Page 4 - Dining Out - Jan 23, 2022

Cover Story
Story by
KYLE GALDEIRA
From the moment one walks through the doors of Roy’s Ko Olina, diners feel a warm sense of aloha as the skilled staff welcomes guests and creates a memorable ex- perience that has made the restaurant a go-to special celebration destination.
Whether it’s a chef greet- ing guests on the way to their table, or the service team providing personalized rec- ommendations to fine-tune an order, the Roy’s Ko Olina team provides a well-round- ed experience that goes be- yond just a meal.
“The cuisine tastes just as good as it sounded when the server explained it; the wine list is world class with selec- tions from over 20 regions, selected to be exciting and food friendly,” says Roy’s Ko Olina general manager Tai- sei Lee. “Guests leave with a feeling that they were cared for. Part of the reason we are one of the few large restau- rants that survived the last few unpredictable years is our personal connections with the community.”
Roy’s Ko Olina execu- tive chef Darryl Shinogi describes the menu as featuring a wide variety of items infused with a local, Euro-Asian flair as strong, bold flavors meet Europe- an preparation techniques.
Photos by
LAWRENCE TABUDLO
“Roy’s is known for its fresh local ingredients, bold Asian spices and Eu- ropean-based sauces,” Lee explains. “Over the years, executive chefs have re-cre- ated the dishes that made Roy’s Hawaii successful, also adding their own influence to each location’s menu, showcasing global inspira- tion. How many restaurants can you find Hamachi Cru- do, Smoked Beef Brisket and a Plantation Paella on one menu? Much of the influ- ence derives from our island culture, the Pacific melting pot, with favorites like Fresh Sashimi Platter and Misoyaki Butterfish.”
The restaurant over- looks the world-class Ko Olina Golf Course’s iconic 18th green, as some prefer to watch players finish their rounds on the course’s home stretch. Roy’s Ko Olina fea- tures an outdoor dining lanai as well as expansive 180-de- gree views of Makakilo and the surrounding golf course from the climate-controlled dining room.
“Guests can expect a world-class view and gen- uine ‘aloha’ service,” Lee says. “Guests rave that our location has a different feel than other restaurants.
“We encourage our staff to be the best version of their professional selves
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4 / Dining Out / Jan. 23-29, 2022
— no robot servers here at Roy’s Ko Olina!”
Go on a culinary adven- ture with the Roy’s Style Field Trip Lunch ($32), which in- cludes hibachi salmon, crisp chicken wings, local short rib kalbi, furikake steamed rice and Kahumana organic baby greens. Also, during lunch service, be sure to try Local Smoked Beef Brisket ($30) with pork belly baked beans and housemade cornbread.
On Monday, Feb. 14, Roy’s Ko Olina is offering a spe- cial Valentine’s Day prix fixe
menu starting with Spiced Hot-Iron Seared Japanese Bluefin followed by a sec- ond course of soup and sandwich featuring Co- gnac-laced Big Island Maine Lobster Bisque and Maine Lobster Bao Bun. Before en- joying the evening’s dessert of Strawberry & Big Island Mousse Tart, guests may se- lect from an array of alluring entrées, including Sweet Butter Poached Tristan Lob- sters ($98) or Pan-Roasted Chilean Sea Bass ($96).
If readers mention “Dining Out Rosé,” as part of a spe-
cial February promotion, guests can enjoy a bottle of Caraccioli Brut Rosé 2014 from Santa Lucia Highlands for just $99 (regularly priced at$145).Thesparklingwine,
as Lee explains, is “perfect for the month of love,” and it comes from a small winery with relatively low produc- tion but high quality.
Roy’s Ko Olina also of-