Shokudo revisits root of Japanese cuisine for Restaurant Week

Nadine Kam photos
Shokudo’s appetizer of big-eye tuna wrapped in avocado, tako in egg yolk vinaigrette, and housemade goma tofu is one the menu for Restaurant Week, Nov. 17 to 23.

Shokudo Japanese Restaurant will be turning out a mix of traditional and new during Restaurant Week that runs Nov. 17 to 23.

A special six-course tasting menu available for the week—at a very reasonable $38 (add $20 for sake pairings) considering all that you get—will highlight the work of new sushi chef Satoru Matsumoto, who brings a taste of Japan to the restaurant better known since its inception as more of an American-style fusion restaurant.

The Restaurant Week menu offers an exciting preview as to what may come with subsequent menus. The menu was featured during a media preview event, and from what I tasted, it marks a promising new start. Any changes will be gradual though, so as not to alienate those whose tastes are more American than Japanese.

Reservations for Restaurant Week and beyond are available by calling (808) 941-3701. Shokudo Japanese is at 1585 Kapiolani Ave., at Kaheka, near the entrance to Nordstrom’s garage.

Hirame, fresh from Tsukiji and thinly sliced so as to be transparent.

 Amazing Hokkaido scallop and masago tempura. The sweetness reminded me of lobster.

Seared filet mignon stuffed with Santa Barbara uni.

The next course was a sushi trio featuring shimaaji, chu toro and Kona kampachi.

Not pictured is dessert, a spin on the restaurant’s renowned Honey Toast, which is the basis for Tempura Bread Pudding, dipped in batter, deep-fried and served with Roselani vanilla ice cream and a sake-caramel sauce. Many at the table asked for seconds, and I like it better than the original Honey Toast.

Kanpai! Iichiko YUZU makes a splash

Nadine Kam photos
Yukie Aizawa pours Yuzu Lady cocktails comprising iichiko BLU, iichiko Bar FRUITS YUZU and yuzu sorbet, in The Modern Honolulu’s Sun Suite during the launch of the award-winning liqueur.

There is such a thing as being too popular. I first tasted iichiko’s Bar FRUITS YUZU and Bar FRUITS UME at Honolulu’s ART after DARK back in May and wondered where I could get my hands on more. They’re so light and refreshing, and with only 8 percent alcohol, just my speed.

As best-sellers in Japan, iichiko couldn’t turn out enough to meet demand, so at the time was slowly introducing the bar liqueur, comprising iichiko’s concentrated barley shochu and fresh fruit, to restaurant clients.

At that time, only a few bars were offering it, but a lot has happened in six months, and iichiko Bar FRUITS YUZU and Bar FRUITS UME can be found at nearly 80 restaurants and bars in Hawaii. They’re that good, and are naturals for cocktails. Bar FRUITS YUZU offers a blend of yuzu and honey, while UME is balanced with lychee.

The Bar FRUITS YUZU recently received a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, one of only 10 winners in a field of 1,474 entries.

Iichiko held a launch party Nov. 3 in The Modern Honolulu’s Sun Suite, announcing that their popular shochu liqueurs will be available in retail stores beginning January, a great way to start the new year!

Bottles of iichiko Bar FRUITS YUZU and Bar FRUITS UME are lined up with a cocktail of Kula Ume-Shu. This was my favorite of the evening, made with iichiko Blu, iichiko Bar FRUITS UME, Kula strawberries, ume paste, lemon juice and simple syrup.


Iichiko USA CEO Kazunori Nishi shared some interesting stats about the brand, as well as the rise of shochu, which surpassed sake in popularity in 2002, with an upward trajectory ever since, which he attributes to people learning that shochu leaves them with no hangover.

Iichiko USA CEO Kazunori Nishi, left, with Akino Watanabe, the company’s director of international sales.

The company was born in Oita prefecture in Japan, where “iichiko” means’s “It is good.”

