Once again, I was fortunate to secure a table for Lanakila Pacific's The Good Table, an annual fundraiser for their Meals on Wheels program where all meals commenced on Thurday, October 2nd at 6:00pm. And once again, the table I purchased was at Hank's Haute Dogs where Hank promised an Italian Feast that looked like this.
Beef Carpaccio
raw sirloin, artichoke, capers, parmesan
Hank
Montanara
fried pizza, roasted tomato, fresh pulled mozzarella
Vince Mesa
Pistachio Pesto Shrimp
risotto cake
Hank
Carbonara Classico
Chef Donato, Flavors of Italy
Foccacia Bread
Baker Chris Sy, Bread Shop
Shave Asparagus Salad
parmesan, champagne truffle vinaigrette
Hank
Porchetta
Chef Lee Ann, Koko Head Cafe
Mocha Chocolate Semifreddo
Sir Edmund Kellett
Of course, we started the evening with bubbly...
Followed by the Carpaccio and assorted Roses...
Then the Montanara - one of my faves for the evening. Hank said that Alejandro Briceno taught Vince Mesa how to make the pizza dough and that Vince just took it from there. The dough was light and crisp and you couldn't really tell it was fried and the tomato's sweet and tart flavors contrasted the salty anchovies with just enough cheese for richness. At this point I'm not sure of the uncorking order but here's more bottles...
Then the Pistacchio Shrimp with even more bottles...
And of course, Chef Donato's Carbonara with perfectly cooked al dente spaghetti and rich,salty pancetta... perfectly served with Baker Chris Sy's pillowy foccacia... and more wine...
Then the Shaved Asparagus - my other fave of the evening. Shaved thick enough to still have a crispness balanced by the vinaigrette and salty umami of the Parmesan. I know asparagus is supposed to be a difficult wine pairing food but if you concentrated just on the meal and not the specific asparagus and wine nuances, several of the whites worked! I think the vinaigrette just pulled everything together - wine and asparagus wise...
Then the Porchetta. The only miss was that the skin wasn't crisp like Chinese roast pork and my cut only had loin so it wasn't as juicy as some of the other cuts. Of course with porchetta, the reds emerged from hibernation...
And finally Monsieur K's dessert... no beverage but I did make sure to make a Puglian Sunset for Chef Donato before he left - I think he liked it as he even put down his glass of wine...
And once again, Hank pulled out all the stops with another fabulous Good Table!
Will I try to secure a table again next year? YOU BETCHA!
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