Honolulu: Halekulani Hotel: Le Mer

This is it, the best restaurant on the islands and one of my favorites anywhere. A sleek and elegant setting, beautiful presentation and excellent service all rolled into one perfect dining experience. Le Mer pleases every time, with consistently high standards and gracious hospitality. This is what Bali by the Sea [see previous post] thinks it is, but doesn't come anywhere close in any category . . . right down to the badly outfitted wait staff with Denny's like skills.

An evening at Le Mer always starts off with a glass of champagne and a treat from the kitchen, this time tiny popovers . . . one with lobster and the other salmon. After ordering, an amuse arrived, a seafood aspic with lobster that was the only bobble by the kitchen . . . the texture was a rubber/jello cross that was not pleasing . . . but the flavor was nice. Then on to the amazing dinner:

Seared foie gras with fresh asparagus that was perfectly prepared and had an amazing combination of flavors and textures. Beautiful on the plate and even better to taste.

Fresh truffle on a potato galette with an amazing sauce that had some bacon going on. And with it? Truffle Madeleines! Can you believe it? These were the best and I wanted more . . . the whole dish was absolutely perfect.

Veal medallions on a confit of beans with a Roquefort sauce that was dazzling. Just when I thought I couldn't like anything better than the truffle-surprise, along comes this veal dish with its perfectly balanced flavors and satiny beans and I am again inspired to lick my plate [even though the dining room is dark, I refrained for fear of being asked not to return].

An assortment of sweets followed, with just a touch more champagne, and the evening's indulgence was finished. Not too full. Not too buzzed. Not anything but very happy.

Each course was paired with a wonderful wine thanks to the wine steward and the pace of the meal leisurely but not slow. The service was attentive and well done with one exception . . . my waiter. He may have been new or just not "on" that night, but he was the weak link in the service chain . . . but the slack was evenly picked up by everyone else so it was not a problem and barely evident.

And one more great thing about Le Mer . . . they have a dress code! Yes, a dress code! Meaning that they understand that baseball caps are appropriate only if one is attending a sporting event and that tee shirts and shorts are for the beach. How fortunate that there is still someplace in a resort area that will stand up and say no to the ever encroaching lack of decorum that is justified in the name of casual. Manners shouldn't be left at home when one is on vacation, and neither should appropriate clothing. I guess my assumption there may be incorrect, some of these vacationers probably don't have manners at home, so why would them have them on vacation . . . but that's a commentary for another time. Where is Miss Manners when you need her?

EatHereOrNot? EAT HERE

Honolulu: Rainbows

This is it . . . the best Hawaiian fast food on the island. What looks like an old hamburger stand is actually the home to the best plate lunch in Honolulu [I know, everyone has their favorites]. The place has walk up windows with a few outdoor tables, that's it. Its a local place that you'll have to ask directions to find, and is packed at the lunch hour with all sorts of people: from giant Samoan men working construction, to suit-types, to school teachers. It looks dirty, but the food is great. My best advice, go a little later and arrive hungry!

What is plate lunch? Its a ton of nasty-good food on a plate, covered with gravy, that makes you want to roll over and sleep on the beach when you're finished. Start with a take-out box . . . add 2 scoops of white rice, one scoop of macaroni salad [2 if you're lucky], some kind of meat [katsu chicken is my favorite, although spam is very popular] then cover the whole thing with brown gravy. Sprinkle on the chili sauce and you're ready to go. Add a cherry slushy float with chocolate ice cream and you can be in bad-food heaven. Give it a shot, really.

For the tourist looking for local color and flavor, a plate lunch joint is the place to visit. And for my money Rainbows is the best . . . just find it and see. Aloha!

EatHereOrNot? EAT HERE

Honolulu: Royal Hawaiian: Mai Tai Bar

This is place where the drink was created, on a beautiful terrace overlooking the Pacific in the classic Royal Hawaiian Hotel. I went for lunch and have this to say: BAD SERVICE, BAD ATTITUDE, and BAD FOOD. It was a disaster on every front and I tried to give them some slack.