In Japan, Bar FRUITS YUZU and UME are enjoyed simply, on the rocks. But here, bartenders are finding them fun to experiment with. During the event at the Modern, we were able to sample cocktails pictured on this page, as well as a Lemongrass Yuzu Fizz made with iichiko BLU, iichiko Bar FRUITS YUZU, Pacifickool Ginger Syrup, lime juice and club soda, and Yuzu Pink Drop of BLU, Bar FRUITS YUZU, yuzu sorbet and Campari.

This month, the following locations will be offering tastings or highlighting menu and bar items featuring iichiko shochu and liqueurs:

Through Nov. 16
Shokudo will offer a limited special menu featuring a play on their popular Honey Toast, with iichiko YUZU, along with specialty cocktails made with iichiko Bar FRUITS YUZU.

First Friday,  Nov. 7
HASR Bistro will host a sampling of iichiko Bar FRUITS YUZU from 5 to 8 p.m.

Nov. 15
Ginza Nightclub will host a Yellow Kanpai Night Party beginning at midnight in celebration of iichiko Bar FRUITS YUZU. Dress code is yellow.

Nov. 17 to 30
MW Restaurant will be offering food pairings with iichiko Bar FRUITS.
The Pig and the Lady will be offering specially crafted cocktails made with iichiko Bar FRUITS.

A little shochu gets the party going. Toby Tamaye has a little fun with iichiko USA’s Tetsuro Miyazaki, left.

Before you know it, guests were rolling up posters to accessorize the yellow ensembles we were asked to wear to celebrate YUZU. Lindsey Muraoka in YUZU yellow.

Some of the bites accompanying the iichiko cocktails were a pulled pork slider, mini veggie springroll and scallops with pickled radishes on skewers. Thanks for the food styling, Cory Mitsui! A favorite bite, not pictured here, was a cube of truffled mac 'n' cheese.

For dessert, there were yuzu marshmallow s’mores, and shown, strawberry shortcakes.

The Sun Suite setting, overlooking the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor, offered another gorgeous sunset view. I’ve been racking up a lot of sunset photos lately, a beautiful way to close the day.

Kobe + Cabernet a winning combination at Outrigger Canoe Club

Nadine Kam photos
Beef Wellington was on the menu when Snake River Farms and Signorello Estate teamed up for a “Kobe and Cabernet” dinner at Outrigger Canoe Club.

It was a meat and wine lover’s dream come true when Snake River Farms teamed up with Signorello Estate to present a dinner highlighting their respective premium beef and cabernet.

I was able to attend a dinner that took place Oct. 29 at the Outrigger Canoe Club for interested members. A second dinner took place Oct. 30 at the Plaza Club.

It was an opportunity to learn more about the vineyard and the Signorello Hopes Cuvée chardonnay and Padrone created in honor of owner Ray Signorello’s late parents, as well as learn more about the American-style Kobe beef from Snake River Farms.

Snake River Farms is a premium brand produced by Agri Beef Co., and marketing director Jay Theiler told of bringing the first wagyu cattle from Japan to the Northwest in 1988. The wagyu were bred with angus cattle to grow significantly larger than other breeds, averaging 1,500 pounds. It’s the wagyu genetics that give the resulting beef its juicy, fatty quality, he said, dispelling rumors of massaging and indulging the cattle with beer to get the desired marbling.

The wagyu are believed to be descendants of water buffalo used in Japan for farming. They had gone unrecognized as a food source by the Japanese, until Dutch traders, hungry for meat, decided to eat the animals, a eureka moment.

Also on the menu was Snake River Farms kurobuta pork, the “black” Berkshire hogs that are the highly touted pork equivalent to Kobe beef.

If you eat at restaurants like BLT Steak, Vintage Cave, Budnamujip, Stage and Michel’s at the Colony Surf, you are already enjoying these premium meat products.

 Delicious wagyu filet mignon steak tartare with quail egg, white truffle oil, dijon aioli and Asian pear.

Sous vide Kurobuta pork belly with frisee and orange-citrus vinaigrette.

Flame-broiled wagyu New York steak with green peppercorn demi glace, wilted baby spinach and fingerling potatoes.

