Page 3 - Dining Out - May 23, 2021

Restaurant Insider with Anne Lee
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FEAST by Jon Matsubara 2970 E. Manoa Road, Honolulu 808-840-0488 Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. lunch; 4-6 p.m. dinner; Tuesdays- Saturdays, closed Sundays-Mondays Curbside pickup on Lowrey Avenue Social media: @feast808 feastrestauranthawaii.com
at efficiency and consistency. Tabla in New York exposed me to the world of spices. Jean-Georges and Bouley taught me to have an open mind; for example, using fruit with meats, prepared French style.
For Canoe House at Mau- nalani, Alan encouraged me to take this position. Stage taught me creativity. I was given carte blanche to create menus, uniforms and design the kitchen, and learned how to run a business. At Azure, I learned how to make more out of less. I created a tasting menu where guests could try smaller plates of items (at the same price point as an entrée).
At Japengo, my arsenal of what I could create grew. I had access to a sushi chef and Chinese chef. I absorbed their knowledge; one in particular is the lechon that I have on my menu today. At Forty Carrots
at Bloomingdale’s, I learned the fundamentals to operate a small restaurant. This blue- print helped me launch Feast. Merriman’s taught me about volume. They had an incredi- ble system on how to execute so many covers at once.
AL: What are the most pop- ular dishes at FEAST, and what is the inspiration for the menu?
JM: It’s a collaboration of all the places that I have worked. I made these dishes with my family in mind. The Jon Lechon ($17.50) is our signature pork belly. It’s cooked for 24 hours and topped with Chinese roast pork spiced roulade. It’s Fil- ipino-style lechon but with Chinese roast pork flavor. The keto version is made with cauliflower mac salad.
Our FEAST Bento ($30) is our bestseller. We have this on the menu until it runs out. It fea-
tures Kunoa butter-poached fi- let mignon, petite lobster roll, umami mushroom rice and Kula mixed green salad.
The famous Lobster Roll ($23; spicy, $24), featured on Where Hawaii Eats, is a big portion of lobster mixed with umami mayo, lemon and served on a buttered Hawaiian sweet roll with fries. You can also order FEAST DIY Lobster Roll Kit (small, three rolls, $23; medium, six rolls, $46) to make at home.
The Chicken Shawarma Plate ($15.50) special fea- tures marinated chicken in a homemade shawarma spice sauce. It’s grilled, served with hummus, kula greens, tomato and cucumbers, turmeric rice and naan.
Our grab-and-go Feast Charcuterie for 2 ($20) has prosciutto, dry salami, corni- chon, olives, and a selection of soft, medium and hard
cheeses.
AL: Where are your favorite places to eat?
JM: I love Izakaya Torae To- rae. The quality and price are great. I also tried the barbe- cue at Sunset Smokehouse in Wahiawa.
When I am eating some- thing, it stimulates me to figure out how it’s made: seasoning, texture, what spices, etc. I don’t have a specific type of cuisine that is my favorite. I like variety and eat whatever I am in the mood for.
AL: What was the most mem- orable event during your ca- reer as a chef?
JM: Each one of my daugh- ters were born when I was opening up a new restaurant: Canoe House (first daughter), Stage Restaurant (second daughter) and Azure (third daughter). We thought when we opened up FEAST that we
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would be having a fourth!
AL: Anything else you want to share?
JM: I want to work with local vendors and collaborate. We will be launching one-of-a- kind popsicles with Pop Cul- ture Artisan Pops in the next week or so. We will be get- ting our liquor license soon, and we can start pairing our dishes with alcohol. We have a beer connoisseur that has his own microbrews. Our front- of-the-house has sommelier
and fine-dining experience. In the future, if people want to pick up something on the way home, we can create a pairing that they can enjoy. You will start to see us at farmers mar- kets. We are appreciative of the support of the community. We want to give back.
1. Chicken Shawarma Plate ($15.50) 2. Lobster Roll and Fries ($23) 3. Charcuterie for 2 ($20
4. Keto Chicharrones ($17.50)
Weekends Start on Thursdays at The Veranda
Why wait until Friday for fun and libations?
Start your weekends on Thursdays at The Veranda. This week, enjoy sweet Hawaiian and contemporary melodies by Jeremy Hirokawa, along with a wide selection of craft cocktails, wine and sake. With fabulous drinks, hors d’oeuvres and live music, you’ll discover why Thursdays are a reason to celebrate.
DINNER Tue-Sat, 5:30-9 p.m. COCKTAILS Tue-Sat, 5:30-9:30 p.m. LIVE MUSIC Thu-Sat, 6-8 p.m.
OPEN AIR LIVE MUSIC
Reservations 739.8811 KahalaResort.com
Dining Out / May 23-29, 2021 / 3