Appetito cranks up pizza oven

When Appetito Craft Pizza and Wine Bar opened in October, it was missing one key element: the pizza!

Yes, it’s taken months of trials and working with the restaurant’s kiawe wood-burning oven to arrive at a pizza that meets regional executive chef Hiroyuki Mimura’s specifications.

Pizza is something the chef always wanted to introduce at Taormina Sicilian Cuisine, where he also serves as executive chef, but a pizza oven would not fit into the space. Here the restaurant seems to have been designed around the gilt-tile-covered pizza oven, which cooks the pizzas in 90 seconds at 900 degrees.

The hand-tossed, approximately 9-inch pizzas feature a thin crust made with Caputo flour, the gold standard for Neapolitan pizzas. Each will feed one, or two as a shared appetizer.

A grand-opening celebration welcoming the new menu additions took place Friday night, with guests able to sample four out of 13 classic and artisanal pizza options.

These included the classic tomato, mozzarella and basil Margherita ($15) and quatro formaggi ($18) with gorgonzola, mozzarella, ricotta and Grana Padana cheeses, finished with a drizzle of local honey.

Other options can be quite elaborate, such as the king crab shishito pizza ($24) topped with crab meat, avocado, shishito peppers and arugula with wasabi mayo; and Korean yakiniku ($19) with grilled beef, kim chee, mozzarella, kochujang mayo and Tokyo negi.

Appetito is in the Ohana Waikiki East Hotel, 150 Kaiulani Ave. Call 922-1150.

— Nadine Kam, Special to the Star-Advertiser

J’S SETTLES INTO NEW HOME IN KAKAAKO

The latest choice for diners at Salt at Our Kaka‘ako is the Korean barbecue restaurant J’s BBQ and Grill.

J’s is a longtime Kakaako family business, opening just down the street from Salt in 1987. The restaurant was displaced by redevelopment in the area but is now back with its familiar menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner plates, and with owner So Pak still at the helm.

“My father feels very at home in Kakaako because he knows everyone and everyone knows him,” Heejin Uchimura, Pak’s daughter, said in a statement.

Plate lunches mostly run from $11.95 to $16.95, although they top out at $24.95 for king kalbi. Meat jun, barbecue chicken and man doo kook soo are among the choices. Salads of mixed greens topped with chicken — barbecued, spicy or as katsu — are $8.95 to $9.95.

The breakfast menu has been expanded on weekends with pancakes, waffles and more. J’s also plans a delivery service within Kakaako.

Salt is at 691 Auahi St. J’s is on the ground level next to Morning Brew.

Hours are 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, 5:30 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Call 537-1117.

VEGANS HAVE NEW RAMEN CHOICES

Agu A Ramen Bistro has been adding to the vegan choices on its menu:

>> Tomato ramen, made with tomatoes, carrots, soy milk, garlic, ginger, onions, olive oil and vegetable broth, is like an Italian pasta dish in ramen form.

>> Hakata ramen, normally served with a pork broth, has been remade free of animal-related products and a broth of almond milk and creamy miso. It was developed in a partnership of Agu owner and chef Hisashi “Teddy” Uehara and Vegan Hills owner and chef Megumi Odin.

>> Tan tan men, a Sichuan-style ramen sometimes called “peddler’s noodles,” is a spicy blend, also with almond milk as a base, with chili spices and tahini. It also was developed by Uehara and Odin.

All the ramen dishes are priced at $15.

Agu has seven locations on Oahu and seven in Texas. Visit aguramen.com or call 797-2933.

VOTE ONLINE TO SUPPORT LOCAL NURSERY

Ho‘oluana Nursery in Waimanalo seeks to expand its operations to include kalo-growing and is in the running for a farm grant to make it happen. Key to getting the funding: Your vote.

National produce distributor PRO*ACT is giving a total of $75,000 to farms nationwide, based on votes from local communities.

Vote at cultivatingchange.org.

Ho‘oluana grows ti leaves and tropical flowers, and raises livestock. Clearing 2 acres of marsh-type land for kalo would cost about $22,500.

Quickbites is a weekly listing of dining events. Email items to crave@staradvertiser.com.