Hy's launches a new happy hour menu

Nadine Kam photos
Hy’s new mini beef Wellington happy hour specialty is perfect for those trying to cut back on both meat, and carbs of the puff pastry.

In May, Hy’s Steak House launched its renovated Executive Level, as well as a convertible private dining room called the Executive Suite that accommodates up to 25 for corporate events and meetings, complete with presentation and slide-show ready HD television, Wi-fi and audio system, or other special occasions, from intimate birthday and anniversary parties to wedding receptions.

Some of the details were noted in one of my earlier posts: http://www.honolulupulse.com/2014/05/take-a-bite-hys-steak-house/

The latest news is executive chef Erwin Manzano has come up with an elegant new happy hour menu that addresses a new generation of diners easing away from large meat entrées in favor of grazing and sharing a variety of smaller, more affordable plates, including adorable mushroom cap-size mini prime filets of beef Wellington, thoroughly enjoyable at $10. (The full entrée is $48.95 in the dining room.)

Just because portions are smaller doesn’t mean these dishes are any less satisfying. They’re still quite old school, rich in the butter and cheese that many of us still love, albeit in moderation.

Prices start at $5 for panko fried onion rings, to $12 for a prime rib sandwich or ahi poke. Happy hour runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. daily in the lounge, and also features $8 classic cocktails and wines by the glass, as well as $8 seasonal cocktails such as a refreshing summer strawberry Lemondrop, limoncello Collins, white sangria and Watermelon mojito.

Here’s a look at a handful of the dishes:

Escargots a la Hy’s remains one of the restaurant’s classic dishes, offered at a reduced price of $10 during happy hour.

Grilled asparagus is topped with poached egg and finished with bacon, Parmesan and truffle oil, $8.

Baked garlic shrimp and artichoke swimming in cheese and butter.

If you choose to proceed to dinner, roast rack of lamb is a good choice. It’s $39.95 for a half rack.

Also on the main menu, prime filet mignon with rosemary skewered shrimp. It’s amazing how much flavor is infused into the shrimp from the single rosemary stem. It’s $52.95 for a 7-ounce filet mignon.

Finish with a classic dessert of Bananas Foster or Cherries Jubilee. How classic? According to Wikipedia, the flambé ice cream and cherries is generally credited to Auguste Escoffier, who prepared the dish for one of Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebrations, though it is unclear whether it was for the Golden Jubilee of 1887 or the Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The 10-year difference might have big a big deal at one point, but after more than a hundred years, it's legendary either way.
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Hy’s Steak House is at 2440 Kuhio Ave. Call (808) 922-5555.

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Nadine Kam is Style Editor and staff restaurant critic at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser; her coverage in print on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact her via email at nkam@staradvertiser.com and follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Rebel Mouse.