Which is the translation of the name of one of Honolulu’s
newest restaurants, Pai Honolulu from the shortened Ho’opa'i. It’s also what
Chef/Owner Kevin Lee wants diners to feel when they dine at Pai. And while you
might assume that the Hawaiian name of the restaurant and Asian surname of the
Chef/Owner means another local boy has spread his wings in the culinary world,
Kevin Lee hails from the Bay Area. His formal training first started with a
Bachelor’s degree in Food Science from the University of California, Davis
followed by a culinary degree with honors from the Culinary Institute of
America (CIA) in Hyde Park New York. In fact his initial visit to the 50th
was simply to visit a CIA classmate while on vacation which eventually turned
into the opening chef at Prima in Kailua. Then after a couple of years, he left
Prima and decided to venture on his own looking for the ideal location for his
own restaurant… which took about 4 long years. But we now have Pai Honolulu.
Dining Options
You can grab one of the nine bar seats or sofas in the
lounge area and simply indulge in cocktails or small appetizer plates, reserve
one of ten chef counter seats for the full eight course meal or reserve one of
the fourteen seats in the dining area for either small appetizer plates or the
pre-fixed eight or five course meals. We opted for the chef’s counter seating
which looks directly into the open kitchen for the full extravaganza.
Coconut Curry
Panna Cotta
miso-cured
abalone, lychee, coconut water Thai basil
Domaine Bechtold
Cremant d’Alsace
The panna cotta or cooked cream was a perfect single bite
with a little salty, sweet and heat almost like a thickened Thai curry and the
effervescence in the sparkling wine cleansed the palate for the next course.
Baby Beet Salad
masoor dal, herbed
ricotta, ikura
Principe
Pallavicini, 2014
I didn’t think the masoor dal or lightly curried lentil
paste would work with the beets but the earthiness from both elements balanced
nicely with contrast from the salty ricotta and ikura.
Agedashi XO Turnip
Cake
Smoked akule,
papaya, ti leaf broth
Domaine Bechtold
“Silberberg”, 2013
One of my favorite dishes with a crisp exterior of the
turnip cake with fruity and earthy notes from the papaya and ti leaf broth with
a touch of heat from the XO sauce and the Gewurztraminer poured for this dish
was the perfect complement.
Escargot Congee
basmati rice,
garlic chive, black vinegar, egg
Monastero Suore
Cistercenci “Coenbobium”, 2013
Another favorite as the sweet sour qualities of the black
vinegar and strong herbal notes of the garlic chive enhanced the flavor of the
escargot which usually doesn’t have a pronounced flavor of its own. The next
time I’m in Chinatown, I’ll be looking for a bottle of black vinegar though I’m
sure Chef Lee added his own touches to the vinegar.
King Crab
Agnolotti
corn béchamel,
kabocha, chorizo, hijiki, curry leaf
Liquid Farm
Mourvedre, 2016
Though I didn’t really get the flavor of the King crab, I
was amazed at the balance of the multiple salty and sweet flavors of the dish
initially assuming everything would clash.
Foie Gras Cannoli
Like a between course amuse bouche but I could have consumed
several more of these crunchy shells filled with a very light foie gras mousse.
Confit “Huli Huli”
Cornish Hen
roasted eggplant,
quinoa, sautéed greens, cherry tomato
Fiddlehead “728”
Pinot Noir
The only dish where the saltiness was pronounced but the
flavors definitely said “I’m poultry”!
Mango “guri-guri”
Employed as a pre-dessert palate cleanser but I could
have finished a whole dish of this guri-guri which was not unlike a frozen
mango lassi (Indian yogurt beverage). A fellow diner asked Chef Lee for a
second scoop to enjoy in a glass of Prosecco.
Chocolate Haupia
Almond cookie crumble,
liliko’i curd
Diplomatico Rum
Riserva
Anytime you combine chocolate and coconut, I’m there! Add
some aged reserve rum and I’m not leaving!
Petit Fours
Manoa Chocolate
Brownie & Butter Mochi
So what were the damages? The eight course meal runs $135
per person and you can add the wine pairings for another $65 more. Both I and
my fellow diners agreed that the food was of the same quality as a tasting menu
at Senia, Chef Mavro or La Mer at the Halekulani. Chef Lee’s current menu leans
a little more toward the Chinese influence though when he manned the cooktop at
Prima in Kailua, it was purely new American cuisine. Pai does plan on changing
the menu with the seasons so this current menu will only be available until
September or so. Though we do plan on returning to sample his small plates… and
more cocktails.
Pai Honolulu
Harbor Court - 1st floor
55 Merchant St. Suite 110
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808)-744-2531
Tue - Sat, 5:30 - 11pm
Bar & Lounge opens at 4:30
Closed Sundays & Mondays
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