A taste of Osteria Di Passignano at Halekulani

Nadine Kam photos
Osteria Di Passignano executive chef Nicola Damiani, right, and sous chef Nearco Boninsegni enjoy conversing with guests following their "Evening with Osteria di Passignano" dinner at the Halekulani.

Halekulani welcomed Osteria Di Passignano’s Michelin-star executive chef Nicola Damiani and sous chef Nearco Boninsegni for a taste of Tuscany at the Hau Terrace on Feb. 19.

Osteria di Passignano is housed in the Abbey of Passignano within the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. The monastery dates back to 395, when it was established by the archbishop of Florence, and it is still inhabited by monks of the Vallombrosian Order.

The restaurant is relatively young, founded in 2000 by Marcello Crini, a connoisseur of Tuscan cuisine and wine culture; and Allegra Antinori, whose family owns the vineyards around the Abbey, from which the Chianti Classico Reserve wine “Badia a Passignano” is produced, and which is aged in the cellars beneath the monastery.

"An Evening with Osteria di Passignano" highlighted Damiani's cuisine paired with Antinori wines.

Alessandro Moggi photo
A long way from home, this is a look at the interior of Osteria Di Passignano, housed in a 1,600-year-old Tuscan abbey.

Transported across both Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and in an environment of coconut trees and sand instead of 1,600-year-old stone, we experienced the delicacy of the chefs' work, and assumed they brought some of their own specially ground flour for pillowy gnocchi and other dishes. But no, they used only ingredients sourced from here, once again dashing the myth that some Hawaii chefs try to perpetuate, that they are limited by climate (baking) and ingredients available to them. Oh no, no. After savoring beautiful, light tomato sauces made from local tomatoes that the chefs say are sweeter than ones back home, no one can use that excuse with me anymore.

I was particularly captivated by cacciucco accented with thin ribbons of cuttlefish, or ika, noodles, and asked Boninsegni how they're made. It turns out to be an eight hour process that starts with a good cleaning, sous vide cooking, freezing and shaving the frozen ika with a mandoline. The seafood "pasta" is then rolled up to prevent curling of the edges. The texture was amazing.

Here's what was on the menu:

Nadine Kam photos
Redfish cacciucco with cuttlefish tagliatelle and crispy quinoa. Paired with Tenuta Guado al Tasso, Vermentino Bolgheri D.O.C. 2014.

Heavenly lemon-scented potato gnocchi with fennel, squid and clams. Pairing: Castello Della Sala, Cervaro Della Sala 2012.

Wine and roses. The Cervara. Look at them legs!

Fresh pasta tortelli stuffed with pappa al pomodoro over basil sauce. Pairing: Badia A Passignano Chianti Classico D.O.C.G. "Gran Selezione" 2009.

By the time the breaded veal sirloin arrived, over red pepper fondant with eggplant and zucchini, I was full, but really didn't want the meal to end. Pairing: Tenuta Guado Al Tasso Bolgheri 2010 and Marchesi Antinori Solaia 2012. I liked the Solaia best in this matchup.

Dessert of chocolate clafoutis was paired with Tenuta Marchesi Antinori, Vinsanto del Chianti Classico D.O.C. 2010.

When the mignardises arrived, a tablemate said he knew which one I would pick. I was like, "You don't know." So he said he would write it down and darn he was right! I'm not telling you so you can guess too and I might fill you in on a later date.

After dinner, the empties.

HFWF watch: 'Champagne & Caviar' at Halekulani

Nadine Kam photos
Sturia Primeur caviar was one of four styles of caviar served during the “Champagne & Caviar” event at Halekulani as part of the Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival.

BY NADINE KAM

After opening stints on Hawaii Island and Maui, the Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival moved over to Oahu Wednesday, beginning with “Kamehameha School Presents Urban Lu’au” at SALT Kakaako, and “Caviar & Champagne” at Halekulani Hotel, an encore to last year’s “Caviar and Krug.”

This time around at Halekulani, four of the world’s most illustrious champagnes were paired with French Sturia Caviar for a most decadent and educational experience.

