Page 3 - Dining Out - Feb 21, 2021
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    Restaurant Insider with Anne Lee
    didn’t know at the time. He said that I should really consider becoming a chef because he enjoyed the meal that I pre- pared for him. He went out and did some research and found out that The Culinary Institute of America, which had moved from Connecticut to NewYork, was the best culinary school the nation had to offer. I ap- plied and got in, and the rest is history.
AL: Tell me more about your upbringing.
RY: I was born and raised on a U.S. Army base outside of Tokyo. After I graduated from The Culinary Institute of America, I went to California and worked at some presti- gious restaurants at the time, suchasL’Escoffier,L’Ermitage, Le Serene, Michael’s and Le Gourmet in the Sheraton Pla- za La Reina. In 1984, I opened my first restaurant 385 North in Hollywood. One day, my cous- in called from Hawaii, and said she and her husband drove
by this building and thought that it might be interesting for me to look at, as she felt that it would be a good spot for a restaurant. I was intrigued and came to Oahu to visit the location and thought that the Hawaii Kai location would be a good neighborhood spot.
My father was born and raised on Maui. As a kid, I would spend every other sum- mer on Maui with my grand- parents, aunts and uncles. Getting off the airplane, our first stop was Tamashiro Mar- ket. My grandfather owned a couple of restaurants in the Wailuku and Kihei areas back in the early 1940s, and also the popular Yamaguchi General Store. He was very passionate about food. Food was always inourDNA.Askids,itwas our lifestyle to hunt and fish. I learned at an early age what farm-to-table truly meant.
AL: Tell me about the first year that Roy’s Hawaii Kai opened its doors.
RY: We opened in 1988, and again, I picked that location specifically as a destination restaurant. I wanted a residen- tial area, specifically a neigh- borhood, as I wanted to be a part of the community.
I wanted to give job oppor- tunities and also attract diners within the area, to have an identity within the community.
AL: Tell me more about your other restaurants.
RY: After Roy’s, the next con- cept was Nicolina on Maui. It was kind of a fun restaurant. Then came Princeville Tavern on Kauai. After that, I opened the Eating House 1849 on Kau- ai, I wasn’t sure if it was going to be another Roy’s, but, I felt the time was right to open a different concept on Kauai because of the setting and the shopssurroundingthearea.I felt Eating House would fit well within the center.
AL: Tell me more about Eat- ing House 1849?
RY: Eating House is based on a gentleman by the name of
Peter Fernandez, who suppos- edly opened the first restau- rant in Hawaii back in 1849. The restaurant was called Eat- ing House. In 1849, and there was a lot of trade and imports coming to Hawaii.
The concept of the menu was combining that with some of the new stuff that was being introduced to Hawaii and em- bracing the different ethnicities that makes Hawaii, Hawaii. The food heritage here was made up of all the plantation workers.
I envisioned them bringing food from home and sharing it with their friends and appreci- ating the flavors from all of the different cultural backgrounds. That is what you will find at The Eating House.
AL: What dishes are we fea- turing today? RY:FromourLandandSea offerings, we have our ten- der braised short ribs with charred garlic chive chimich- urri, Yukon mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts ($38).
Our build-your-own local catch (price varies) dish is
unique. Guests can choose how they want it prepared and all-inclusive based on the fish choice. You first choose the fish: mahi mahi, Kona kam- pachi, salmon or monchong (subject to change).
Then, the cooking prepa- ration: sautéed, grilled, tem- pura or jun. Then, the sauce preparations: pancit noodles, minted nampla green papa- ya, truffle garlic caper beurre blanc, housemade chigae soup, red Thai curry, sizzling serrano ginger vinaigrette and tri caviar shiso shallot infusion.
Under the Rice and Noo- dles category, one of the
Expect nothing but the best when dining at any one of Roy Yamaguchi’s restaurants. The world-renowned chef utilizes the freshest ingredients and a farm- to-table mindset in each of his culinary creations.
popular favorites is the Sea- food Paella ($43), made with tomato saffron rice with Por- tuguese sausage, lobster, shrimp and clams.
On our Small Plates catego- ry, the ume glazed pork belly bao buns ($15) are also a fan favorite.
AL: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
RY: One of my favorite dishes that I created at Eating House is the Pork and Crab Pillows ($16). They are like dump- lings filled with pork, shrimp and more, and come with a Chinese-style chili shoyu vinaigrette.
   Eating House 1849 by Roy Yamaguchi International Marketplace
2330 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki 924-1849
Hours: 4:30-9 p.m.; 4-6 p.m. happy hour
The Shops at Kukuiula
2829 Ala Kalanikaumaka Road, Koloa Hours: 4-8 p.m. 742-5000
royyamaguchi.com
     AT THE KAHALA
RESERVATIONS
739.8811 KahalaResort.com
BREAKFAST AT THE KAHALA
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PLUMERIA BEACH HOUSE BREAKFAST
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