Taste of Heaven

Our government is a funny thing. On food safety we regulate details like washing hands and food temperatures, but on the most controversial issue, GMOs, politicians are strangely silent, allowing the public, farmers and chemical companies to debate the pros and cons among themselves.

To prolong shelf life, fool the eye with appetizing visuals and preserve foods, regulators deem it’s OK to color, add chemicals, radiate and gas our foods. But it’s barely legal for a sushi chef to go about his work with bare hands, as has been practiced for centuries.

Food safety is also a growing concern in Japan. And here, one of its exports, Aloha Table Group, is among a handful of restaurants leading the charge in tending to our health by putting nutritious, locally sourced organic ingredients on the table.

The company behind Waikiki’s Aloha Table and Goofy Cafe recently opened its third enterprise, Heavenly, in the Shoreline Hotel Waikiki opposite the Ross Dress for Less store. It’s nice to know there are chefs and restaurateurs out there putting an effort into safeguarding our health, because most of us aren’t doing a good job — especially when dining out is often perceived as a reason to indulge. Here you can indulge and feel you’ve done something good for your body … 80 percent of the time. The other times you might be devouring specialties such as chocolate-banana honey French toast that may be fresh, local and organic but no less decadent than imported, nonorganic versions.

Just as at Goofy Cafe, the back of the menu features a "Traceability Report," with a map to farms statewide, detailing the source of each ingredient. The relaxed surfer-chic interior provides a warm and inviting backdrop for sampling fresh-fruit smoothies, organic wines and a full range of breakfast to dinner options. Fans of Heavenly’s siblings will be glad to hear their executive chef Keigo Yoshimoto also came up with the menu here.

The restaurant was conceived as an all-day breakfast haunt, so that’s a good place to start, whether you’re having something as simple as an acai bowl ($9.50) topped with strawberries and blueberries and drizzled with Big Island honey, Naked Cow Dairy yogurt with fresh fruit ($14.50) or the aforementioned honey French toast ($13.50) made with local sweetbread, Hawaiian vanilla and topped with crunchy cacao nibs.

If you prefer more savory delights, there are options of kalua pork, salmon and spinach, or avocado and Hamakua tomato Benedicts ($13.50 each), or a local farms "omelette," the single-layer egg serving as a platter for greens, Hamakua mushrooms, local avocado and diced Molokai sweet potato, and accompanied by a sauce of ‘Nalo Farms basil, kale, aioli and vinegar, as well as an English muffin of Okinawan sweet potato and whole wheat.

Throughout the day you can enjoy specialty cocktails, sangrias, mojitos, mimosas and smoothies with names such as "Beauty," "Energy," "Awake" or "Happy," formulated to promote those aspects of well-being. I was a little surprised when my mango-lilikoi sangria was crunchy, but soon figured they blended the lilikoi seeds into the drink. Waste not.

In the evening the menu continues to highlight local ingredients, beginning with such simple preparations as local avocado guacamole ($9.50), a mellow sweet Maui onion soup ($7), ‘Nalo Farms beet salad with Big Island chevre ($9.50) and bagna cauda ($14), though this was something of a misnomer, neither served hot as expected nor with the traditional anchovy-garlic blend. The playful "flower pot" of veggies was instead accompanied by chilled red miso sauce. I would like to see both options on the menu to give diners a choice. 

Also served chilled was a pasta of tomatoes and Kahuku shrimp tossed with cappellini ($15). My preference is for this dish to be served hot, but with Japan’s somen tradition, it may make more sense for Heavenly’s visitor audience.

Ahi poke ($13) is served with a bowl of kale and grated Big Island ginger on the side, to build a salad to your taste. Kona kampachi ceviche ($12) with coconut oil, served atop thin, crunchy heart of palm rounds, is another great way to start your meal.

Heavier dishes ahead include grilled Kauai Makaweli Ranch rib-eye steak that doesn’t have as much of the fat content we associate with steakhouse offerings, and a loco moco with a healthy makeover to include a layer of brown rice tossed with a small dice of organic veggies and lentils accompanying the Big Island Kulana beef patty and light teriyaki-style glaze.

Hainanese chicken rice ($18) is another specialty, the boiled chicken accompanied by a dark soy-ginger sauce as well as sweet red chili sauce to use to your taste.

I love the seafood preparations here, including crunchy, shell-on Kahuku garlic shrimp ($16) served with brown rice, kale and corn "sticks" that had been quartered lengthwise. I also enjoyed meaty Kahuku shrimp ravioli ($16) served with a light ‘Nalo Farms pesto cream, and mahi tacos full of cilantro and sweet tomatoes, accompanied by a seasonal avocado, mango, tomato and onion salsa.

With all the kale that came before, feel free to splurge on desserts that range from fresh fruit sorbets to creamy tiramisu and ginger creme brulee. 

Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.