A Premier Voyage to Atlantis

July 29, 2012 By Steve Murray Photos By Nathalie Walker

Ross and Forever 21 opened, in part, to bring more locals into Waikiki. Here’s another reason, Atlantis Steak and Seafood for pupus. Well, anything, but this is an appetizer column, so I’ll leave the rest of the menu to my surprisingly never overfed colleagues.

If you believe spice is nice, try Garlic Clams ($13.95). The fresh Manila clams are sauteed and served in a garlic butter broth that is clean and spicy. Naturally sweet, the clams are complemented with the spicy broth while the toasted bread provides the crunch to the multi-textured mini meal.

Shrimp, clams, bacon — interested? OK, that may be a silly question, but don’t let the obvious scare you away. Deep Fried Ocean Wrap ($12.95) is made with jumbo scallops and shrimp that are wrapped in bacon (IN BACON!), coated in corn meal and panko, and deep-fried. Yep, it’s that good. Alone, the tender shrimp, sweet scallops and smoky bacon offers a big enough flavor profile to satisfy the most discriminating “pupuophile,” but add the sweet mango and papaya salsa, and the two aioli (one sweet, the other made with wasabi), and you’ve got a dish that is crazy good.

Yes, Golden Fried Calamari ($9.95) is tender and the sweet chili aioli makes a terrific dipping sauce, but what stands out with this appetizer favorite is the size of the cuts. Forget the dainty, micro squid that fits three to a chopstick, these big loops of sweet sea life are satisfying mouthfuls of flavor that somehow seem to get bigger as you dig deeper into its tea leaf wrap.

Not yet finished with the big time? Try the aptly-named Seafood Boat ($39.95). The large ocean-ready vessel is packed with crab claws, shrimp cocktail, mussels, clams and oysters. It’s an offthe-menu treat, but there are no secret codes or friends of Steve requirements to qualify. That’s director of operations Steve Matsuno, not me. How vain do you think I am?