So what will 2017 bring us in the food and wine world?
For starters, probably the most anticipated restaurant opening since… I
actually can’t recall anything prior to this. When The Pig and the Lady first
settled into their brick and mortar location, they already were regulars at the
local Farmer’s Markets for some time and held multiple pop-ups prior to their
Chinatown grand opening so the anticipation was a little muted, it was more of
a relief that they finally opened. Roy and Alan weren’t really household names
when they first opened years ago and it was well before Hawaii Regional Cuisine
was even a buzzword. Chef Mavro also wasn’t really a household name when he
first opened his eponymous restaurant almost 20 years ago and it wasn’t until
his Gayot 18/20 ratings and Five Diamond awards that his popularity soared. So
probably the last major opening was when Vintage Cave opened in the old
Shirokiya basement – probably as much for their $295 price point and mysterious
billionaire Japanese owner as for the food. And the opening chef at Vintage
Cave was none other than local boy, Chris Kajioka. The same Chris Kajioka who
is partnering with fellow Per Se alum, Chef Anthony Rush at Senia.
Part of the anticipation is due to multiple permitting
and construction delays as the partnering of Chef Kajioka and Chef Rush was
announced well over a year ago. Some of the anticipation is due to the pedigree
of each chef with Chef Kajioka receiving his formal training from the Culinary
Institute of America doing stints at Per Se in New York, Willows Inn in
Washington and the Ritz Carlton and Aziza in San Francisco while Chef Rush did
stints at Per Se in New York, the French Laundry in Napa and The Fat Duck in
England. And since we did sample Chef Kajioka’s cuisine at the Vintage Cave, we
along with hundreds of foodies in the 50th are eager to book our
table at Senia.
Senia
75 N King St
Honolulu, HI 96817
Another Master
Sommelier?
When Senia eventually opens, it will highlight a rising
star in the 50th’s wine world. Senia’s wine director Chris Ramelb is
on track to be the 50th’s next Master Sommelier. He received the
Walter Clore scholarship for attaining the highest score in the Certified
Sommelier exam as well as the Rudd scholarship for attaining the highest score
in the Advanced Sommelier exam. Therefore the final stop is the Master
Sommelier exam. Is there a Krug Cup for the highest score in his future?
I’ve had the privilege of sharing a table at various food
and wine events with the Kapaa, Kauai native who is probably one of the quietest
sommeliers that I’ve ever met. However once you taste and discuss wine with
him, you realize his potential with his discerning palate, encyclopedic memory
and passion for wine. And even if the MS isn’t accomplished in 2017, you know
it won’t be far behind.
Pork Shank Anyone?
Ever since Chef Bob McGee abruptly left the former Whole
Ox Deli way back in 2013, we were jonesing for his hearty cuisine whether it
was his 21 day dry aged burger, house made charcuterie or his pork shanks. He did
briefly reappear on Kapahulu Avenue with Meatball, his meatball centric
restaurant featuring various meatballs and sauces but as fast as it opened, it
shuttered. He did visit the weekly Farmer’s Markets selling his house made
sausages and bacon but slowly withdrew from even these outings to concentrate
on butchering and distributing David Wong’s naturally raised swine. But low and
behold, Chef McGee will be running the kitchen of the second incarnation of the
Aloha Beer Company.
The Aloha Beer Company first started as part of the Big
Aloha/Sam Choy’s space on Nimitz Highway by Steve Sombrero and Brewmaster Dave
Campbell. As distribution in Hawaii and Japan expanded, the brewery on Nimitz
was closed and moved to California. Once a suitable location in Hawaii was
reestablished, brewing recommenced in October. With the completion of their Tap
Room slated for mid-January, Aloha Beer Company and Tap Room will be a complete
brewpub with Chef Bob McGee once again creating those beer friendly foods like
house made sausages and charcuterie, smoked meats and hopefully, that luscious
pork shank.
Aloha Beer Company and Tap Room
700 Queens St
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 544-1605
Breadmaker
Extraordinaire
Ever since Dr Chris Miura stopped his “bread tasting” at
Vino years ago, I’ve missed that taste and texture of artisanal, hand crafted
bread. Bread tasting? Well, Chris would bring about four different breads to
Vino and Chuck Furuya would pair each bread with a different wine. Mind you, I
bake bread myself but not on the level as Dr Miura. Though he’s gainfully
employed as an OBGYN physician by day, he routinely visited Europe during
vacations to learn the craft from the masters including building his own wood
fired, brick oven in his backyard. His sour cherry, chocolate bread made only
during the holidays was the stuff of legends.
Well, the wait for artisanal breads is no more. Enter another
Chris, Chris Sy of Breadshop in Kaimuki. With a culinary career that started
with Hank “Hank’s Haute Dogs” Adaniya at the legendary restaurant Trio in
Chicago, his career has taken him to New York, France, California and
Copenhagen before he returned home to the 50th. I first sampled his
bread several years ago as he only sold them at Farmer’s Markets through The
Pig and the Lady though occasionally he would create a bread dish at the MW
Restaurant or Hank’s Diner events. He now finally has his brick-n-mortar
boulangerie right in the heart of Kaimuki. Prior to his grand opening to the
public, he’s offering a yearly bread “subscription” for early adopters. For
$350 (the regular cost will be $425), he will provide you with one loaf per
week for 50 weeks. You simply chose the day of the week between Wednesday
through Sunday that you’ll pick up for the next 50 weeks. But $7 for a loaf of
bread? Well, it’s not just any bread. Forget any pre-bagged loaf you’ve ever
sampled or any freshly baked supermarket bread. I would place it above any
specialty baker’s loaves from the superb crackly crust, to the tender inner
crumb and chewy interior to the exquisite flavor of the starter. Chris Sy’s
loaves aren’t simply something to slather a topping on, they are the focus with
the butter, tuna salad or jelly being the secondary players on your palate.
Breadshop
Waialae & 8th Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
An Unwelcome
Change
Unfortunately, change isn’t always for the better. By the
time you read this, the Liquor Collection in Ward Warehouse which was in
business for the past 33 years will have closed its doors with December 31st
being its final day of business. The uncertainty of the eventual destruction of
Ward Warehouse due to the development of Kakaako along with the health of one
of its owners prompted its regrettable closure.
Over the years, I could always depend on the Liquor
Collection to provide craft beer that you could purchase in individual bottles
for my annual Oktoberfest celebrations or that special liqueur or whiskey that I
couldn’t find anywhere else but necessary for my own crafted cocktails. But
like everything else, change is inevitable and not always for the better.
Therefore, to facilitate keeping these local food
producers in business, I encourage you to patronize the establishments that
support local.
Mountain View Farms and Pono Pork LLC local pork
J. Ludovico poultry
Local Produce (too many farmers to name)
Kalei Eggs/Waimana Eggs
REAL, a gastropub
The Pig and the Lady/Piggy Smalls
MW Restaurant
Town/Mud Hen Water/Mahina and Sons
12th Avenue Grill
Grondin
Fete
Morning Glass Coffee & Cafe
Goofy Café
Vino Italian Tapas and Wine Bar
VJ’s Butcher Block
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