Chai’s Choice

White Chocolate Amore Truffle with Raspberry Guava Puree (dessert choice from Monthly Full Moon Concert dinner event). File photo

World-renowned chef Chai Chaowasaree surely lives up to his reputation as one of Hawaii’s top Hawaii Regional Cuisine chefs. At his restaurant, Chef Chai, you can get a taste for his innovative fare, which is always perfected with a plethora of fresh ingredients.

Located on Kapiolani Boulevard near Neal S. Blaisdell Center, Chef Chai is the ideal place for a night on the town, boasting both elegance and tranquility. Chaowasaree meticulously creates art with each dish as he meshes tastes, textures and colors to guarantee that presentation and every bite are flawless.

Make it a routine to enjoy Chef Chai’s Monthly Full Moon Concert, an event that takes place on the night of each full moon throughout 2017 (first one is Jan. 12).

Guests are invited to enjoy dinner at 6 p.m. and a show at 7:15 p.m. Chaowasaree partners up with Robert Cazimero and his Halau Na Kamalei to bring patrons a fantastic meal accompanied by great music beneath the bright night sky.

Some of the appetizers from the Monthly Full Moon Concert dinner are Fresh Ahi Tartare with Avocado Mousse in Minitature Waffle Cone; Salmon Gravlax Roulade with Cream Cheese & Crab Meat; and Smoked Duck Tacos with Spicy Mango Salsa. L. Tabudlo photo

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For $75 per person, patrons will savor a starter, appetizers and choice of both entrée and dessert, all to go along with the sweet melodies. Chaowasaree recommends making a reservation in advance, as the monthly dinner usually sells out.

He recently sat down with Dining Out (DO) to discuss what guests can expect to savor during the moonlit event:

DO: What inspired you to host a Monthly Full Moon Concert?

CHAOWASAREE: The idea was carried on from when Chai’s Island Bistro (the chef’s former restaurant) was at Aloha Tower. We used to have Hawaiian music seven nights a week. When we moved to Kapiolani, we wanted to continue to support Hawaiian music, but we changed it to one night a month with Robert Cazimero.

DO: What kinds of dishes can guests expect at the dinner event?

CHAOWASAREE: For the entrée, they will choose from Grilled Beef Tenderloin; Mongolian-style Lamb Chops; Miso Fresh Chilean Sea Bass; and Vegetarian Terrine.

DO: Miso Fresh Chilean Sea Bass seems to be very popular. How did you come up with that dish?

CHAOWASAREE: That’s one of our signature dishes. When guests come in, everyone tells me that was one of the best dishes they’ve ever had. It melts in their mouth and what I like about it is that Chilean Sea Bass is very high in fat content, which is a good fat because fish oil is good for you. And because the fish is so high in fat, no matter what, the fish is always going to be soft and moist.

Chef Chai

Pacifica Honolulu,
1009 Kapiolani Blvd., Honolulu
585-0011
Nightly, 4-11 p.m.
chefchai.com