
Call me odd, but I feel a warm glow of confidence when I walk into a restaurant [...]

December-January 2010 | Jo McGarry | 0 comments | Continued

Time-Honored Taste

Ko at the Fairmont Kea Lani offers a passionate approach to traditional recipes
Maui’s Fairmont Kea Lani has been home to some very fine food over the years. In the mid-1990s, Shep Gordon’s Grand
Chefs on Tour made frequent stops at the luxurious resort, and highly respected celebrity chefs like Charlie Trotter, Roger Verge and Nobu Matsuhisa [...]

October-November 2009 | Jo McGarry | 0 comments | Continued

Marvelously Mavro

An award-winning dining experience in the heart of Honolulu
When Chef George “Mavro” Mavrothalassitis opened his eponymous fine dining restaurant a decade ago on the corner of South King Street, he found himself
a whisper away from Alan Wong’s and a world away from anything Honolulu diners had seen before: three fixed price menus, no side dishes, [...]

August-September 2009 | Jo McGarry | 0 comments | Continued

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse

The newest Honolulu steakhouse boasts an authentic taste of New York
I thought the best way to get a measure of the city’s newest “New York” steakhouse would be to go with a guy from New York. Because, unlike many other dining experiences, the New York steakhouse is not really open to interpretation.
“There are certain things [...]

June-July 2009 | Jo McGarry | 0 comments | Continued

Homegrown In Hana

Savor a unique dining destination at Hotel Hana-Maui’s Ka’uiki restaurant
Sometimes it’s the road less traveled that leads you to the most interesting places. The road to Hana might be one of the more hazardous trips to take for dinner in Hawai’i, but it’s certainly one of the most memorable. after an incredible journey by [...]

April-May 2009 | Jo McGarry | 0 comments | Continued

Vietnamese fusion

It becomes clear upon entering Duc’s Bistro in Chinatown that hospitality is a key element to the boutique eatery’s success. Owner, host and sometimes chef Duc Nguyen and his charming wife of 37 years, Minh Nga, move effortlessly around the dining room as if they were welcoming family visiting from out of town. A visit [...]

December-January 2009 | Jo McGarry | 0 comments | Continued

Fine Dining Gem

Island-fresh ingredients and fabulous wines make Azul at Ihilani an award-winning affair
There are a few things you probably already know about Azul at Ihilani:
It’s a perennial winner of the coveted AAA Four Diamond Award.
It offers an impressive wine program.
And it’s a bit of a drive from Waikiki.
Here, however, are a few things that may comes [...]

October-November 2008 | Jo McGarry | 0 comments | Continued

Two’s Company

Getting down to business at Elua Restaurant and Wine Bar
With everything that’s been written about Elua Restaurant and Wine Bar this past year – two chefs, two egos, two styles of cooking – the single thing that’s been ignored is the fact that chefs Donato Loperfido and Philippe Padovani have emerged from their first year [...]

August-September 2008 | Jo McGarry | 0 comments | Continued

PERFECTLY SEASONED

Taste the flavor of Hualalai’s Pahui’a restaurant
There are those who argue that Hawaii has no seasons. “You have no winter,” visitors exclaim, unaware of snow on Mauna Kea’s summit or temperatures that cool the evenings from October until March. And while it’s true that our seasons may not be obvious in their arrival, with neither [...]

June-July 2008 | Jo McGarry | 0 comments | Continued

EURO BISTRO

Fine wine and bistro fare at Downtown’s Du Vin
One of my favorite moments on any night I’m able to have dinner out with my husband is the arrival of a plate of Moules Frites at our favorite corner table at Du Vin, Dave Stewart’s Downtown French brasserie. The mussels come in a cast-iron pot, shimmering [...]

April-May 2008 | Jo McGarry | 0 comments | Continued