Autumn Brings Awards and New Seasonal Menus to PAI Honolulu

PAI Honolulu was honored with HONOLULU Magazine’s Hale ‘Aina Award for Best New Restaurant, Editor’s Choice, at the publication’s 35th annual dining awards ceremony on September 30, 2018. PAI Honolulu was also recognized in the Best Service (Top Write-In) and Best Tasting Menu (Finalist) categories. In addition, Chef Kevin Lee was selected as one of two finalists in Pacific Business News’s Pineapple Awards, recognizing the best in Hawai‘i tourism and hospitality, in the category for Best Chef-Owner.

PAI Honolulu’s fall menus embrace the earthy, warming flavors of the season. The lunch menu now features a hearty Clam Chowder in the House-Baked Sourdough Soup Bowl and a Kabocha Risotto with toasted pumpkin seeds and baby vegetables. Lee’s riff on the classic Chinese dim sum dish Naw Mai Gai — a roulade of Cornish game hen stuffed with XO mochi rice, topped with chicken gravy and Burgundy truffle — has been added to the dinner entrée options. Highlights of Lee’s Fall 2018 Chef’s Tasting Menu include a Wild Mushroom Ragù with matsutake mushrooms, escargot, gnocchi and Pecorino cheese, optionally paired with a 2016 Planeta Frappato (Vittoria, Sicily), and —back by popular demand — Lee’s Basmati Rice Congee, in this iteration with shiitake mushrooms, pickled grapes, garlic chives and shiso, topped with seared foie gras and surprisingly paired with a 2016 William Fevre Chablis “Montmains” Premier Cru Chardonnay. Bar Lead Joe Arakawa has also added fall flavors to the cocktail menu in the form of his spicy Bee Sting (cardamom, star anise, Thai chili-infused gin, sloe gin, lemon and honey) and Fun-Guys, Monks & Pirates, which complements Lee’s menu use of mushroom with shiitake-infused Kikori whisky, Ramazzotti, Ferreira tawny port and green Chartreuse.

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Happy Hour at Bevy Bar

I recently met up with some friends at Bevy Bar for Happy Hour (4-7pm Mon-Sat).

Grasshopper

Fried Avocado

Brussel Sprouts

Patata Puffs

My fave of the appetizers was the Patata Puffs.  The pillowy puffs of potato were savory and cheesy.

I also really liked the Fried Avocado, which was fried in panko and topped with a Mexican slaw.

It was quite crowded during Happy Hour, but I enjoyed the food and drinks (the Grasshopper was delightful), and can't wait to return!

Bevy Bar
675 Auahi St #130

Honolulu, HI 96813

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Visit Denver: Bacon Social House

Our first stop after arriving in Denver was to Bacon Social House for breakfast!

Bacon + Chocolate Pancake

Red Velvet Pancake

Whole Hog Omelet

Bacon Hash

Breakfast Burrito

The Bacon Flight

How could I resist going to a restaurant where almost everything on the menu includes bacon?

The Bacon Flight consisted of Applewood, BBQ, Candied, Habanero, Paleo, and Chipotle Ranch strips of bacon.  It was neat to taste the different varieties (a fave was the BBQ!).

I ordered the Bacon Hash for my meal, which consisted of hickory smoked country bacon, a poached egg, sweet potatoes, roasted hatch chilies, caramelized onions, and a tomato aioli.  It was a very hearty dish, and it was quite spicy!

The Breakfast Burrito was stuffed with black beans, cheddar, potatoes, eggs, and topped with salsa and green chili.

The Whole Hog Omelet included pulled pork, applewood smoked bacon, ham and cheddar.  It was served with bacon tots - some of the best tots I've ever tried!

There are non-bacon items on the menu as well, such as pancakes, veggie scramble, and avocado toast.  But how could you go to a place called Bacon Social House without eating bacon?


Bacon Social House
2434 W 44th Ave

Denver, CO 80211

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Royal Hawaii Center - November Free Entertainment

Royal Hawaiian Center offers up the very best in Hawaiian entertainment throughout November, including hula ‘auana performances; music from Hawai‘i’s top recording artists; evenings featuring steel guitar, slack key, and Hawaiian piano; and the only hula kahiko in Waikīkī. Visitors and kamaʻāina are invited to gather in The Royal Grove from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. to enjoy the free performances. The November entertainment schedule is as follows:

Mele Pākolu Series

The first week of the month features the Mele Pākolu series with three special nights of music and hula. 