Lee Anne Wong photo
Chef Lee Anne Wong, who also attended the dinner, took a photo of the wagyu-angus hybrid—which appears to have some of the water buffalo physical characteristics of its ancestors—when she visited Snake River Farms.

A stunning sunset preceded dinner at the beautifully sited Outrigger Canoe Club.

Hopping from 'Table to Farm' with Sheraton Waikiki's Colin Hazama

Nadine Kam photos
Chef Colin Hazama joined Ho Farms’ Shin Ho in welcoming diners for a two-part, two-day culinary adventure that took them from the Sheraton Waikiki to the North Shore farm. A clearing was made where long beans grow to make room for a picnic tent and table and cooking demo.

Sheraton Waikiki launched its ambitious new Table to Farm wine dinner and farm tour series last weekend, an event that started Friday night with a dinner crafted by Sheraton Waikiki executive sous chef Colin Hazama, followed by an optional excursion to Ho Farms the following day to see where and how the meal was sourced.

For a memorable culinary and mini travel experience, it is well worth the $170 to $200 (with wine pairings) cost and two-day commitment.

“There’s nothing that connects you more to the people and a culture than food,” said Food and Beverage Director Brian Hunnings, noting the Sheraton’s obligation as a visitor-oriented company. “Supporting local and doing the right thing is so important to us, and to do that we have to do things that are not necessarily easy.”

The oceanview setting at the Sheraton’s Edge of Waikiki infinity pool.

There were many details involved in bringing the event out of the dining room and into the outdoors at the Sheraton’s Edge of Waikiki, where a pink-purple sunset was the backdrop for an elegant, veggie-filled meal. There were vans to rent for the tour the following day, and a clearing was made on Ho Farms for setting up the tent and tables for a picnic lunch set in a field where long beans grow.

For Hazama, it was important to show the work farmers do because most people are so far removed from the land. Bringing them to the farm might help everyone become better stewards of the land.

Just 100 years ago, most people were living off the land, whether by fishing, farming or maintaining an ample backyard garden. Modernization changed everything, but slowly, people are waking up to the idea that some of the old ways are better for our health and well-being, as well as the planet.

Hazama has worked with Ho Farms since 2008, requesting items apart from the tomatoes, cucumbers and Japanese eggplant that are its staple crops. Some of the specialty items he requests for the Sheraton Waikiki are spring onions, cilantro flowers and rainbow chard.

Here’s a look at both farm and table:

Friday night’s meal started with vodka-cured kampachi with white soy dashi gelee, finger lime caviar, shaved watermelon radish, Ho Farms pickled baby carrots, and lemon basil pesto, accompanied by NV Canella Prosecco, Veneto.

A “Taste of Ho Farms Salad” showcased Ho Farms pearl onions, golden Kahuku and currant tomato gelee, butternut squash, deep-fried heirloom okra, long beans, and preserved Meyer lemon mustard vinaigrette. I love the intense tomato flavor of the gelee! This was served with 2012 Fantini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Abruzzo.

Fish ’n’ Chips got healthier with the Kona Brewing beer-battered onaga accompanied by Ho Farms Chinese long bean “fries,” along with housemade pickles, calamansi lime pickle vinegar and Ho Farms pomegranate beet ketchup. It was paired with 2012 Jermann Pinot Grigio, Collio.

Next, cassava-crusted Kauai shrimp was served with spiced butternut squash gnocchi, applewood smoked Ho Farms swiss chard, Wailea hearts of palm and Ho Farms baby cucumber pickled mustarda, and garlic yuzu crema. This was accompanied by 2013 Santadi Villa Solais Vermentino, Sardegna.

We finished with a slice of Big Island Meyer kemon goat cheesecake with dark chocolate aubergine truffle, Kula strawberry, and Ho Farms ice cream banana confiture. No one could have guessed that there was creamy eggplant inside the chocolate! This was paired with NV Canella Bellini, Veneto.

On the farm:

We were allowed to taste the fresh produce out in the Ho Farms fields, including flavorful cilantro flowers, that most of us had left on the plate during the previous evening’s dinner, when we thought of it as an inedible garnish. Now, those of us who love cilantro love it!

