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Throwing a bone to diners

Columns Lite Bites

November 4, 2013

Story By: Yu Shing Ting | Photos by: Leah Friel

Beachhouse at the Moana has a new menu that features dishes prepared with a nice mix of sustainable and local produce.

For example, brand new to the restaurant is Hawaii Ranchers New York Steak, which is available as part of the popular Moonlight Serenade three-course seasonal menu. For just $45, enjoy a starter (marinated mozzarella, heirloom cherry, basil or lobster bisque, scallion pistou), a main dish (Hawaii Ranchers New York steak, gor-gonzola cream or porcini crusted ahi loin, chili vinaigrette), two sides (Parme-san-whipped potatoes and creamed spinach) and the finale (buttermilk panna cotta, mango salad).

According to chef de cuisine William Chen, the Hawaii Ranchers New York steak (which also can be ordered ala carte at $46 for a 14-ounce strip), comes from grass-fed cattle raised on the Big Island and has more of a pure beef flavor than meat from corn-fed cattles.

“What we wanted to do was highlight some local produce and things that are more sustainable, things that have a bit of a story to it,” adds Chen. “For example, we started offering salmon from Wester Ross in Scotland, where each salmon is hand-fed, hand-reared, individually tagged and traceable to the pond. It’s just a fantastic flavor of the fish, it has a sweeter taste to it, and it’s just overall better for the guest and the planet.”

Grilled Wester Ross Salmon ($33) is prepared with a smoked onion crema, along with a local sea asparagus and local tomato relish. For your appetizer, Roasted Bone Marrow ($14) typically found in traditional steakhouses on the Mainland, is a dish that’s both irresistible and memorable. It’s pure meat marrow with tasty gre- molata (a mix of garlic, lemon zest and parsley) on top that can be enjoyed with grilled baguettes or simply as is. Then order a shot of your favorite liquor for the bone luge, a hot trend where you pour alcohol down an emptied out shank bone and into your mouth.

“I personally love mar row. I think it’s such a great, fun thing to have, but it also speaks very well to the steakhouse concept that we have and something fun to bring on, especially the whole luging thing,” adds Chen. “It’s very interactive and gets the guests talking. (For the bone luge) I like a whiskey or bourbon, some people like tequila or vodka. But no matter what you try it with, it’s not going to taste like the shot would normally taste. It’s creamier, supple and takes away the sharpness of the alcohol.”

Of course, the restaurant’s core menu is the same, including its large offering of fine steaks and some classic sides. Between breathtaking views of the ocean and the hotel’s turn-of-the-century architecture, to delectable culinary masterpieces and first-class service, Beach-house at the Moana continues to go above and beyond in delivering a truly elegant dining experience. Located inside the iconic Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, the restaurant is open for dinner only.

“We’re still staying true to the Beachhouse steakhouse, sea grill concept,” says Chen about the new menu. “But at the same time, (we’re) trying to tie into the brand that we are in, the Westin, which is about health and wellness.”

Beachhouse at the Moana

Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa 2365 Kalakaua Ave.
921-4600
Daily, 5:30-9:30 p.m.
beachhousewaikiki.com

Honolulu, HI 96815

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