I had the pleasure of dining at Arancino at The Kahala with a few of my coworkers—a much-needed evening out filled with laughter, conversation, and, of course, amazing Italian food.
Before we even got to the appetizers, we enjoyed the house bread ... warm, crusty on the outside, soft on the inside, and served with olive oil that made it impossible to stop at just one bite. Thank goodness they only serve one piece per person!
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We kicked things off by sharing a few appetizers that really set the tone for the rest of the meal. The Affettato Misto was a beautiful spread of Italian cured meats and cheeses—perfect for grazing and pairing with sips of wine.
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The Calamari Fritti was light and crispy, not greasy at all, and came with a tasty dipping sauce that disappeared quickly.
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The Insalata Caprese was simple, fresh, and a good low-carb dish to offset what was to come next.
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For my entrée, I went with my tried-and-true Italian restaurant pick: Pappardelle alla Bolognese. I can never resist it when it's on the menu, and Arancino’s version didn’t disappoint.
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One of my coworkers ordered the Spaghetti ai Ricci di Mare (uni pasta), which is one of Arancino’s signature dishes. If you're a fan of uni (not me!!), this one’s definitely worth a try.
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Another pasta dish made it to the table as well, though I’ll admit, the name escapes me—but based on the clean plate at the end, it was amazing.
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We wrapped up the meal with tiramisu, which came out deconstructed—a modern twist on the classic. It was beautifully presented, and while I appreciated the creativity, I’m more of a traditionalist when it comes to tiramisu. There’s just something about those layers of espresso-soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone cream that I missed in this version.
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Service throughout the night was fantastic—attentive, friendly, and never rushed. Even though Arancino is located right next to the hotel’s porte cochere, the atmosphere was still surprisingly pleasant, and if you’re lucky, you might even catch a celebrity sighting—one time (not on this visit), I actually spotted a star from Hawaii Five-0 arriving at the hotel! Just one more reason Arancino is always a memorable dining experience.
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ARANCINO at The KAHALA
5000 Kahala Avenue
808-380-4400
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