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Dive into the best of the ocean

A La Carte Columns

July 23, 2017

Story By: Caroline Wright | Photos by: Harbor Restaurant At Pier 38

Misoyaki Chilean Sea Bass ($42, dinner only)

If Poseidon himself wanted a seafood feast, he could not do better than the delectable fare found on the menu at Harbor Restaurant at Pier 38.

Take Misoyaki Chilean Sea Bass ($42), for example, which only is offered for dinner. “The bass comes from the waters around Antarctica,” says executive chef Rob McDaniel. “We marinate it for 24 hours in a misoyaki sauce with miso, mirin, sake, sesame, green onion. It’s very simple, but very delicious.”

The fish is flaky perfection, with a hint of dark brown around its edges from being seared in Harbor’s high-heat Spanish brasa ovens.

Spanish Grilled Octopus ($16 appetizer)

Then there’s Spanish Grilled Octopus ($16 appetizer; $19 lunch salad; $24 dinner salad), which uses wild-caught and superbly tender octopus. “They’re a specialty item, so we source our own,” McDaniel explains. “I have them flown in from Spain a couple of times a week.” They’re steamed first, grilled in the brasa (oven), sliced and tossed with fresh citrus and olive oil.

Then there’s Brasa-grilled Salmon, which includes sashimi-grade Chilean salmon on a bed of asparagus with classic Hollandaise. It is simply seasoned, with a hint of smokiness from the oven. This dish rarely appears on the daily menu, but all three featured dishes are included on Harbor’s three-course, private-dining menu ($48), which is seeing a lot of action these days.

After opening just over a year ago, Harbor is emerging as a red-hot venue for corporate gatherings and other large events.

“We’re getting a lot of inquiries about buyouts, especially for Christmas parties,” says Tricia Kunishige, who handles the restaurant’s events and catering. “We offer both plated and buffet-style menus, and we can accommodate about 250 for seated events, and 400 for cocktail-style parties.”

What’s more, artists like slack-key guitarist Aja Gample perform at the stunningly handsome waterfront restaurant four nights a week (Thursday-Sunday).

Harbor Restaurant At Pier 38

1129 N. Nimitz Hwy., Honolulu
550-3740
Daily, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Huki Pau happy hour: Daily, 2-6 p.m.

Honolulu, HI 96817

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