Arancino marking third anniversary at The Kahala

Nadine Kam photos
Arancino at The Kahala adds a charcuterie platter, Affetato Misto, to its new menu marking its third anniversary at The Kahala Hotel, to be offered beginning June 1. The platter features bresaola, coppa, prosciutto di Parma, salamino piccante, mortadella, Parmigiano Reggianno and coccoli, or bread dough fritters.

Arancino at The Kahala is entering its third year with the introduction of a new menu beginning June 1. The menu includes new dishes and three degustation menus, priced at $60, $90 and $120. Prices with wine pairings are $84, $123 and $160.

The $60 Menu Selezione starts with a lobster bisque, followed by a choice of Caesar or caprese salad, then a choice of one of three primi dishes: Tagliolini al Ricci di Mare, uni pasta with a white wine-garlic-tomato cream sauce; wagyu Bolognese with housemade pappardelle; or housemade orecchiette with sun-dried tomatoes, broccolini and garlic olive oil.

On the high end, the menu features caviar, followed by crudités and bagna cauda, carpaccio di manzo of A5 Miyazaki wagyu, and delectable raviolone alla fonduta con tartufo fresco, a decadent ravioli with fontina and a center of creamy egg yolk, topped with truffles and a light butter sauce. These dishes are followed by grilled branzino and sous vide beef tenderloin with foie gras and truffle mashed potatoes, fried maitake and truffle sauce.

I swoon over chef Hamamoto's ravioli with creamy egg yolk center, fontina, truffles and butter sauce. Heaven on a plate!

The restaurant had its soft opening at The Kahala Hotel in 2013, followed by official opening date June 18. It initially offered a luxury tasting menu experience that evolved to include several a la carte dishes to give guests much more variety over repeat visits.

In addition to the set menus, the menu now features 34 a la carte selections ranging from pastas to pizzas, plus satisfying entrées ranging from the seafood stew caciucco, to sous vide beef tenderloin, Colorado lamb, A5 Miyazaki wagyu sirloin and pork loin.

The wagyu as served here is exceptional, but I've always had it cooked, never as carpaccio, and during a media tasting I basically inhaled the carpaccio di manzo. Buttery soft, the raw wagyu nearly melts on the tongue. A must for any visit.

Among the stars of the new offerings is the salt-crusted whole branzino for two. For $58, the fish is presented in its salt crust at the table, where it is cut open and the fish served in the form of two fillets accompanied by rosemary potatoes, lemon and herb topping.

And a charcuterie platter of Affetato Misto (at top of page) manages to be a picture- and palate-perfect intro for any meal.
———————
Arancino at The Kahala is at The Kahala Hotel, 5000 Kahala Ave. Call 380-4400.

Here's a look at more dishes on the new menu:

Carpaccio di Manzo comprises thin-sliced raw Miyazaki wagyu topped with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano, arugula and olive oil-lemon dressing.

Trofie al Pesto Genovese combines the housemade twisted pasta with slices of potato, haricots verts and Nalo Farms basil pesto.

Baked Pesce al Sale, a salt-crusted whole branzino, is presented at the table before being opened and individually plated.

Chef Daisuke Hamamoto presents a serving of the moist and tender branzino, served with rosemary potatoes, herb topping and lemon.

Dessert of a passionfruit-mascarpone cheesecake is topped with citrus sorbetto and candy brittle with accents of silver leaf.

Another view of dessert that reminded me of a kokeshi doll.
 
———
Nadine Kam is Style Editor and staff restaurant critic at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser; her food coverage in print in Wednesday's Crave section. Contact her via email at nkam@staradvertiser.com and follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Rebel Mouse.

Make most of holiday leisure at The Veranda

Nadine Kam photos
Tea service at the Kahal Hotel & Resort Dec. 19 included assorted sweets and savories served with dragon pearl jasmine tea.

The Kahala Hotel & Resort hosted a holiday tea event Dec. 19 to introduce the newly remodeled Veranda lounge and adjoining grand terrace lanai.

It was a great reminder that the open-air lounge is a perfect setting for entertaining out-of-town family and friends who tend to arrive in search of warm weather (and your company, of course) this time of year.

You can spend a relaxing morning or afternoon strolling the property and visiting the dolphins, before settling in for afternoon tea, which runs from 2 to 5:30 p.m. daily.

A single pot of loose leaf Harney & Sons tea is $8 per person. Simple tea service of a Harney & Sons tea and four sweets and fresh-baked scones, or a plate of four sandwiches, is $17 per person.

