Turn the Chefs Loose

[southern girl]

During my time on Oahu I had four excellent meals at Alan Wong's...Actually two of them went a step past excellent ! Because I dine there so frequently, I have gotten to know the kitchen staff and pretty well. For the regular menu from Alan Wong's click here. My first meal at Alan Wong's I chose from the men and specials as my sinuses were in revolt and I knew I wouldn't be able to taste all the flavors and enjoy the effort the kitchen would pt into a tasting menu. The kitchen sent out a pair of amuse...the first was a chiso leaf topped with half a raw dayboat scallop topped with a slice of Hawaiian orange, a dash of Hawaiian salt and a squeeze of lime juice, to be rolled up and eaten in one bit. The sweetness of the scallop and the bite of the citrus made for a lovely combination. One of my Alan Wong's "favorites" followed. The "soup and a sandwich"-a chilled martini glass filled with swirled red and yellow tomato soups, accompanied by a minature reuben made with Kalua pork and foie gras ...yum! I followed these up with the "New Wave Opihi Shooter" (local limpet in tomato fennel water with shredded chiso leaf, basil and nicoise olive. Next I enjoyed the "Nori Wrapped Tempura Big Eye Ahi with Tomato Ginger Relish and Soy Mustard". For my main course I chose the "Pan Roasted Day Boat Scallops and Shrimp with creamy mashed potatoes, Sauteed Mushrooms, Baby Vegetables"- 4 mounds of mashed potatoes topped with sauteed enoki, shiitake and oyster mushrooms, a huge perfectly cooked dayboat scallop and a large shrimp, sauced with a mushroom jus. Amazingly flavor even in my state. For dessert I had another "comfort favorite"- The Five Spoonfuls of Brulee-orange, coffee, chocolate, macadamia nut and lilikoi.

Recharged and ready to challenge the kitchen on my second visit Chef Wong and the kitchen staff were up for the challenge. I chose to let the house pair the wines...which were all very nice, but in the case of many of the whites, a bit too sweet. They did, for the most part, pair acceptably with the dishes, but, I think some pairings could be improved.

Amuse: Opihi Shooter accompanied by a kumomoto oyster topped with red chili pepper granite(excellent dish) (Vueve Cliquot Yellow Label)

-1st course: In the Jean George style-four small square plates held in a larger square plate containing: A petit ahi tower (ahi stacked on a crispy wonton, spicy aioli and wasabi soy; a Chinese soup spoon containing three peeled tomatoes dressed with Li Hing Mui Vinaigrette; Seafood Dim Sum-the dumpling wrapper is made from pounded scallops and stuffed with lobster, shrimp and crab(excellent dish); and a demi tasse of truffled edamame soup with edamame frico (excellent dish). Wine: Alan Wong's 2001 Pinot Pinot from Au Bon Climat (75% pinot blanc, 25% pinot gris).

-2nd course:Duck Salad dressed with Hoisin Soy mustard dressing served mounded in a martini glass with a minature duck quesadilla on the side. Wine:More Pinot Pinot

-3rd course: Unagi and kohlrabi short rib wrapped in nori and tempura fried , topped with foie gras and sweet eel sauce (excellent plus) Wine:2001 Caymus Conundrum

-4th course: Moi served over a stew of white beans, tomatoes, portugese sausage and sauteed greens, topped with tomato salsa with onions and bay shrimp (excellent plus). Wine: 2000 Gundlach Reisling

-5th course: Truffle Butter Poached Lobster with Roe Sauce and Hawaiian Asparagus- This is one of those "oh my dishes"- The server brings out the plate and you can feel the heat waves eminating from it-which was odd because nothing sits around waiting to be served at AW's...then another arrives with a small pitcher containing a green sauce...which he pours on the plate...it promptly turns bright red...pureed lobster roe (which cooks when it hits the plate!) and lobster consomme with chopped basil...(excellent plus plus). Wine: 2001 Stohrs Gerwurtz.

-6th Course: 5 Spice Seared Duck breast with duck leg confit over braised cabbaged with smashed potatoes (Very Good) Wine:Alan Wong's Cab Cab (75% Cab Franc and 25% cabernet)

Dessert: A long oblong plate containing "the coconut"-a Haupia Sorbet in a chocolate shell with diced kiwi, pineapple and mango in a lilikoi sauce; Lilikoi cheesecake with guave passionfruit sauce; green apple sorbet in a cookie tuille and chocoalte "crunch bars"-layers of milk chocolate macadamia nut crunch and bittersweet Chocolate Mousse (Very Good).