• Tuesday, November 6 – Steel Guitar Night, Konapiliahi Lau
• Wednesday, November 7 – Slack Key Guitar Night, Maunalua
• Thursday, November 8 – Hawaiian Piano Night, Wehilani Ching & ‘Ohana

Hula Performances

Hawaiian music and hula ‘auana, hula’s modern form, fills The Royal Grove Tuesday through Friday at twilight. The hour-long performances feature top island entertainers with a focus on Hawaiian language musical favorites. 

On Saturdays, hula kahiko is showcased with a hālau hula (hula school) and their 'ōlapa (dancers) performing traditional hula where drumming and chanting are the accompaniment. 

Live Hawaiian Entertainment

• Tuesdays – Waipuna
• Wednesdays – Hula Show by Malu Productions 
• Thursdays – Kūpaoa
• Fridays – ʻEkolu Mākou
• Saturdays – Ka Hula O Kealamailani, Kumu Hula TeHani Kealamailani Gonzado

Valet Parking

For guests’ convenience, Royal Hawaiian Center offers valet parking Monday – Thursday nights from 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. and on Friday – Sunday nights from 5:00 – 11:00 p.m. Vehicle drop-off is located adjacent to the entrance to the Center’s parking garage on the corner of Royal Hawaiian Avenue and Don Ho Lane. Valet parking is $9 for the first 5 hours; standard rates apply thereafter. 

For more information, visit www.RoyalHawaiianCenter.com or call Helumoa Hale Guest Services at 808-922-2299.

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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my favorite types of cookies is Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, so when I looked through the Zingerman's Bakehouse cookbook and saw the recipe for Big O Cookies, which uses raisins, I decided to tweak it a bit.

It turned out great, and next time I hope to make the original Big O Cookies!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 c + 2 T butter, softened
• 3/4 c + 2 T brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 c + 1 T maple syrup
• 1 large egg
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 c + 1 T flour
• 1 1/8 t baking soda
• 1 1/8 t sea salt
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 3 c old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 3/4 c chocolate chips

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• Cream the butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl.
• Add in maple syrup slowly.
• Mix in vanilla and egg.
• In a separate large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture and combine by hand.
• Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
• Scoop approximately 3 T dough and form into balls (gently press to flatten slightly) and place onto parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake for 15-17 minutes.

You can find the original recipe in the Zingerman's Bakehouse cookbook.

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Visit Colorado: Le Pops

I'm not a huge ice or cream pop fan, but while visiting the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder Colorado, we happened to park near Le Pops, so I decided to take a peek inside.

A variety of ice pops and cream pops in all sorts of fun flavors were available to choose from, and I decided to get a Pumpkin Cheesecake pop (`tis the season!).  You can eat it as is, or opt to have it dipped in chocolate and / or coated with toppings.

My pop was dipped in Milk Chocolate and coated with Pralined Almonds.

It was the best cream pop I've ever eaten!

The Pumpkin Cheesecake flavor was yummy by itself, but with the addition of the chocolate and pralined almonds - the pop was just divine!

I wish I ordered two!

Le Pops
1048 Pearl St Suite 107

Boulder, CO 80302

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Special Olympics Hawaii Commemorates 50 Years of Empowering Hawaii Athletes

Recognizing five decades of work supporting Hawaii athletes with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics Hawaii will host a 50th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018 at Mid-Pacific Country Club at 5:30 p.m. The benefit event invites guests to enjoy a festive evening of dining and entertainment, while celebrating the milestones marked over the last five decades delivering sports, health, and promoting inclusion.

“For the past 50 years, Special Olympics Hawaii has successfully utilized sports as a catalyst to empower individuals with intellectual disabilities and foster a future of acceptance and inclusion,” said Nancy Bottelo, Special Olympics Hawaii President and CEO. “As we mark this astounding milestone, we invite those who have supported us over the years to celebrate as we look back at all we’ve done and look forward to a future of respect, dignity, and inclusion for all people, regardless of their abilities.”

Tickets for the 50th Anniversary Celebration are $100 per person and are available at www.sohawaii.org. Monies raised from the event will support upcoming sports competitions such as the annual Holiday Classic State Games, which marks the end of Special Olympics Hawaii’s 2018 fall season.

Supported by over 11,000 volunteers annually, Special Olympics Hawaii is able to deliver 10 Olympic-type sports and more than 50 competitions throughout the year, all free of charge to the athletes and families. Special Olympics Hawaii is a year-round, not-for-profit organization that relies on community support to provide sports programs, health education, and community building to address inactivity, injustice, intolerance and social isolation by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities--creating a more welcoming and inclusive society.

For more information on Special Olympics Hawaii’s 50th Anniversary, please contact 808-943-8808 or www.sohawaii.org.

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