Honolulu Advertiser | Na Heke: The 2001 'Ilima Awards

Taking the 'Ilima top award for the last three years, the namesake restaurant of chef Alan Wong, above, serves Hawai'i Regional Cuisine inside an office building on South King Street.

Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Alan Wong's has seemingly taken up permanent residence as winner of this most coveted category, having captured the 'Ilima top award five out of six years. Visitors routinely seek out this much-awarded spot and Wong's face is familiar to foodies the nation over, and in Japan, where he opened a second restaurant last year. There's good reason for the restaurant's popularity: well-trained staff, gracious service, tasteful surroundings (you almost forget you're in an office building) and, of course, the food, which is always wonderful. The "Wong Way" (as it's not-so-jokingly termed among his staff) defies a single descriptive label, marrying local-style tastes with elements of classic European and Asian cuisines. If you appreciate great food, you won't begrudge a penny spent at this pricey restaurant. Instead, you'll be planning your next visit as you go out the door.

What's good? By now a classic, there's "Da Bag" — a preparation of steamed delicacies, opened dramatically at the table, releasing alluring fragrances of clams and other seafood, kalua pig, shiitake mushrooms and spinach. Another: hot California rolls filled with silky Kona lobster mousse. Yet another: duck nachos — sliced Chinese-style duck atop tapioca-scallion chips with Asian guacamole and hoisin sauce. Popular entrees include ginger-crusted onaga, crab-stuffed opakapaka, shrimp and clams with a spicy lemon grass black bean sauce, Thai butter-poached lobster and macadamia-coconut crusted lamb chops. If you're undecided, place yourself in the chefs' hands and order the five-course tasting menu (with or without paired wines). Desserts here are heaven: among them a medley of cremes brulee and housemade chocolate bars.

Top Floor, 1857 S. King St.; 949-2526. Dinner: 5-10 p.m. daily. Hawai'i Regional Cuisine. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC, JCB. No checks. $$$.

Taking over a gorgeous beachfront site formerly home to Carellis' in Kihei, Maui, this latest gem in the Tri-Star Restaurant Group crown focuses on Mediterranean seafood dishes and Italian favorites — a menu that will be quite familiar to those who know Aaron's and Sarento's on O'ahu. But that may change: Frontman Aaron Placourakis hired popular Maui chef George Gomes Jr. away from A Pacific Cafe, a savvy choice, and Gomes will no doubt put his stamp on the menu. The formula here is that of their other successful spots: friendly but unpretentious service, an atmosphere welcoming to kama'aina as well as visitors, a tempting menu with a sensitivity to value.

What's good? For starters, try gamberoni con pancetta (grilled prawns with pancetta); frutta di mare, a chilled assortment of seasonal shellfish; mussels in a garlic and white wine Parmesan broth with grilled Tuscan bread, or grilled portobello napoleon, layered with prosciutto, eggplant, mozzarella, tomato and arugula pesto. Popular entrees include lobster cannelloni or a double pork chop stuffed with fontina cheese and prosciutto, and draped with a chianti/dried cherry sauce. For Tony Soprano-size eaters, osso buco, rack of lamb and grilled beef filet are outstanding choices. Seafood dishes include snapper with Manila clams and fried capers, grilled porcini-crusted ahi, and swordfish saltimbocca.

2980 South Kihei Road, Kihei, Maui; (808) 875-7555. Dinner: 5:30-10 p.m. daily. Regional Italian with Mediterranean flair. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC, DS, JCB. Checks accepted. $$$.

With founding chef Roy Yamaguchi often away overseeing a growing restaurant empire, chef Ron Nasuti maintains the same high standards at the Hawai'i Kai flagship operation, turning out Euro-Asian cuisine. Every day, in addition to the regular menu, Nasuti creates a large selection of specials. Japan-born Yamaguchi was a pioneer when he opened Roy's in 1988. Many thought a high-end restaurant like his couldn't survive so far from Waikiki; others weren't sure the new cuisine would appeal to Islanders. But Yamaguchi, well known to California foodies for his Hollywood eatery, 385, was soon bringing national attention to the Island food scene. Today, Yamaguchi oversees more than 30 restaurants. And corporate wine buyer (and Advertiser columnist) Randal Caparoso assures that the wine glasses stay interestingly filled. The flagship restaurant is into its second generation of customers who choose Roy's for celebrating family events, entertaining important guests or just giving themselves a treat.

What's good? Start with the teri glazed Sonoma Valley duck breast (in Chinese black bean dragon sauce), crispy crab cakes, Szechuan-spiced baby back ribs, or cassoulet of escargot (with sweet onion, mushrooms, pancetta and herb polenta). Choices in individual pizzas from Roy's wood-burning oven include hoisin barbecued duck, Portuguese sausage and poblano chile, and a shrimp Caesar version. Menu items not to miss: hibachi-grilled salmon, Japanese-style misoyaki butterfish, shiso and garlic seared shrimp (in a Maine lobster white truffle essence), char-broiled honey mustard short ribs, and the ever-luscious meatloaf with crispy onion rings and mushroom gravy.

6600 Kalaniana'ole Highway; 396-7697. Dinner: 5:30-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5:30-10 p.m. Friday; 5-10:30 p.m. Saturday; 5-9:30 p.m. Sunday. Euro-Asian cuisine. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC, DS, JCB. Checks accepted. $$$.