Sturia grew out of a 25-year-old French-based sturgeon-raising operation, and after 15 years now offers 10 types of caviar from two species of sturgeon: Acipenser baerii and acipenser gueldenstaedtii.

We were able to sample four of the different caviars: Sturia Vintage, Primeur, Grand Chef, and Oscietra Grand Cru, paired with, respectively, Cristal Louis Roederer 2006, Salon Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil Brut 2002, Moët & Chandon Dom Pérignon 2004, and Krug Grande Cuvée.

Most of the time, restaurants offer caviar as an embellishment for other food, so it’s rare to have a tasting like this, where all the focus is on a few types of caviar.

Orlando Benedicto photo courtesy Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival
Great champagnes accompanied the caviar.

With each sampling, presented on mother-of-pearl spoons to avoid the reactive effects of a metal spoon, we were able to gauge texture of the beads, salt and iodine levels, fishiness and nuttiness of the sturgeon roe, discerning differences between each style. To me, the salty mildness of the Primeur was reminiscent of cheese. It was one of my favorites, along with the well-balanced Oscietra, a rare product considered the Rolls Royce of caviar. Sturia produces only 600 kilos, or 1,320 pounds of Osetra Grand Cru caviar a year, and only 10 kilos, or 22 pounds is allocated to the United States each year.

Because of distance and FDA and Fish and Wildlife regulations, the U.S. is new territory for the company. Most of Sturia’s caviar now goes to Russia and the Middle East, at about 1.3 tons each annually. Japan is close behind, and the China market is growing rapidly.

Those who prefer their caviar more fishy, might try the Vintage or Grand Chef styles. The Grand Chef is the most popular, with a bold saltiness. I enjoyed them all.

In addition to the 10 styles, Sturia will be offering a special Christmas caviar, refined over five weeks to be less salty, as well as another Valentine’s Day caviar.
A representative from Sturia told me that it’s customary in France for gentlemen to present their beloved with a gift of a tin of caviar for Valentine’s Day. Well of course there are aphrodisiac properties associated with caviar. Then there is the price point. A tin of Oscietra Grand Cru will set you back $400 or $500, and that may mean more to a woman than the cost of a box of chocolates!
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Those wishing to purchase Sturia caviar might get in touch with Gatlaine & Paul Evidenza Gastronomy & Prestige at Waterfront Plaza, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Building 7 Suite 400. Call (808) 543-1160.

Sturia’s Osciettra or Osetra caviar had a green tinge. It is said to be a favorite of women, and I did like its delicacy very much.

A tin of Oscietra or Osetra caviar might sell for $400 to $500.

Following the solo caviar tastings, Halekulani executive chef Vikram Garg showed how the caviar might be incorporated into a dish like this puree of smoked baked potato and lemon with potato croutons.

Before the event ended, people lined up for a second chance to compare selections and choose their favorites.
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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.

An evening with Bruno Ménard at Halekulani's La Mer

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Halekulani executive chef Vikram Garg and visiting chef Bruno Ménard share a laugh in the kitchen before service begins.

During a special dinner at Halekulani’s La Mer restaurant Sunday night, Chef Bruno Ménard gave diners a taste of the work of a three-star Michelin chef, one of the most prestigious designations in the culinary world.

In the kitchen before guests arrived, Ménard prepped the staff on the ins and outs of each dish and exacting details of service, including just a small pour of red wine and truffle Perigueux sauce that would accompany a filet of beef tenderloin prepared in the style of venison.

“And we should leave the extra sauce on the table?” one waiter asked hopefully, knowing that Hawaii diners love a good sauce.

A sharp “No!” was Ménard’s response, feeling the beef would stand on its own.

And so went the dinner, complex but spare, using the finest ingredients requested by the chef, with some local ingredients — such as Maui onions and Kona lobster — swapped for their French counterparts. Flavors were clear, clean and crisp, with dishes balanced throughout, every ingredient accounted for on the plate and nothing extraneous.

Each dish was paired with wine from Young’s Market Co., selected by Master Sommelier Patrick Okubo.

A beautiful sunset to start the evening.