Photographing tomatoes before they are packed for supermarkets.

Third-generation farmer Shin Ho shows the cucumber seedlings.

 During a cooking demonstration, Colin showed the one-year, house-cured prosciutto lardons that he later sautéed with kale and shimeji mushrooms to top the chilled Ho Farms butternut squash soup we enjoyed for lunch.

Everyone wanted seconds of the delicious soup, also finished with a swirl of Ho Farms coriander crema.

The rest of our picnic lunch came packed in metal lunch boxes. Tour-goers Ethan, Kailee and Tammie Chang show their lunch boxes.

Tucked inside the lunch box was a three-pepper Muscovy duck prosciutto sandwich, with small jars of Ho Farms pickles and pomegranate-beet ketchup we could enjoy on the spot or later at home. There was also a container of shichimi-dusted tapioca puffs that I had taken out.

After leaving the farm, we made a detour to Kahuku Superette, where chef Hazama had to introduce us to one of his favorite guilty pleasures, crisp, garlicky shell-on opae poke. Yums! No garans this pitstop will be part of future tours.

The Table to Farm Series will continue into 2015; each event will be held in partnership with a different farm, including a trek to the Big Island. Reservations are being taken for the next event, when Hazama will partner with Naked Cow Dairy.

Dinner is set for 6 p.m. Dec. 5 at Edge of Waikiki, followed by a 10 a.m. meeting time on Dec. 6 at Aloha Landing for a farm tour. Guests will return from Naked Cow Dairy at approximately 3 p.m.

The Dec. 5 collaboration dinner will feature chefs Hazama and Brett Villarmia executing a menu that will feature brown butter-seared Naked Cow Dairy halloumi, black cardamom-spiced scallops with lavender Naked Cow Dairy buttermilk, garlic- and herb-roasted Colorado lamb Loin with micro-mint Naked Cow labne and pomegranate-pink peppercorn Naked Cow honey butter, an artisanal cheese tasting, and dessert of cookies and milk, including spiced toasted Naked Cow coconut butter shortbread and smoked Hawaiian sea salt caramel leche.

Dinner only is $103 per person ($133 with wine pairings); dinner and the farm tour is $170 per person ($200 with wine pairings). Prices include transportation to Naked Cow Dairy, tax and gratuity. Call (808) 921-4600 or visit flavorsofhawaii.com for reservations.

The hotel also offers a special room rate for Table to Farm guests. Call (808) 921-4610 and request the “Farm Tour” rate.
———
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.

'Best Barman in the World' shares his craft at Halekulani

Nadine Kam photos
Colin Field, hailed as the “Best Barman in the World” by Forbes magazine, spoons spuma of celery over a Bloody Mary-style cocktail during a demonstration at Halekulani. He has no names for creations he served during a media presentation, believing—in European fashion—that the naming tradition is not to be taken lightly, so takes time.

Even the “Best Barman in the World”—so heralded by Forbes magazine—is not spared from critics. One who doesn’t mince words once asked the Ritz Paris Hemingway Bar’s Colin Field, “Why does your brain stop when you put the glass down?” referring to the discrepancy between his prowess at the bar with a less than inspiring menu of food to go with the drinks.

Field noted that, for a long time, even the best bars gave little thought to small bites, putting out little more than nuts, crackers or popcorn.

With that criticism, Field set out to change the way bars operate and collaborated on the development of the French-inspired L’Aperitif bar at La Mer. It’s one of the places where his work comes to life via cocktails paired with neo-classic French amuse bouche ranging from foie gras with rose petal marmalade, to sumak shrimp with sweet chili aioli, setting the bar menu apart from others, where there is often no connection between food and cocktail.

Accompanying Field’s cocktail was Vikram Garg’s fabulous accompaniment of beef carpaccio, wrapped around tofu and olive tapenade.

Field is in town to showcase his work and philosophy during an “Art of Style” experience taking place 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 26 in Halekulani’s Lewers Lounge. Patrons will be able to enjoy an interactive demonstration and tasting experience led by Field, with cocktails paired with an amuse bouche designed by executive chef Vikram Garg.

