This was actually a first for us! We actually tried a new restaurant, I mean this was only MW Restaurant's 2nd or 3rd day of their soft opening. We're makin' it to the big time!
MW Restaurant is actually the creation of husband and wife team Wade Ueoka and Michelle Karr-Ueoka (M for Michelle, W for Wade with juxtaposed fork tines to form the M and W... clever) who both were recent alums of Alan Wong's restaurant... in fact they had a combined 30 years of service at Alan Wong's. Chef Ueoka left several months ago to do his pop-up service at Taste Table while Chef Karr-Ueoka just left Alan Wong's.The restaurant is situated in the old KGMB building off of Kapiolani Blvd and for those who love to cook, the kitchen is a BEAUTIFUL kitchen! Almost as large as the dining room with a full bar situated across the open kitchen. We normally BYOB but the corkage is on the higher side ($25) so we decided to sample their cocktails and order from their wine list. We sampled in no particular order, the Tai-Land ($10) with Meyer and Appleton rum and a lemongrass infused orgeat syrup with pineapple. Very refreshing though a little potent for the Mrs.
The GNT ($12) with No 209 gin and house made tonic water which had a richer flavor than your usual gin and tonic.
The Cucumber Yuzu Fizz ($10) with Tyku shochu, Calpico, yuzu and cucumber. I could drink several of these on the a hot summer day.
The Feel the Beet ($12) with tequila, ginger, lime juice and house made beet syrup which was almost like a Cosmopolitan with tequila.
The Pineapple Pleasure ($12) with Kai lemongrass ginger shochu, kaffir lime and pineapple. Also very refreshing.
And the Speyside Spice ($12) with 12yr Glenlivet scotch, lehua honey and house made chili pepper water. You first get the scotch with a touch of sweetness then heat on the backside with the chili pepper.
We then sampled the Beer Braised Pork Belly ($10) with ginger scallion oil and pickled jalapeno with melt in the mouth pork belly (like rafute).
The Fried Goose Point Oysters ($12) with chili mayonnaise and namasu. Just plop some of these bad boys in a hoagie with their accoutrements and you have a perfect sandwich!
The "Fried Chicken" ($12) which was pressed jidori chicken (like Chinese pressed duck) with a garlic shoyu and hearts of palm.
And the Ahi and Hamachi Poke ($14) which was cubed ahi and hamachi on an avocado salsa served with crispy rice chips which was great with our first wine;
A 2010 Domaine Schlumberger Pinot Gris Les Princes Abbes ($45)
One of the servers inadvertently placed a Ho Farms Tomato, Cucumber and Feta Cheese Salad ($10) on our table - we tried returning it but our server informed us that since it "hit the table", just to enjoy it on the house.
We also sampled the Pickled Local Beets ($10) with dill pickles and a ume beet vinaigrette.
For our main courses, we order a bottle of Felton Road Pinot Noir but they unfortunately were out (on the 2nd or 3rd day?) so we had the 2009 Domaine Serene Yamhill Cuvee Pinot Noir ($87) in its place.
We then gorged on the special of the evening, Roasted Pork Shank with sous vide Pork Loin. This brought back memories of Chef McGee's pork shank at the Whole Ox Deli. Shank meat just fallin' of the bone with tender and juicy loin wrapped in bacon.
We also had the Grilled Salmon ($28) with loads of kim chi, soba and Korean miso.
Along with the "Oxtail Stew and Rice" ($28) which were two pieces of stuffed boneless oxtail over a beef risotto with peanuts and mushrooms. A little like the flavors in oxtail soup mixed with beef stew mixed with risotto. My before and after photos.
The Seafood Gumbo ($32) with lobster, clams and scallops with house made andouille sausage. The Mrs debated what to order but since this dish isn't on the lunch menu, opted to go with it.
And the "Steak and Potatoes" ($35), a 12oz ribeye with anchovy butter and gnocchi. It was very tender even at medium and the gnocchi were some of the better gnocchi I've sampled (up there with BLT Steak and Monsieur K's).
The Kula Strawberry "Cheesecake" with li-hing ume filled strawberries, freeze dried strawberries and frozen strawberry yogurt.
The Waialua Coffee "Affogato" with coffee granite, a rich chocolate cake and coffee gelato
The ME Candy Bar with chocolate cake, praline crunch, caramelized bananas and popcorn ice cream.
Apple Pie Ice Cream with oatmeal cookies
And the Mao Farms "Carrot Cake" with baby carrots, candied carrots and lemongrass ice cream.
I also had a liquid "dessert" from the bar, the M & M ($14) with Don Julio Anejo tequila, Patron XO Cafe Dark Cocoa and chocolate bitters.
For a "soft" opening to work out the bugs, it was one of the better meals I've had this year. They primarily produced "hits" in the kitchen with very few "misses" and though our bill for a table of five hit a $100 per, if you subtract the copious cocktails and wine, it was only $57 per which is very reasonable for that quality of food. We liked it so much, we'll be back later this week for lunch.
ME Restaurant
1538 Kapiolani Blvd
Set 106
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 955-6505
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