The Counter at Miro

I get teased about being a picky eater, but on occasion, I will happily indulge and eat everything placed in front of me, as I did at The Counter at Miro.

The multi-course tasting menu showcased the skill and refinement that Chef Chris Kajioka is known for.

Every dish was superb, but my absolute fave was the Waygu Brioche — I could've eaten half a dozen of those.

Here is all that we devoured (huge thanks to Chef Chris for sending me the menu details!):

Oishii oyster, tosazu, kona limu 

Tartlet of lean and fatty tuna, wasabi, ama ebi, ossetra caviar 

Puff of caramelized onion, truffle and harbison cheese

Wagyu brioche, smoked oyster, hokkaido uni

Kanpachi, paste of charred scallion, ho farm tomato, tomato ponzu 

Chawanmushi, surf clam, pea and asparagus ragout, dashi butter 

Hawaiian rolls, roasted garlic and honey butter 

Scallop, shio kombu salsa verde, yuzu, crispy kombu 

Grilled shortrib, japanese sweet potato, hirabara farm carrots /  

Donabe of wagyu shortrib and fried leeks, nanatsuboshi rice 

Buttermilk panna cotta, pineapple and yuzu granita, shiso, vanilla ice cream, coconut water foam

Mignardises

Thank you Chef Chris & team for a fabulous meal!

The Counter at Miro currently offers 2 seatings, with the second seating offering a more extensive menu than the first.



The Counter at Miro
1108 12th Ave C
Honolulu, HI 96816

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natuRe Waikiki

Recently opened in the former PARIS Waikiki spot is natuRe Waikiki, where Chef Nae Ogawa and her team craft a menu with a focus on Sustainable Island French.  I was invited for a media tasting, where I indulged in the Plant-Based menu, and a friend dined on the Regular menu.

Oyster / Sea Asparagus (supplement on Regular menu)

`Ulu / `Aina (both)

Moloka`i Venison

Eggplant / Tomato Finger Lime

Heart of Palm / Black Garlic

Kona Abalone / Turnip

Ewa Corn with Macadamia Nuts

Ewa Corn with Tomme Cheese

Kabocha Pumpkin / Sourdough with Ogo-Infused Oil

Sourdough with Ogo-Infused Butter

Portobello Mushroom / Laulau 

Big Island Beef / Ahupua`a

The `Ulu / Aina was a great representation of natuRe, and the perfect bite to start off the meal.  An `ulu chip was topped with `Ulu Hummus, and dusted with Manoa chocolate husk powder.

The Eggplant was accompanied by a fermented tomato gelee.  I am not a huge fan of chilled eggplant dishes, but I really liked the shiso flavor, and the squeeze of finger lime offered a pleasant tartness to the dish.  

The Charcoal Heart of Palm Beignet was my favorite dish of the night.  The light, salted crust and the tender heart of palm, when dipped in the fermented Black Garlic Aioli, was just delicious.

The Ewa Corn Gnocchi Parisian was another of my favorite dishes.  Pillowy puffs of corn were topped with either Tomme (goat cheese) or a vegan mac nut "Parmesan Cheese."

The Kabocha Pumpkin Soup was creamy and pleasant, and paired perfectly with the sourdough (my friend loved the Ogo Butter!).

The Portobello Mushroom Pithivier was a phenomenal main course.  If you love mushrooms, you will love this dish, as the pithivier is stuffed with a mushroom duxelle.

Desserts are a la carte, and even though I was full from the tasting, there was no way I was going to skip dessert!

Manoa Chocolate Terrine

Local Sweet Potato Mont Blanc

The Manoa Chocolate Terrine was decadent, and the Local Sweet Potato Mont Blanc was just a beauty (it's vegan!)

My friend really enjoyed the Regular menu as well, and I really believe that no matter if you're a meat-eater or plant-eater, you'll be impressed with what natuRe offers.

The menus offer QR codes that can be scanned, opening up to stories on each dish, including the source of the featured ingredients.  

Each dish reflected elements in nature, and they were all beautifully presented.  

natuRe Waikiki is a must-try, and I am eager to return for another excellent experience!

natuRe Waikiki
413 Seaside Ave #2F

Honolulu, HI 96815

Mahalo to natuRe Waikiki for hosting our dinner.  Gratuity was paid on our own.

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PAI Honolulu's Chef Tasting

In 2017 I tried PAI Honolulu for the first time and have been a fan ever since.  I've returned numerous times for lunch and happy hour, and most recently I tried the Chef's Tasting Menu.

SNACK - 18 Month Dry-Aged Carpaccio, Ankimo & Mentaiko Toast, Fried Oyster

AVOCADO SALAD

BABY BEETS - oscietra caviar, watercress, red wine vinaigrette

AGEDASHI XO TURNIP CAKE miso-cured Ali`i mushroom, smoked akule, daikon oroshi, ti leaf consomme

DIM SUM Abalone Mushroom & Sunchoke Miso Taro Puff Halibut, Beet & Kombu Siu Mai Head Cheese Har Gau

NDUJA & CRAB AGNOLOTTI house-made pasta, pickled red onion, truffle

KONA PRAWN smoked hazelnut romesco, olive, arugula

NABETA english pea ragu, spiced carrot, quinoa, mint, wasabi pea

CARNATION CHIBOUST black lime meringue, bergamot foam, fernancier

Cherry Miso Mousse

I requested a Vegetarian Tasting Menu, which included modified versions of several of the dishes, including snacks with carrots and mushrooms, tempura asparagus, and an amazing main entree of mushrooms.

If I could make vegetables taste as good as Chef Kevin makes them taste, I'd eat only veggies!

I liked the desserts, and thought the Cherry Miso Mousse was a surprising combo, but it worked!

A few of the vegetarian options:

 

A friend of mine who joined me for the tasting, loved the ankimo & mentaiko toast, and thought the avocado course was delicious and really liked the small hint of spice in the vinaigrette.

The Agedashi XO Turnip cake was his favorite course, noting that there were layers of umami.

He also enjoyed the agnolotti, the Kona prawn, and thought the dessert was light and refreshing.

Service was great, and I really enjoyed Chef Kevin Lee's tasting menu!

PAI Honolulu
55 Merchant St Suite 110

Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 744-2531

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