Critic's Choice

Every year, our food critic and food editor select the restaurants that stand out in their minds. Restaurant Critic Matthew Gray selects his two favorites from the past year's reviews. Former Food Editor Joan Namkoong, just before she left us to pursue other dreams in the Island food world, selected two places she enjoys but believes don't get quite enough recognition.

Dinner at The Hanohano Room is a many-splendored thing. To begin with, its location is 30 stories high, more lofty than most view restaurants here. One side of the dining room looks toward Diamond Head, past the curvy strip of the Waikiki beach line. The other side offers fabulous sunset views toward the 'ewa side.

The extremely comfortable, big cushy chairs tempts you to linger well into the night. Under the capable hands of Sheraton executive chef Daniel Delbrel, the food is top-notch and the tuxedoed career waiters tend to your every whim.

What's good? Try the cold appetizer "symphony of seafood samplings," a length of bamboo hollowed out and filled with 'ahi tartare, slightly seared 'ahi tataki, a Kona lobster claw (over an avocado-corn relish), shrimp and a fresh oyster. The fennel cream soup is unusual and worth trying, as is the foie gras and duck wonton in a Port wine plum sauce.

For entrees, the shiitake mushroom-crusted mahimahi, draped with a creamy, pommery grain mustard sauce, and a drizzling of a Pinot Noir reduction is fantastic. Also, we liked the sesame seed opakapaka, their signature fish dish, plated atop a bed of watercress relish, framed by a mound of wasabi-mashed potatoes and drizzled with subtle lobster-miso sauce and scallion oil.

Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, 2255 Kalakaua; 922-4422. Ecletic continental cuisine with an Island flair. Brunch buffet, 6:30-10:30 a.m. weekdays; Sunday brunch, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.; Saturday KSSK Perry & Price Radio Show brunch, 7 a.m.-11 a.m.; Dinner, 6-10 p.m. daily. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC, JCB. No checks. $$$.

If you have a sense of adventure and can apply it to your dining habits, this place is a must-try, a finger-food lover's heaven. The food is excellent in presentation and flavor, tasting true to the food's source, with simple seasonings and techniques. The menu could be daunting because of the dizzying array of choices written primarily in Japanese, but the staffers are so out-of-the-ordinary helpful, it becomes a pleasure to play on their turf. There are clever, if a bit vague, dish descriptions in English, but if you show signs of confusion or inquisitiveness, you will have any and all questions answered.

What's good? Aspara buta bata (asparagus and pork) is simply delicious. They take great pride in their award-winning poke called "There's a spider in da poke" — which comes as four huge nori-wrapped clusters of maguro, hamachi and salmon sashimi with soft-shell crab, topped with bursting orange salmon eggs and tobiko and drizzled with sweet chili vinaigrette.

The dishes from the "kushi yaki" part of the menu are all skewered and grilled items. The enoki maki is grilled pork stuffed with those long thin albino enoki mushrooms; tsukune are delicate chicken meatballs; shiso maki are sliced rounds of shiso leaf and pork and ume yaki combines chicken with ume (tangy and tart Japanese plum) paste. There are so many choices here you'll enjoy returning numerous times.

611 Kapahulu Ave.; 739-2800. Lunch: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday. Dinner: 5:30 p.m.-midnight Monday-Saturday. Japanese. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC, DS, JCB. No checks. Lunch: $, Dinner: $$$.

Chef Mike Nevin of the Pavilion Cafe at the Honolulu Academy of Arts offers a must-try dish: the piadina, grilled flatbread filled with pesto, mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, cucumbers and arugula.

Advertiser library photo

The open-air ambience of the Pavillion Cafe next to John Hara's new wing at the Academy of Arts is what every Hawai'i restaurant should strive to be. Foodwise, too.

Chef Mike Nevin is one of Hawai'i's best-kept secrets and my all-time favorite chef. His food philosophy is in sync with mine: fresh, quality ingredients, simply prepared or unprepared, combined in tasty combinations that are always flavorful, zesty and wonderful.

What's good? Chef Mike's piadina is a winner: handcrafted grilled flatbread filled with pesto, mozzarella, real ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, prosciutto and arugula. It's big but you don't want to leave any of it behind. Other great lunch specialties: well-seasoned white beans top a garden fresh salad; the best steak sandwich you'll ever bite into and when in season, fruit cobblers.

Honolulu Academy of Arts, 900 S. Beretania; 532-8734. Eclectic lunch café fare. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC, JCB. No checks. $$.

Since last year's 'Ilima awards, Beau Soleil has moved to Manoa where the charming ambience and good food tradition of this Mediterranean-themed café and catering service continue. Bring your own wine, no corkage; call ahead and Moumen and Holly El Hajji will plan a menu around your wine. The menu extends from delicious breakfast scones to hearty steak dinners.

What's good? Try the bowlful of Prince Edward Island mussels in a saffron broth, the mezze platter of hummus, baba ganoush and fava bean puree, the tasty platter of serrano and manchego, all served for hearty house baked breads.

The Parker Ranch Black Angus ribeye steak is a tasty mainstay here; Moroccan lemon chicken, beef ragout will satisfy more hearty appetites. Juicy, ripe tomatoes are always served here; ask if the salad of Manoa arugula with poached egg and bacon vinaigrette is available. And for dessert, you must have the bittersweet chocolate fallen souffle.

2970 E. Manoa Road, 988-0967. Eclectic Middle Eastern/continental menu; eat in, take out, catering. Breakfast, 7-10:30 a.m.; Tuesday-Friday lunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Brunch, 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Dinner, 5:30-9:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; closed Mondays. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, AX, DC, JCB. $$.