Where to Eat - Honolulu, Waikiki and Oahu - page 179

HiroshiEurasianTapas ★★ EURASIAN Star chef Hiroshi Fukui opened this restaurant along
with Hawaii's only master sommelier, Chuck Furuya. Part of the tapas (Spanish appetizers)
trend, small plates make up most of the menu here. The result is fabulous, especially for food-
ies who want to sample several items off the menu (the staff recommends three dishes per
person). The small plates offer a range of tastes, from sizzling Moi carpaccio with ginger, to-
mato, tofu, and truffled ponzu vinaigrette; to foie gras sushi with a teriyaki glaze; to Por-
tuguese sausage pot stickers with sweet corn, garlic chili foam, and truffled ponzu sauce; to
crab cannelloni with shiitake mushrooms, dill pesto, mozzarella cheese, and miso sauce. Go
with a group so you can sample even more. They also serve larger plates, like the dreamy
crab-stuffed mahimahi, crispy skin catch of the day, and a red wine steamed veal cheek. Try
to hold out for desserts such as the delicious lemongrass crème brûlée, the wicked chocolate
cake with molten chocolate, and the great panna cotta.
On Restaurant Row, 500 Ala Moana Blvd. & 808/533-HIRO [533-4476]. www.dkrestaurants.com . Reservations recom-
mended. Tapas $10-$17, larger plates $25-$37. AE, DISC, MC, V. Daily 5:30-9:30pm.
Indigo Eurasian Cuisine ★★ EURASIAN Hardwood floors, red brick, wicker, high ceilings,
and an overall feeling of Indochine luxury give Indigo a stylish edge. You can dine indoors
or in a garden setting on menu offerings such as pot stickers, Buddhist bao buns, savory
brochettes, shrimp lumpia, curry- and Asian-style dumplings, plum-glazed baby back ribs,
and cleverly named offerings from both East and West. Chef Glenn Chu is popular, but many
claim that Indigo is more style than flavor. We disagree—this is a great restaurant.
1121 Nuuanu Ave. & 808/521-2900. www.indigo-hawaii.com . Reservations recommended. Lunch buffet $16, dinner
main dishes $20-$36. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Tues-Fri 11:30am-2pm; Tues-Sat 6-9pm; martini time in the Green Room
Tues-Fri 4-8pm.
Legend Seafood Restaurant ★ DIM SUM/SEAFOOD This is a dining room straight out of
Hong Kong, complete with Chinese-speaking clientele pouring over Chinese newspapers and
the clatter of chopsticks punctuating conversations. Excellent dim sum comes in bamboo
steamers that beckon seductively from carts. Although dining here is a form of assertiveness
training (you must wave madly to catch the server's eye and then point to what you want), the
system doesn't deter fans from returning. Among our favorites: deep-fried taro puffs, prawn
dumplings, shrimp dim sum, vegetable dumplings, and the open-faced seafood (with shii-
take, scallops, and a tofu product called aburage). Dim sum is served only at lunch, but din-
nertime seafood dishes comfort sufficiently. Not a very elegant restaurant, but the food is ser-
ious and great.
At the Chinese Cultural Plaza, 100 N. Beretania St. & 808/532-1868. Reservations recommended for dinner. Most items
under $17. AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Fri 10:30am-2pm and 5:30-9pm; Sat-Sun 8am-2pm and 5:30-9pm.
LittleVillageNoodleHouse CHINESE Don't let the decor throw you—the interior design here
reminds us of a small French bistro in Provence. No matter, the food here is authentic Chinese
(Northern, Cantonese, and Hong Kong-style), as well as “simple and healthy” (their motto).
Our picks are the Shanghai noodles with stir-fried veggies, the walnut shrimp, and the butter-
fish in black-bean sauce. The menu is eclectic and offers some interesting selections you don't
often see. The service is not only friendly (a rarity in Chinatown), but the waitstaff is quite