Tickets are priced at $160 per person inclusive of tax and gratuity. Limited seating is available for this event. For Dining Reservations, call (808) 923-2311 and for more information, visit http://www.halekulani.com/hotel/events.

More of Field’s libations, featuring tequila, agave and yuzu, with a rim of Hawaiian black lack salt.

Chef Vikram Garg said that his first thought upon learning of the tequila cocktail was ceviche. Saying, “The sweetness and heat of this cocktail excited me,” he created this amuse of baby scallops with coconut cream and sauce of roasted tomatoes, onions and jalapeños.

Field will continue to serve as a guest bartender at L’Aperitif from Sept. 22 to 26, where patrons can put his skills to the test.

During a media presentation, it was evident that to earn the title of “Best Barman in the World,” one must be something of a psychologist and mind reader. He noted that most people have no idea what they want to drink, but circumstances—whether one is on a romantic date, a business meeting, or in need of relaxation—will determine what they are seeking.

“It’s important for bartenders today to being aware who you are, to ask, ‘For whom am I making this cocktail for?” he said. He studies dress and behavior to guide his recommendations.

Colin Field infused Maker’s Mark bourbon whisky with kiawe wood smoke.

He brought along all the tools of his trade, including artful glasses, a rounded shaker of his design that allows ice to move all around, puka-filled ice tongs that hold no water, and a smoker for imparting smoke to liquor.

“I particularly love cocktails, and love taking them out of the cocktail glass and putting it into a wine glass,” he said, while also noting a trend toward mismatched glasses that he said started in Europe with Madonna’s dinner parties.

The smoked bourbon was served on the rocks with a perfect bite of aged Parmesan, maple syrup and arugula.

L’Aperitif has begun aging its own bitters in countertop oak barrels.

First course: Slurp popup brings ramen to Vino

Nadine Kam photos
Slurp’s tan tan ramen with chashu, Tokyo negi, chopped choi sum and 7-minute egg. This sesame-garlic-miso combo was my favorite of the day.

Since Vino opened, chef Keith Endo has been associated with the restaurant's Italian and Mediterranean bistro fare. Now he returns to his local roots with the introduction of Slurp, a lunch-time ramen popup within Vino at Waterfront Plaza (Restaurant Row).

The breadth of offerings rival that of a full-size ramen shop, with a range of classic to specialty bowls, that cater to multiple cravings, starting with basic shio, shoyu, tonkotsu, miso and tan tan versions at $8.95 per bowl. All include chashu, Tokyo negi and choi sum.

Chinatown duck ramen is one of the specialty bowls available at Slurp, more reminiscent of Chinese noodle shops than traditional ramen.

There are also some exciting specialty offerings including a kim chee miso stew ramen ($9.95); crab ramen ($16.95) that bears strong resemblance to Vino’s parent Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar’s Dungeness Crab Ramen with Asian Truffle Broth; and a couple of more Chinese- than Japanese-inspired options of Chinatown duck ramen ($14.95) with five-spice broth, and oxtail soup-inspired braised oxtail ramen ($12.95) with cilantro and mustard cabbage.

All feature thin Hakata-style noodles created for the popup by Sun Noodle.

Add-on toppings are a 7-minute egg ($1.25) and bamboo shoots ($2), and side accompaniments are chicken yakitori ($1.50 per stick), pork belly hoisin bun ($2.95 each), kim chee ($2) and gyoza at three for $2.95 or six for $5.45.

To go with your meal, consider liquid slurps of mango, lilikoi or lychee house sodas, ume seltzer, and lemongrass ice tea, or a full range of wines by the glass and bar offerings (it is the domain of Chuck Furuya, after all).
—————
The popup, inside Vino at 500 Ala Moana Boulevard, is open from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. Call (808) 524-8466.

Crab ramen in a truffle broth with Tokyo negi and spicy jalapeño.

Pork belly hoisin buns are a generously sized side offering, at $2.95 each.

Meaty gyoza, at three pieces for $2.95, or six for $5.45.

