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Discover a ‘fresh’ take on wonderful holiday menus

A La Carte

December 8, 2019

Story By: Don Robbins |

Pesce Grancio in Crosta, part of Holiday 3-Course Menu ($70 plus tax and gratuity)

The word “fresco” means “fresh” in the Italian language. Fresco Italian Restaurant nestled inside Hilton Hawaiian Village certainly keeps true to its name by offering an exciting innovative approach to cuisine to the delight of guests.

Coming up next on the horizon, Fresco will offer its special Holiday 3and 4-Course Menus, which will run from Dec. 21 through Jan. 5.

For example, the Holiday 4-Course Meal ($90 plus tax and gratuity) has a Starter of Cocktail Di Gamberetti. This dish features juicy jumbo shrimp cocktail and calamansi horse-radish cocktail sauce. The pasta course is Spaghetti Freschi. It’s wonderfully fresh spaghetti pasta, with local mushroom truffle essence. Entree is Surf & Turf, with seared Prime beef tenderloin topped with foie gras torchon. It also includes butter poached lobster tail, tobiko, mashed potato puree and a vegetable medley.

For dessert, indulge your senses with the delectable Pumpkin Tiramisu.

Rodhel Ibay, executive chef, explains that he’s very proud of that refreshing dessert which highlights locally farmed pumpkin.

“You’ve got to try that,” he shares.

Ibay explains that he strives to offer familiar, classic food but presented in a modern way with excellent flavor.

Surf & Turf, part of Holiday 4-Course Meal ($90 plus tax and gratuity)

“I just want them to come and experience it,” he says. “We’re trying to push the boundaries. We’re trying to evolve,” he adds.

He also uses the best locally grown fruits, herbs, vegetables, dairy products and even locally raised meats. Each item on the restaurant’s course menu includes something from Hawaii inside of it with fresh ingredients.

RIGHT ON ‘COURSE’

Fresco Italian Restaurant offers its Holiday 3-Course Menu ($70 plus tax and gratuity). The sumptuous meal from Dec. 21 to Jan. 5 features a Starter of Island Baby Greens Rolls with island mix organic greens wrapped with rice paper, along with garlic sesame Dijon vinaigrette. One of the Entrée choices is Filetto & Involtini Di Granchio. It’s a petit seared filet, crispy crab spring rolls, bearnaise sauce, mashed potato puree and a vegetable medley. Another entree choice is the Pesce Grancio In Crosta (shown opposite page), a grilled island fresh catch du jour, with honey mustard vinaigrette, roasted fingerling potato and vegetable medley. Delectable dessert is the Apple Tart Tartin, a warm apple with puff pastry, vanilla cream sauce, caramel and vanilla gelato.

Honolulu, HI 96815

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