The bar wasn't crowded, there were open tables when I sat down for a late lunch. After waiting 10 minutes to be acknowledged by the waiter [snippy] I ordered a drink and their Lobster Cobb Salad. The food arrived 40 minutes later . . . with no contact from the waiter in the interim . . . and it was NASTY. The lobster was like rubber and tasteless. The entire salad and plate were tepid, no where close to chilled and dressing nonexistent. Oh, and there was no bacon [listed on the menu description] . . . what's a Cobb Salad without bacon I ask you??? The waiter returned after I was more than half way through the salad and when I asked about the bacon he said "So, do you want me to get some?". My, my. He eventually brought bacon, after I had completed the meal and was waiting for a check and said something like "you already ate your lettuce . . . ". And then said that they'd buy my lunch, basically admitting that it had been a bad experience.



I don't know if they were understaffed, if the kitchen was in chaos or if something was broken. All I know is that the experience was bad and, to compound things, the attitude of the staff was indifferent at best. Thank you, but I'll have my salad in the sun elsewhere next time. And you should too!



EatHereOrNot: NOT!

Honolulu: Halekulani Hotel: Orchids

Orchids is the main restaurant in the Halekulani Hotel on the beach in Honolulu. The hotel is an oasis in the hustle and bustle of the area and Orchids is the perfect spot for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The restaurant is beautiful and opens to a lawn and views of the pacific. The food is wonderful, seafood with an island sensibility that is beautifully presented, and the service gracious and professional. Lunch is a great time to check this place out, take a break from the beach and relax for a fine meal. The lobster and crab salad is great, the soups always inventive and the coconut cake . . . reason enough to fly to Honolulu. Coconut cake at Orchids and all is right with the world, trust me.

This whole property has a sleek quiet elegance about it that is a welcome tonic to the cacophony that is Waikiki. And happily, all of the guest rooms seem to have full length mirrors installed as people are appropriately dressed and seem to know the difference between "resort casual" and "vacation slob", which is what one usually sees just outside the door. I'm all for casual, but please leave your tattered shorts, "I'm With Stupid" tee-shirts and clear plastic heels back home at the trailer park. Or, visit Las Vegas and stay at Circus Circus.

EatHereOrNot? EAT HERE

Hawaiian Airlines

OK, so I had to escape Portland and jumped on a Hawaiian Airlines flight to Honolulu for some sun and a break. As usual, I was impressed by Hawaiian Airlines . . . they are the best domestic carrier in the sky as far as I'm concerned. The planes are pleasant and comfortable [for transpacific flights its all 767 with 2 classes of service], the staff is welcoming and efficient, and the food is actually very good. Now I will admit that i was flying first class, which does taint the experience, but the service in first is much better than I've had on Delta or United and the food is hands down the best. I think what really makes this operation shine is the staff . . . consistently gracious, helpful, and always ready with a smile. What a concept! If you are travelling to Hawaii, give them a try and see what I mean. Even in coach!

FlyHereOrNot? FLY HERE

Honolulu: Hilton Hawaiian Village: Bali by the Sea

Well, here I am in beautiful Hawaii for a few days relaxation and contemplation at the start of the new year. And eating, of course. Bali by the Sea is the upscale dining room at the Hilton Hawaiian Village resort and it is a complete disappointment. Service, atmosphere and food were all disappointments . . . and I had high expectations. The service was disinterested at best [and the servers looked sloppy in ill fitting uniforms, one guy had his tie unhooked like a soda jerk] and the whole experience sub par. Especially for the price.

Sugar cane crusted scallops as a starter were over cooked and rubbery, but the concept was good. Seared sea bass was also over cooked, but the presentation was nice and the risotto side dish was interesting. I passed on dessert, nothing looked interesting. The server was pleasant, but just not into it and it showed. I'd rather eat plate lunch than here again.

There is some good competition here in Honolulu for fine dining and Hilton should step up and do a better job. The resort has a lot of great features, but dining is not one of them.

EatHereOrNot? NOT