Beat mid-summer heat at Taormina

Nadine Kam photos
The colors of summer are on the plate at Taormina Sicilian Cuisine, where a chilled spaghettini with avocado, tomatoes and dill is one of the new mid-summer menu additions.

BY NADINE KAM

Taormina Sicilian Cuisine has added a handful of midsummer dishes to its menu to take some of the heat out of 90-degree days.

The offerings begin with a refreshing peach bellini (right, $21) of champagne and peach puree, followed by executive chef Hiroyuki Mimura’s light, chilled summer spaghettini ($19) that won’t weigh you down. The pasta is tossed with a light tomato sauce, avocado, arugula, tomatoes and dill.

A peach compote ($12) over orange granite is a fantastic meal ender that won’t leave you in need of a siesta.

If you can stomach heavier dishes, a truffle-topped carbonara ($48) and tender slow-baked chicken with brown butter-caper sauce ($24) are not to be missed.
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Taormina is at Waikiki Beach Walk, 227 Lewers St. Call 926-5050.

The $75 Trinacria Collection starts with a first course of mini puff pastry and chilled pea soup, followed by seared ahi with pickled hearts of palm.

Chef Hiroyuki Mimura, below, shaves truffle over carbonara ($48 seasonal pricing).

Nadine Kam photos

Even a simple dish of chicken with brown butter-caper sauce is a standout here.

Not new but ordered for the food porn effect, was the restaurant’s classic Italian Ricci Di Mare Uni pasta ($33).

We swooned over this dessert of a poached white peach with ice cream, over orange granite. So wonderfully refreshing!
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Nadine Kam is Style Editor and staff restaurant critic at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser; her coverage is in print on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact her via email at nkam@staradvertiser.com and follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Rebel Mouse.