Classic tea service, at $28 per person, features a plate of four sweet treats, four savory sandwiches, scones, clotted cream and preserves, and a choice of a Harney & Sons tea.

The Royal tea service is $42 per person, includes all of the classic menu, plus a glass of champagne with a strawberry.

If you want to extend your stay, The Veranda is open for pupu from 5:30 to 10 p.m., and cocktails from 2 p.m. to midnight.

The new menu includes such dishes as fall roasted vegetable tart ($8); roasted Bussels sprouts with shredded duck, caper anchovy vinaigrette ($10); grilled South Pacific shrimp ($10/$14); red wine-braised lamb shank ($24); grilled prime flatiron steak ($22); harissa roast chicken ($18); and more. Or, order off the Hoku's menu.

You can view all the menus online at www.kahalaresort.com/dining
Find out how your photo memories of The Kahala can win you a two-night stay at the resort, here.

There's still time to view the Kahala's 25-foot tall Noble fir.

A selection of traditional sandwiches at The Veranda's tea service. Clockwise from top left: smoked salmon on rye toast with parsley cream cheese; chicken salad with tarragon and grapes on toast; Hamakua Springs Farm mushroom turnover; ham and manchego cheese on multi-gram bread; and chicken tarragon and grape salad on endive.

Afternoon tea treats clockwise from 10 p.m. spot: lilikoi Madeline; chocolate-raspberry tart; brown sugar shortbread; Kona coffee ganache pave; profiterole with pistachio cream; yuzu macaron.

Kahala introduces curry winner

Nadine Kam photos
A beautiful array of crab claws and mussels topped the Thai green seafood curry. part of the Kahala Hotel & Resort's weekly lunchtime International Curry Bazaar.

The Kahala Hotel & Resort augmented its popular Wednesday International Curry Bazaar all-you-can-eat buffet with the Oct. 26 unveiling of its "All in the Family Curry Contest" winner, whose dish will be among the curries featured from noon to 3 p.m. every Wednesday in November at the Plumeria Beach House.

Contestants entered a favorite curry recipe via Facebook or Twitter, and Noella Monteiro won with her grandmother's recipe for yellow shrimp curry. The Pakistani recipe is saturated with turmeric and spices that was toned down for mass appeal. Those who like their curries hot were welcome to add more chili to the dishes, as well as condiments specific to the various styles of curry. To accompany Monteiro's curry, there was toasted, shredded coconut, cranberries, peanuts and raisins.

An Punjab-style chicken-spinach curry came with options of mint and mango chutney and cucumber-mint raita.

Lanterns graced the Indian curry table at The Plumeria Beach House at the Kahala Hotel & Resort, home to a popular lunchtime curry buffet.

The contests celebrates family tradition, which is also true to the Kahala's philosophy of sharing the flavors of the kama'aina table. A Thai seafood curry was based on an intern's family recipe, and the recipe for Japanese beef curry is that of executive chef Wayne Hirabayashi's mother ... or at least the basic recipe came from his mom. He admits to having played with it over the years, for example, adding more vegetables as he grew to appreciate vegetables more.

In talking with the chef, he realized that the curry played a big part in his early culinary forays. He said he would often think of ways to improve on recipes for curries and hamburgers, giving his mom suggestions of "adding a little salt here, a little pepper there."

He said he didn't realize at the time, but he was learning how to blend flavors and adapt recipes to his taste, learning that he could add sweetness to a dish not by simply adding straight sugar, but maybe a little bit of apple for subtlety.

The buffet, with curries that change every few weeks, includes soup du jour, and a selection of salads and desserts, and is priced at $30 per person (tax and gratuity additional). For reservations, call 739-8760, or e-mail restaurants@kahalaresort.com. Reservations are also taken at OpenTable.com.

The Kahala's executive chef Wayne Hirabayashi shared his mother's recipe for Japanese beef curry with kabocha, carrots and shiitake. He enjoys this curry with condiments of takuan, pickled ginger and tsukemono.

Noella Monteiro was the winner of the hotel's curry reccipe contest, sharing her grandmother's recipe for yellow shrimp curry. Her prize is two nights in an ocean view room at The Kahala, dinner for two at Hoku’s and breakfast in the Plumeria Beach House.

I arranged a small sampling of the four curries offered on my plate. Each had its own condiments. Monteiro's, at front right, could be dressed with peanuts, cranberries and toasted coconut.