Tamura's Fine Wine & Liquors

Umami was killing time before dinner one evening and wandered into Tamura's.  Just to check out the wines and liquor selections.  It was an impressive array indeed.  But the best thing?  They sell Icees!

Tamura's Fine Wine & Liquors
3496 Waialae Ave.
Honolulu, HI  96816 
808-735-7100 

Restaurant Week: JJ Bistro

It's Restaurant Week in Honolulu, but, alas, Umami hasn't made it to d.k. yet!    But he and Trish did go check out JJ Bistro and French Pastry, which was running a four course prix fixe for $24.70.  For that price, you get . . . 

Sweet pea soup with scallop.  Cute little bowl/mug of soup.  The soup was thinner than you would expect, but with a delicate pea flavor, with hints of butter, and a scallop.  As it turned out, one cute scallop per bowl/mug.

Choice of appetizer.  Trish and Umami normally coordinate their orders to get as many different dishes as possible, so this is appetizer #1 . . . manila clams.

Appetizer #2 was the Bake Lobster Avocado:  lobster on French bread croutons with a sauce that was almost a cross between a guacamole and salsa.  A little of the sauce went a long way for the lobster, plus some sprouts for crunch.  Good fun.

Seafood Brioche

Inside the Brioche

Entree #1:  Seafood stuffed Brioche, served with leek, Shiitake mushroom, red bell pepper in chef's special black pepper cream sauce.

Entree #2:  Baked Lamb Wellington:  Rack of lamb with bell pepper & Cheese wrapped in puff pastry, served with side pan seared potato and black pepper cream sauce.  This was an interesting dish.  Umami is not normally a lamb fan (because sometimes the taste can be a little strong), but couldn't resist.  It's a neat little dish, worth trying.  Oh, if ordering the restaurant week special, this entree costs $5 more.

Dessert Case

Now, the interesting thing for this special is that you get one dessert with the meal, and one to take home!  Though you can eat both there.   Plus, a little baby creme brulee as well.  So, doing the math, that's six desserts between Umami and Trish!

From left to right:  Iced Drop Framboise, Red Velvet Cake, Creme Brulee.

Sorry this is so dark!  From left to right:  Chestnut cake (very delicate chestnut flavor, reminded Umami of the chestnuts from Shirokiya), Chocolate Pyramid (intense dark chocolate flavor that was awesome with coffee . . . they also have mini pyramids ($1) and raspberry chocolate pyramids).

It was a veritable dessert fest!

The restaurant does a smaller scale prix fixe menu daily; it's worth checking out:  www.jjfrenchpastry.com.  It's always fun to try a lot of different things, and the Restaurant Week special is a great excuse to do so.  And . . . six desserts . . . !!  Check it out.   

JJ Bistro and French Pastry 
3447 Waialae Ave 
Honolulu, HI 96816 
Tel(808)739-0993
Fax(808)739-0991 

Restaurant Week!

Restaurant Week is back, November 15-21!  It's one week of special deals and menus at participating restaurants, with some of the proceeds going to support the Culinary Institute of the Pacific.  Umami went last year and is looking forward to this year!

Here's the link:  http://www.restaurantweekhawaii.com/About.aspx?c_id=1.  Check out the participating restaurants for the various deals.  Umami is very intriguted by this one, from d.k. Steak House:

APPETIZER:
PEPPER CRUSTED FRESH HAWAIIAN AHI NICOISE

With Nalo Farms baby Arugula, Ho Farms Tomatoes, Haricot Verts, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Quail Eggs

ENTRÉE – CHOICE OF:

“VINTAGE NATURAL” 22 oz. BONE IN RIB EYE STEAK CLASSICALLY AGED FOR 28 DAYS  (NO antibiotics, NO growth hormones, All Grass & Pineapple-fed, All Natural).  Accompanied with some specialty sides

POTATO AU GRATIN - Scallop potatoes topped with Maui Onions, Nalo Thyme & baked with Parmesan Cheese

ASPARAGUS MILINANESE - Steamed Wailua Asparagus topped with an “Over Easy” local farm egg, topped with Italian Bread Crumbs and Truffle Oil

OR

KING CRAB & DILL STUFFED FRESH CATCH OF THE DAY

With roasted Kobaocha and Garlic puree, sautéed Nalo garlic Swiss Chard in a Thai Lobster Cream sauce.

DESSERT:

THE CHOCOLATE BOMB

Bittersweet Chocolate Cake, Semi-sweet Ganache & Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

COFFEE or TEA

All for $42 per person (Food Only)!

Curry Potatoes with Greek Yogurt and Dill

Diced some potatoes and onions, cooked with a little butter.  Added salt and curry powder (could have used a lot more salt, but then Umami has a bit of a salt tooth).  Mixed some dill into the yogurt and topped the potatoes.  The yogurt is a little sweet, so, definitely, more salt on the potatoes!

Cafe Europa: Napoleon

Puff pastry, frosting, confectioners sugar.  (This one was exceptionally puffy!)  Ms. D calls it "a little piece of heaven."

Cafe Europa
801 Alakea Street, Suite #101
Honolulu, HI 96813.