Amuse of leek purée, tomato gelée and olive oil ice cream, with pickled tomato and pineapple. Essentially a beautiful light salad in a martini glass.

Kona lobster Parisienne blanketed by tomato-hibiscus gelée, with vanilla chutney and dots of crustacean oil. Topped with handpicked local vegetables. Accompanied by Louis Jadot, Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru 2012.

Delicate and billowy Maui onion soup over truffle custard royale studded with peas, fava beans and yuzu skin confit. Served with Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millénaires, Brut 1995.

Coquilles Saint Jacques Pôelées with Parmesan gnocchi, sake-scented cream, måche couilis and brown butter, served with Domaine Long-Depaquit, Chablis Vaudésir, Grand Cru 2009.

Beef tenderloin prepared venison-style, with savoy cabbage, light potato and foie gras cannelloni, and truffle and red wine Périgueux sauce. Topped with a line of salt, pepper and roasted soba tea. Accompanied by Château Rauzan-Segla, Margaux 2008 and Domaine du Clos Frantin, Vosne Romanée Les Malconsorts, 1er Cru 2012.

Valrhona P125 chocolate macaron soufflé with vanilla sorbet and caramelia pearls. Accompanied by Domaine La Tour Vielle, Banyuls Rimage 2013.

At the end of the meal, the chef asked me which was my favorite dish, which was hard to say. My first thought was of the lobster Parisienne layered over beautiful tomato and hibiscus gelée. But the Maui onion soup over truffle custard royale with textured surprises of fresh sweet peas, fava beans and yuzu skin confit hidden within, was heavenly. I couldn’t help but note the classic French dish is similar in concept to Japanese chawanmushi, which the chef might have also noted during his time at L’Osier in Tokyo, where he earned the Michelin stars.

I also loved the lightness of the non-pasta cabbage, potato, foie gras and black truffle canneloni.

At the end of the meal, many a guest, who had paid $295 per person, asked, “When’s the next dinner?”

The idea is planted, so time will tell.

Sony Open, mmm-mmm good!

Nadine Kam photos
Ahi poke with taro chips and Maui potato chips served in the Halekulani/Waikiki Parc skybox at the Sony Open.

I'm not a golfer, I don't like the sun, so I could never fathom why people kept trying to get me to stop by the Sony Open.

It took a while for them to convince me that for some, it's as much about the food and drink as the links. It's golf's version of football's tailgate parties, except at the Sony Open, vendors do all the cooking.

If you're lucky enough to be invited into one of the skyboxes, you can nosh the afternoon the way, and at the Kahala Hotel & Resort's skybox, one guest kept his wife plied with full plates of nigiri sushi and handrolls courtesy Superb Sushi.

"I know what you're trying to do," she scolded. "You're trying not to buy me dinner."

It was about 2:30 p.m.

Over at the Halekulani/Waikiki Parc skybox, there was a full menu ranging from Caesar salad and kung pao chicken lettuce cups, to kalua pork and carved huli chicken sandwiches, plus assorted desserts. Along with the food, there was sake from Nobu, Halekulani designer wines, Parc Chic zinfandel and viognier, and specialty teas.

Outside the skyboxes, there was plenty more to keep spectators happy, with stations manned by Blue Water Shrimp, Korean Fresh Grill, Hula Shrimp, Hawaiian Roasted Corn, SOUL Patrol, Cooking Fresh for You and Shiga'licious for those who needed to cool off with shave ice.

The Sony Open is one of the few occasions where I can be content to sit in the sun all afternoon!

Huli chicken that went into the carved huli chicken sandwich in the Halekulani/Waikiki Parc skybox.

Teriyaki beef sticks were a popular offering.

Shrimp served with cocktail sauce below.

Instead of serving ourselves, we were handed the day's menu at the Halekulani/Waikiki Parc skybox to check off the morsels we wanted, here, the carved huli sandwich, kalua pork sandwich with hoisin sauce, beef sticks and shrimp cocktail. It resulted in more attractive plating than if guests were left to their own devices

At the Kahala Hotel & Resort skybox, Cindi Rosete of Makena Resort and the Hotels & Resorts of Halekulani collects a handroll from Manny Nakasenh of Superb Sushi.

