Waikiki's Wang Chung karaoke bar introduces new pupu menu

Nadine Kam photos
Bet you can’t eat just one of the flied pickles—that’s right, flied—at Wang Chung, which just launched its new pupu menu. Even though I don’t usually like pickles, I loved these sour-salty, beer drinkers' pupu.


Of course when I first learned about the karaoke bar Wang Chung, I had to wonder, “Is that named after the 1980s song?”
Don’t lie, you know the one, that goes: “Everybody have fun tonight, everybody Wang Chung tonight.”

Nobody knew what that meant then, and nobody knows what it means today, but the song is forever associated with the cheesy, party-all-the-time ethos of the time, and when it came time to name his bar, Danny Chang just thought it was a great directive to head to a physical space called Wang Chung and forged ahead, even though his friends warned him it was the stupidest name ever.

 

It’s a colorful place for karaoke.

Silly as it may seem, Wang Chung proves memorable and last night launched a new bar menu created by chef Randy Sanchez, fusing Mexican and Asian ingredients in just the right measure. And prices are reasonable at an average of only $5 to $7 per item, and a max of $10 for Uncle Juan Tachos, kalua pork on won ton nachos created in honor of Sanchez’s uncle, Juan Tachos.

There are some racist tones in a menu that features “flied” instead of “fried” pickles, and offers a “drinkie drinkie” menu, but I suppose being Chinese himself, Chang can get away with the tease.

Originally from San Francisco, Chang is an engineer by education, but in a state where who you know is all-important, he wasn’t able to find work in his field.

Well, engineering’s loss is our gain. Wang Chung is a colorful place with a friendly vibe, fun food and libations, with pupu beautifully served atop pages of Chinese newspaper wrapped with waxed paper that doesn’t come cheap.

Chang explained he approaches Chinatown’s vendor with an offer to take old newspapers off their hands, only to be told he still has to pay full price. Aw!
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Wang Chung is in the Stay Hotel, at 2424 Koa Ave. Open from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Call (808) 921-9176.

Take a seat at the bar or tables in two rooms.

Loved the Saigon pork hash sliders, a twist on the banh mi, served on a soft sweetbread roll that doesn’t hurt the roof of your mouth the way typically stale French bread does. Also enjoyed the crunch of minced water chestnuts in the meatballs.

Uncle Juan Tachos are nachos of kalua pork, tomatoes, onions and fresh jalapeños over deep-fried won ton pi. It works.

Revisiting the Mai Tai at CookSpace

Nadine Kam photos
Tiki’s Bar Grill executive chef Ronnie Nasuti and mixologist Alejandro Alvarado brought tiki culture to CookSpace Hawaii last week.

Retro is in, and when it comes to cocktails, Tiki’s Grill & Bar may have a head start when it comes to the new “It” cocktails, modern tiki-style drinks. Think Singapore Slings, Zombies and the world-famous Mai Tai.

Executive chef Ronnie Nasuti and mixologist Alejandro Alvarado, both from Tiki’s, were in the kitchen of CookSpace Hawaii Aug. 30, where they demonstrated the how-to of the classic 1944 Mai Tai and other cocktails, and simpatico pupu, though of course, with their own spin.

For instance, to the classic mai tai, which includes dark and light rums, orange curacao and orgeat syrup, among other ingredients, Alvarado adds a layer of lilikoi foam.

You can perform a taste test of your own at the restaurant, in the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel, 2570 Kalakaua Ave. Call (808) 923-8454.

Alvarado shares the main attraction, the 1944 mai tai topped with his signature passionfruit foam.

Sherri and Lloyd Kandell are fans of tiki culture and exotica, which Lloyd recreates through the music of Don Tiki.

You could not have the potent mai tai without food, and Nasuti’s first offering was the Tahitian lime-marinated “poke,” poisson cru, sprinkled with sea asparagus and toasted, shredded coconut.

Next came furikake-charred ahi sashimi with a takuan-wasabi sauce. Amazing!

The last dish was bacon-wrapped bleu cheese mochi drizzled with kabayaki sauce, bubu arare and nori, not seen here because the chef kept adding and adding. Even at the table, he was adding a splash of truffle oil. In that way, contemporary chefs work much like painters or fashion designers.

Nasuti squeezes lime over ono before finishing the poisson cru.

Alvarado’s lovely to see, lovely to sip “Hula Ahi (Firedance),” a blend of mango puree, orange juice and tequila, with the heat of jalapeño and a rim of li hing powder.

Alvarado also created his “HibisKiss,” incorporating Absolut Hibiskus and housemade hibiscus syrup, and at the end of the evening, guests were sent home with a sampling of the hibiscus syrup, as well as recipe to make it.

Photo courtesy of Tiki's Grill & Bar
In a Facebook post dated Aug. 21, Tiki’s Grill & Bar welcomed “Project Runway’s” Tim Gunn as a guest. Speculation is that he was in town to check on the progress of Hawaii designer Kini Zamora prior to New York Fashion Week, which began today.

So, what can we deduce in light of a number of Tim Gunn sightings around town? I’m sorry, but a person who dresses like Tim Gunn isn’t likely to remain incognito long when he pops up in Waikiki. And I really don’t think he’s here for the beach.

Gunn, of course, is the mentor to the competing designers in Lifetime television’s “Project Runway.” And one of our own, designer Kini Zamora, is still in the game.

Those familiar with the series know up to five finalists are sent home to create Fashion Week-worthy collections, and Gunn typically heads out for hometown visits to make sure the designers are on track. This takes place a few weeks before they are due back in New York City for Fashion Week and the show’s finale.

There are usually three finalists, with one or two more designers thrown into the mix to act as decoys to keep the suspense factor high.

The New York shows started today and the “Project Runway” show is slated to take place tomorrow at 4 a.m. Hawaii time (10 a.m. EST). I managed to get a couple of people into the show in my place and they promised to send photos.

With many media outlets covering the event, we’ll see every collection, though we won’t know the placements of the designers until the show’s finale. I really wish they would time the episodes to coincide with the fashion shows in real time, like they did in the very first season. Otherwise, the finale becomes a bit anticlimactic.

Meanwhile, keep up with official Mercedes Benz Fashion Week happenings at mbfashionweek.com

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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 onTwitter, Instagram and Rebel Mouse.