After going through several incarnations under Donato Loperfido and Philippe Padovani, the space that has been Elua, then Sapori Enoteca Birreria and the solo Padovani’s Grill, the restaurant in the Uraku Tower welcomed a new tenant over the holidays.
Already the new space seems lighter, with dark furnishings replaced by a sea of white.
Mimasuya Italiano of Kyoto adds yet another helping of Japanese-style Italian cuisine, though with all the Japanese-based Italian restaurants that have opened here in the past five years, and with a third Arancino restaurant due to open at the Kahala Hotel & Resort in spring, one must ask whether the Oahu market is becoming oversaturated with these restaurants. And how will this one distinguish itself from the rest when it falls shy of the bar set by Arancino, Bernini and Taormina, with equally high prices.
Kyoto meets Italy most decisively in appetizers such as sesame-crusted griglia ahi ($13), seared and served with a delicate white miso vinegar sauce, and I wish I had tried ahi and vegetables wrapped in yuba (thin tofu skins) and served with anchovy sauce ($14). But the chef’s choice of 10 assorted appetizers for two ($25) beckoned. This is an omakase of greens and savory treats that arrive in individual ceramic dishes beautifully presented in what has to be the biggest bento box ever, partitioned like a jewelry box for focused appreciation of each morsel.
When I was there, this assortment included spinach with prosciutto, marinated vegetables, Campari-soaked watermelon, zucchini farci and shrimp, black tea-infused sweet potato, scallop and tofu flan which was like a rougher version of chawan mushi, shrimp and potato with pesto, and frittata. My favorites were a cheese-stuffed tomato, as well as grilled octopus in tomato sauce.
If you don’t care to be surprised, focus on caponata, the eggplant salad served with crostini ($7), or perhaps a Caesar salad ($10).
As petite as the morsels in the Chef’s Choice appetizer box were, a single entree per person afterward is enough to sate the belly. I always like variety, so it’s nice to choose a pasta dish and heavier dish to share. Don’t worry, portions are generous, so you won’t feel cheated out of an extra piece of chicken or veal.
Roman-style chicken stew ($22) was a standout, no more than a humble, fork-tender chicken cacciatore in light tomato basil sauce lavished with panchetta, zucchini, pepperoncino, mushrooms and a sprinkling of Parmigiano.
On the other hand, I didn’t care for the veal Milanese ($25), a dry cutlet that was supposed to be served with an anchovy lemon sauce, which was nowhere to be found. The most interesting thing about this dish was an accompaniment of grilled risotto that was crisped like o-koge onigiri.
Lobster linguine ($28) is a star of the menu, the linguine swathed in a rich tomato sauce, but it was difficult to handle the lobster itself, served in the shell without the proper tools to get at the meat. Most of it went to waste, but the messiness of trying to pry out the meat resulted in a minefield of red dots, sauce that splattered across the table, possibly on myself as well. I don’t know. I was, conveniently, in holiday red, which I find is always the best color to wear to any Italian restaurant.
You could not go wrong ordering pasta puttanesca ($17), though it’s still not spicy enough for my taste, or tagliatelle Bolognese ($18) with the addition of eggplant and mushrooms in the classic meat sauce.
The wine list starts with a dozen house whites and reds mostly from California and Italy at about $8 to $13 by the glass and about $24 to $33 by the bottle.
Cocktails include Lemoncello ($10) and a refreshing “Strawberries N Basil” ($10) with muddled strawberries and basil, Bombay Sapphire and Italian bitters, fresh-pressed lemon, a sugar reduction and drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction.
Don’t leave without trying the orange tart, each peeled segment of the fruit arranged in a spiral over custard and topped with candied ginger. It was sweet and refreshing, accompanied by a relish of preserved mango, blueberries and other candied fruit. This dessert would lure me back for more.
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Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.
