Sunday, May 10, 2009

Alan Wong's - a Gem in Honolulu

Alan Wong's
1857 S. King St. Third Floor
Honolulu, Hawaii
808.949.2526
www.alanwongs.com

A visit to Alan Wong's cozy Honolulu restaurant quickly makes it clear why Gourmet magazine (America's Top 50 Restaurants, October 2006) ranks Wong right up there with Joel Robuchon and Daniel Boulud. The food is fabulous and, best of all, with one day's notice the restaurant will prepare a five-course vegetarian tasting menu that features local produce prepared in an East-meets-West fusion style. At just $75 it's a bargain. With wine pairings, it's just $105.

A recent meal featured a cold vine-ripened Hamakau Springs tomato soup with a a flat cheese crisp, a mini grilled cheese "sandwich" like no other - fresh mozarella and shiitake mushrooms between thin slices of sourdough, a spicy goat cheese and radicchio salad with picholine olives and chili lemongrass vinaigrette, and a wonderful piece of ginger-crusted tofu over fresh corn kernels surrounded by a miso sesame vinagrette. A medley of vegetables with a wheatberry cake finished out the savory side of the menu. Dessert featured a crispy dense chocolate torte and coconut tapioca pudding with island fruits.


Hands down, Alan Wong's has the best vegetarian menu selection in the Hawaiian islands.