Flashback to 2019. Life is good and most businesses are thriving. Then, that dark cloud of COVID first engulfs parts of Asia eventually spreading to the Americas and Europe creating a sudden halt in the economy during the lockdowns. This results in the permanent closure of restaurants like the Likelike Drive Inn, Real Gastropub and Viaggio Honolulu. Other restaurants implement new business models switching from dine-in service to take-out or once the lockdowns were eased, a combination of both. And during this time, one of our standby restaurants, MW Restaurant decided to only do take-out from the location on Kapiolani Boulevard while also closing Artizen by MW at the Hawaii State Art Museum just before the 2nd stay-at-home implemented by the State and County.
MW Restaurant did seem to be doing fairly well relying just on take-out orders as their weekly specials often did sell-out if you attempted to place an order right before the weekend. They also offered their usual favorites packed bento style and offered 2 lb. containers of frozen foods to heat-and-serve in the future. They even offered Echigo’s Four-Legged Menu named after the Ueoka’s Chihuahua-Pomeranian mix that was meant to feed your four-legged, furry family member during the pandemic and offered produce, tofu, rice and eggs to help support local farmers and vendors during that difficult time.
Then in late 2020, it was announced that MW Restaurant wouldn’t be shutting their doors – my heart initially dropped as I thought they were closing their doors permanently – but it was simply to make the move to their new location at the corner of Ward Avenue and Kapiolani Boulevard in the old Viaggio Honolulu space. And when Artizen by MW closed in August, it was thought that it was permanent but the Ueoka’s announced that Artizen by MW would open on the 1st floor with MW Restaurant on the 2nd floor. So, in late Spring 2021, they had a soft opening of their dine-in service at the new MW Restaurant.
Minor Changes
For starters, their valet parking isn’t as intuitive as with the original where you simply drove up to the front door. Though you can see the valets off Ward Avenue, you have to make that right turn onto Kapiolani Boulevard and drive into the Symphony Honolulu driveway on Chapin Lane just after the Audi display at Velocity Honolulu. During the pandemic, their general manager moved on so they brought in one of Alan Wong’s previous managers whom they worked with for years while both Ueoka’s were still working at Alan Wong’s. They also hired a dedicated mixologist/sommelier (there’s goes my retirement job) who created a new cocktail menu. Oh, and while you’re waiting to be seated, you can dream about owning one of the many Maserati’s, Ferraris, Porsches or Bentleys sitting in the Velocity Honolulu showroom adjacent to both Artizen by MW and MW Restaurant.
Back from the Pandemic
Since this is our kanreki year and we’ve been fully vaccinated since February, Ms. S decided to dine-in for her special celebration this year. I originally planned on reserving a table at Senia as they also re-opened for dine-in service in Spring 2021. However, because of the mandated reduced seating capacity and other diners dying to experience a regular dining experience, a two-top wasn’t available until late June (and Ms. S’s special day was in May) so I booked a table at MW Restaurant.
To celebrate the occasion, we started with a round of cocktails with the Buddha Bing for Ms. S with Buddha’s Hand (a citron variation with segmented “fingers”) infused Toki whisky, Curacao (orange liqueur), agave, lemon and celery bitters ($15) which was very refreshing while I sampled the Little Italy with rye whisky, Cynar (a bitter artichoke liqueur) and sweet vermouth ($14) which was a rye based variation on a Negroni (my favorite cocktail).
We then moved onto a couple of appetizers including the Kanpachi Tartare Lumpia ($14) filled with raw, chopped kanpachi rolled in rice and shiso and fried – it was a nice balance of hot and cold though I wished the shiso flavor stood out more as shiso is one of my favorite herbs. We also sampled the Crab Cakes on a wasabi koji sauce topped with hearts of palm ($18) and as Guy Fieri would say, it was “all thrilla, no filla” as the cakes were mainly crabmeat with very little binders. And though I let Ms. S select the starters, I know she chose the Kusshi Oyster “Rockefeller” ($15) for me as I have a weakness for anything oyster. MW’s version had chopped abalone, clams, mushroom and spinach and didn’t disappoint though a food factoid is that the original Oysters Rockefeller created by Jules Alciatore of Antoine’s in New Orleans in 1889 has no spinach. Since the compound butter topping the oysters were meant to mimic the classic French escargot, it’s assumed that the green color was derived from parsley, chervil, chives and possibly other herbs… but no spinach.
We then noshed on our entrees including the Seafood Paella ($45) for the birthday girl with Kona lobster, Kauai shrimp, Bristol Bay scallops and chorizo which was perfectly cooked for Ms. S – I still like my paella with a little bit of soccarat or charred rice on the bottom though the seasoning was perfect! I couldn’t decide so I selected the Dinner Teishoku ($45) which included the miso honey-glazed butterfish, truffle braised short rib and Bristol Bay scallop and Kauai shrimp. I didn’t request it at this dinner but because Chef Ueoka was purchasing fresh butterfish for his miso butterfish, we sampled butterfish sashimi while they were still in their original location as the butterfish was only marinating for the past 24 hours so Chef Ueoka simply sliced portions after wiping off the miso marinade. EPIPHANY! As good as the best o-toro or Ora King salmon sashimi! However, I enryo for a good reason as I know the supply chain for restaurants isn’t anywhere near as it was pre-pandemic so I assumed that he might not be procuring fresh butterfish as he did pre-pandemic.
The celebration ended with several desserts, Ms. S’s complimentary slice of chocolate birthday cake along with the Floating Island ($14) or lilikoi semi-freddo, meringue on a lemongrass pineapple sauce and the Lemon Meringue ($14) or Japanese cheesecake, yuzu, Ma’o Farms Meyer lemon and blueberry “Pop Tart”. Just by Ms. S’s dessert selections (I usually let her choose both desserts even if it’s not her birthday), I could tell she was feeling a little stuffed as she bypassed any dessert with chocolate or ice cream and Michelle Karr-Ueoka is one of the top three pastry chefs at any restaurant, not just the 50th.
Before Artizen by MW closed for the evening (last call is at 6:15pm Sunday, 6:45pm Monday through Friday and 7:45 on Saturdays), I asked our server if I could purchase a couple of the frozen take-out selections. I’m happy to report that Mom loved the Seafood Etouffee ($15 for 2lbs) and her housemate enjoyed the Pork and Butterfish Laulau ($15 for 2lbs).
MW Restaurant 2nd floor
Artizen by MW 1st floor
888 Kapiolani Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96813
MW (808) 955-6505
Artizen (808) 524-0499
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