At the North Shore Food Summit

Nadine Kam photos
It’s nice when this can be your office for the day, as it was when the Turtle Bay Resort hosted North Shore Food Summit events Sept. 12.

Participants and speakers from a cross-section of the food system industry gathered for the second annual North Shore Food Summit that took place Sept. 11 and 12 at Waimea Valley and Turtle Bay Resort.

The event focuses on the goal of sustainability and the health of Hawaii’s people by restoring ancestral abundance and encouraging a diet built around such nutritious foods as taro and ulu.

I had hoped to make it both days for Thursday’s farm, lo’i and fishpond tours, but for townies, it’s a big commmitment to get to the North Shore early, and I was only able to make it to Friday’s talks, but it was eye-opening to hear of the work being done on the North Shore, and I would recommend that anyone involved in the food industry try to attend next year.

Among the Friday sessions was one that attempted to connect small restaurnts with small farmers who might be able to grow unique products per demand. With the growth of juice bars, there’s increasing demand for fresh local fruit for making more exotic fare such as starfruit and mountain apple juices. Oh my mouth was watering as I thought about sweet mountain apples with their rosy notes. And I don’t care much for the rubbery texture of starfruit, but I’d try it in juice form.

 North Shore Food Summit Friday panelists, from left, Town’s Ed Kenney, James Beard award winner Michel Nischan, and Chef Action Network and “Top Chef’s” Spike Mendelson.

In addition to the partnership opportunities, the summit introduced the University of Hawaii West Oahu’s Food System Assessment Project that aims to map what’s in food system, where food is being grown, and where it is going—whether exported or consumed locally—an examining the implications for people and the land.

On day two of the conference, participants could select from four tracks addressing such topics as growing our farms, growing ancestral abundance, growing our community and growing our health.

Musician Jack Johnson is a strong supporter of environmental and food sustainability issues that go hand in hand.


Halfway through, participants enjoyed a bountiful and delicious farm-to-table lunch provided by Turtle Bay Resort chef Conrad Aquino. It was such a treat to enjoy so many vegetarian dishes including a salad of kabocha, soybeans and cilantro, and curried lentils and vegetables. I wish more restaurants offered such dishes in Honolulu.

In the middle of lunch I saw this guy who looked like Jack Johnson walk in, but I was thinking, “Nah, couldn’t be. Why would he be here?”

I was with Sean Morris, who said, “Well, his nametag says ‘Jack.’ ”

Hmmm.

North Shore edibles were a treat for the soul and senses during a fabulous Friday lunch cooked up by Turtle Bay Resort”s chef Conrad Aquino and his staff. Dishes included curried lentils and vegetables, and below, a pumpkin salad and salad of greens and beets.

Later in the afternoon, James Beard award-winning chef Michel Nischan facilitated a discussion of “Food as a Catalyst for Healthier Living,” with panelists Washington, D.C.-based chef Spike Mendelsohn of Chef Action Network and “Top Chef”; Town and Kaimuki Superette chef/owner Ed Kenney, who is also founder of Hawaii Food Action Network; Kaiulani Odom of Kokua Kalihi Valley; and cooking instructor Gigi Miranda.

During the session, there was mention of Jack Johnson’s Kokua Hawaii Foundation, so we were finally convinced it was the musician philanthropist, and in talking with him after the session, he explained the natural progression from his initial environmental concerns, to working with children.

One of the foundation’s programs is ‘Aina in the Schools, a farm-to-school initiative that connects children to the land, waters and food, focusing on fostering healthy eating habits, encouraging environmental stewardship in a way that supports farmers and their produce.

“We started with environmental education,” said Johnson. “There are a lot of choices people can make as consumers, and if we start talking to kids early, plant that seed, they can make those educated decisions when they get older.”

More edibles, garlic shrimp and scallops at top, and furikake-crusted opah.

Macadamia nut tartlets for dessert.

So a funny thing happened during the session on healthy eating, when a kid came up to me and started gnawing on my LeSportsac purse charm. I guess he thought it was candy, another thing kids should not be eating!

———
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.