Dinner Three: Another Challenge:

Could the crew outdo Dinner Two??? Simple answer: YES...As this was a different overall crew in the kitchen and they all swap stations from night to night, so, there was a bit of repetition...but, that isn't something to compalin about .

-Amuse: Opihi Shooter and Hot "California" Roll (Baked Kona Lobster Mousse wrapped in Nori with crab avocado stuffing

-1st course:Duck Nacho- pulled, roasted duck meat and guacamole atop a wonton skin nacho; crab, lobster and salmon mousse with black truffle, topped with ikura (very good); Kumomoto Oyster with red pepper granite.

-2nd course-Kona Lobster claw topped with foie gras over sauteed enoki and shiitake mushrooms with local corn drizzled with curry oil and a balsamic reduction (excellent plus)

-3rd course: Duck Salad with duck quesadilla

-4th course: Moi served in a large soup bowl with a light truffle butter-seafood broth, tapioca, ginger stir fried mixed vegetables and a scallop wrapped shu mai (excellent plus plus)

-5th course: Lobster "Macaroni and Cheese"- a mini penne pasta tossed with lobster consomme, hunks of kona lobster, edamame and carrot pearls topped with shaved parmesan. (excellent plus plus)

-6th course: Roasted Veal with a Toad in the Hole- perfectly cooked slices of veal tenderloin accompanied my a mini "toad" (a small circle of toast with a hole in the middle containing a sunny side up quail egg-with a salad of frisee with diced bacon a nd saga bleu cheese (excellent)

Dessert: The Coconut; Macadamia Nut Cheesecake; Macadamia Ice Cream in a cookie tuille; chocolate decadance (a very dense chocolate torte)...(very good)...

Will add fourth meal and comments shortly...

Fourth Meal: "Sort of off anf on the menu"- This meal was with one of the golfers, his fiancee and his caddie to celebrate his good finish at the Sony Open. He is pretty mch a steak and potato guy, so the tasting menu was out.

Amuse: Lollipop of scallop and lobster wrapped in a wonton skin and fried. Tuille containing salmon mousse topped with salmon tartare and ikura. I called ahead and asked Chef to prepare one of the golfer's favorite amuse-mini burger and fries...a bun about the size of a silver dollar filled with seared ahi, accompanied by minature fries, ketchup and large ahi fries with aioli.

App 1: Opihi shooter

App 2: Seared Yellowfin Ahi-Served Rare with Crispy Asian Slaw in Soy Vinaigrette (good)

Entree: Mein Taiko Risotto with Pan Roasted Dayboat Scallops and Shrimp-not a mneu item...chef Lance Kosaka always remembers I love mein taiko and at some point during my visit, prepares this dish

Dessert:The "Coconut"

Mistress of stating the obvious-as I will here- Alan Wong's provides some absolutely incredible dishes...made with creativity and love and served by the very dedicated and well-trained staff Mahalo

Edited January 23, 2003 by southern girl (log)

[tighe]

All I can really say about this is: Daaamn!!

That was some seriously good eating. If I go to Hawaii, can I drop your name at AW's?

Thanks so much for sharing.....

[lizziee]

southern girl,

I have to stop reading your posts before dinner!

What incredible food that you so lovingly and beautifully described.

Thank you for a wonderful post.

What is moi?

[southern girl]

Tighe...let me know if you decide to go and I'll tell you the "secret password"

Lizziee...thank you for the kind comments...moi is a moist, flaky whitefish...similar to snapper but it is more moist and more flavorful. It's also known as Pacific Threadfish. Chef Gary, who prepared the second moi told me the legend of the moi...in the days of the Kings...only the Royals were allowed to east moi...if an regular Hawaiian ate it, and got caught...they were put to death ! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[mamster]

Southern girl, thanks so much for posting this report. I've never been to Alan Wong's, but he did once call Sur La Table when I was working there and ordered a dozen egg toppers.

Do you suppose that when the king's guard came to accuse a commoner of eating the forbidden fish, the commoner put a hand innocently over his chest and said, "Moi?"

[southern girl]

Oh Mamster...that's bad