In the Kahala Hotel & Resort's skybox, these were the markers for disappeared tea sanwiches. I got to try the chicken salad with tarragon on endive.

Fried chicken in the Kahala Hotel skybox.

Oscar Night's celebratory meal

Nadine Kam photos
A white chocolate box of candied popcorn and petits fours was a postprandial treat at HIFF's Oscar Night America viewing party at Halekulani.


It's not every day you see grits on the menu at Halekulani, but for one night, Feb. 27, it was all about Oscar and executive chef Vikram Garg presented an Academy Awards-themed dinner to coincide with the hotel's hosting of the Hawaii International Film Festival's annual Oscar Night America 2011 viewing party.

After the red carpet walk, guests settled in for dinner and a 5 p.m. viewing of the Oscar ceremonies that others would be watching on their television sets at 7 p.m. The way the room and screens are set up help give the effect that you are there in the room with the nominees and winners.

I was downstairs taking photos, so missed "The Social Network" of canapes, but here are the rest of the dishes in the order presented:

 

"Inception" salad of Manoa salad with discs of hearts of palm and cured Saikou salmon, topped with a crunchy carambola star.

 

Creamy blue "True Grits" were topped with two jumbo shrimp, Iberico bellota and baby arugula.

 

Orange Fanta granité was the intermezzo.

 

 

"Beef Oscar" comprised a natural beef filet, topped with two large pieces of Alaskan king crab, with asparagus and mashed potatoes with Béarnaise.

 

A "Blue Valentine" dessert comprised a chocolate and champagne bombe, with blueberry and rose confit.

Oscar-themed cocktails at Lewers Lounge

Nadine Kam photos
Lewers Lounge’s head bartender Tim Rita shows sample sizes of his "Network of Vodka" inspired by the film "The Social Network."

Just in time for the Academy Awards show, Halekulani’s master mixologist Tim Rita has come up with a slate of original cocktails themed around movies up for an award.

Rita, the head bartender at the hotel’s Lewers Lounge, created five drinks inspired by "The Black Swan" (La Danse Noir), "The Fighter" (Mickey's Ward), "True Grit" (Prickly Pear Smash), "The Social Network" (Network of Vodka) and his own favorite movie, "Toy Story 3" (Playful Punch).

The drinks are on the menu at Lewers Lounge through Oscar night, Sunday, when those attending the HIFF Oscar Night America party from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Halekulani, can continue the party in the lounge. Tickets for the event are $300 per person, available by mailing HIFF at tickets@hiff.org or calling 792-1577 ext. 1 Visit www.hiff.org for more information.

It was fun to talk to Rita about his process, from remembering the fruity flavors of punch at his grandmother's house when he was a kid, to creating a trio of flavors, from sweet and spicy to spirited to reflect personalities that might comprise a social network.

La Danse Noir captures the dark, mysterious beauty of "The Black Swan," made with spiced brandy, Marie Brizard blackberry, fresh lime and simple syrup, and garnished with blackberries and sage leaves.

Mickey's Ward, created for "The Fighter," is Tim's take on the Ward Eight that originated in Boston, using Irish whiskey (Jameson), orange curacao, Maraschino cherry liquor and Peychauds bitters.

A closeup view of the "The Social Network"-inspired Network of Vodka. Tim used Kai vodka to reinforce the spirit of gathering and enjoyment. The trio reflect "Sweet and Spicy" (Kai lychee, Pama liquor, lime juice, chile simple syrup); "Very Spirited" (Kai 80 proof, Lillet blanc, St. Germain); and "Organic Green" (Kai 80 proof, lime and agave syrup) personality profiles.

"True Grit"-inspired Prickly Pear Smash stars Makers mark, lemon juice, Rotui soursop (prickly pear) and Reagan's orange bitters.

"Toy Story 3"-inspired "Playful Punch" is a bright, lively blend of spiced brandy, Grand Marnier and fresh lilikoi, pineapple juice and lemon juice spritzer.