Page 4 - Dining Out - Dec 12, 2021

A-5 Japanese Wagyu
Beef Tenderloin
Devour a perfectly prepared tenderloin to ring in 2020.
Story by
KYLE GALDEIRA
Photos by
LAWRENCE TABUDLO
Chef Chai Chaowasaree continues to amaze guests by crafting diverse and flavorful holiday menus at his
popular Chef Chai restaurant.
There’s still time to reserve seats for Chef
Chai’s New Year’s Eve dinner menu avail- able on Friday, Dec. 31. As is the case with the sold-out Christmas Eve dinner, the New Year’s Eve offering is expected to fill up soon, so guests are encouraged to make reserva- tions now to ensure a spot.
At Chef Chai, situated on the ground level of the Pacifica Honolulu building on Kapiola- ni Boulevard across from the Neal Blaisdell
Arena, gift cards are also available as perfect holiday gifts with no expiration date!
The New Year’s Eve dinner ($85 per per- son, add $19 for Veuve Clicquot Champagne by the glass) begins with a choice of appe- tizer, including the Combination Appetizer Platter (minimum two people) with Fresh Ahi Tartar in Mini Waffle Cone, Smoked Duck Taco with Fresh Mango Salsa, Gravlax Salm- on Roulade with Cream Cheese and Crab Meat, and Kataifi Macadamia Nut Crusted Jumbo Black Tiger Prawns.
Diners may choose from entrée selections, including Grilled Beef Tenderloin Welling-
ton with Duxelle Mushrooms (add $10) with mashed potatoes, haricot vert, sundried to- mato and baby carrots; Braised Kurobuta Pork Osso Bucco with five-spice demi and steamed rice; and Chinese-Style Roasted Duck with natural duck jus and garlic noo- dles (add $10).
As a special entrée on the New Year’s Eve menu, guests may indulge in the exqui- siteGrilledCertifiedA-5JapaneseWagyu (add $90) as the succulent 8-ounce beef tenderloin from Japan offers impeccable marbling and flavor alongside roasted Hamakua mushrooms, haricot vert, baby
carrots and mashed potatoes.
“The A-5 is the best of the best, and the
beef is so tender, it’s like eating butter,” says Chaowasaree. “The cattle are fed with milk, wine and olives to enhance the fat content, and a good, whole A-5 Wagyu cow can sell for upwards of $80,000! Not many restau- rants in Hawaii serve this special cut, and at Chef Chai, we only serve this once a year for Christmas and New Year’s dinners.”
For dessert, diners may select from multi- ple sweet treats, including Chef Chai’s iconic Heart-ShapedWhiteChocolateGelatoTruf- fle with fresh raspberry guava puree;Waial-
4 / Dining Out / Dec. 12-18, 2021
Cover Story