Page 2 - Dining Out - July 11, 2021

Restaurant Insider with Anne Lee
ANNE LEE
speaks with Off The Wall Craft Beer & Wine executive chef JOSE REYES
Photos by
LAWRENCE TABUDLO
C hef Jose Reyes has brought his Latin American-style cuisine to Off The Wall Craft Beer & Wine. With a modern twist on Peruvian, Mexican and French styles, his take on the menu is unique to Hawaii. I had the pleasure of dining with him and learning about his culture, passion and how he elevated this establishment’s menu into more than just a place for
great craft beer.
AL: Tell me a little bit of your history and how you came to work at Off The Wall Craft Beer & Wine.
JR: I am originally from Puerto Rico. My wife is Filipino and her family lives here. We wanted to come to Hawaii and have been here for two years. Interestingly enough, when I met the owners of Off The Wall, I was thinking of moving my family out of Hawaii due to the uncertainty of what the pandemic created. There was a position opened for executive chef and I applied. When I met with the owners, it was like I be- longed here. They loved my food and we have very similar cultural back- grounds. I have always wanted to be a chef since I was a little kid, and I am living my dream.
AL: Tell me about your style of cui- sine and what you have added to the menu here.
JR: The menu items are a blend of Puerto Rican influence and what I have
learned through the years. I didn’t start changing the menu right away. I was looking at how each dish was being made and if it was executed in the right way. I modified things that needed to be changed. Then, I added specials and watched the response from our customers: what was selling and what people liked. I wanted to learn the pal- ate of our customer base, and that is what we are still doing now. Off The Wall is known for the craft beer selection, and we have seen customers that come in for the food that do not even drink.
AL: What is your inspiration for these dishes?
JR: There are many great chefs that we follow. There is a Mexican chef, Enrique Olvera; he is known for cre- ating Mexican dishes in a fine-dining platform. There is a well-known chef Gastón Acurio, who actually brought Peruvian food to the world. I am a big fan of a French chef and restaurateur Joël Robuchon, may he rest in peace.
AL: What are the bestselling items and customer favorites?
JR: Beef Empanadas ($11); three pieces made with Spanish-spiced Big Island beef, potatoes, Spanish olives, onions, chimichurri and a side of citrus coleslaw.
Shrimp alo Macho ($18) topped with Peruvian yellow pepper sauce, sweet potato, tomato-yuzu relish and chili oil.
Mussels Ala Chalaca ($12), featuring five New Zealand green mussels with aji amarillo, yuzu tobiko and heart of palm.
The Off The Wall NY Strip Steak ($22) is beer-aged, topped with herbed but- ter and served with poblano au gratin potatoes.
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2 / Dining Out / July 11-17, 2021