If not for some intrepid chefs’ obsessions, we would not have the innovations in cuisine we have seen over time.
On one trajectory are global culinary movements flowing from nouvelle to fusion to molecular gastronomy. On the other is the simple joy of seeing just how far experimentation can push one particular dish to exalted heights.
Americans are accustomed to seeing pancakes and flapjacks in familiar stackable form because we’re comfortable with the homey sight. Not everyone has the same upbringing, but I associate pancakes with leisurely weekends at home, waking up to the sizzle of the griddle and sitting down with the family and a nice big bottle of Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup. Depending on your family tradition, that stack might have been accompanied by marmalade, jam or jelly, a tradition in no need of a remake.
But for people from Japan, raised on breakfasts of rice, miso soup, fish and natto, a pancake is something foreign that could use improvement. And so the tweaking began. How could they make these flat, flabby, chewy and somewhat leaden discs more exciting?
Enter the cakey, eggy soufflé pancake. It has reached epic proportion at Aloha Kitchen in Waikiki, owned by Japanese Olympic trainer Toshiyuki Yamamoto, who also owns a chain of restaurants in Japan.
Just because he trains elite athletes, don’t assume he’s aiming to impose diet restrictions on the rest of us. The proof is in the soufflé pancakes that are equivalent to eating cake for breakfast. These are as big as a cheesecake. Outside, the texture is like a light chiffon cake. Inside, it has a silky, custardy meringue texture that is easy to devour, but much more substantial and satisfying than an egg-white soufflé.
The soufflé pancake is the highlight of the breakfast menu, topped with various fruit combinations. Considering the size and probable calories involved, I assume it’s meant to be shared, though I have no doubt I could eat the whole thing myself.
Most people start with the healthy looking Aloha Fruit Soufflé pancake ($17) topped with fresh fruit the restaurant has on hand. When I visited, it was strawberries, bananas, kiwi fruit, orange and blueberries. On other days, combinations might include honeydew melon and cantaloupe.
Other combinations include banana and chocolate ($16), and coconut macadamia ($15). I had reservations about the apple and vanilla ice cream soufflé pancake ($16) because I don’t want to be that person who eats ice cream for breakfast. But, after enjoying it for dessert one evening, any hesitation has vanished. It works.
Sweets are not the only thing that work in the morning. Eggs Benedict with ham ($12) is wonderful, with ham marinated in a fruit sauce so it ends up plump and tender. If you don’t want ham, other options are bacon, Spam or Portuguese sausage. The Benedicts are accompanied by roasted potatoes that are closer in texture to french fries.
And for those who do like rice in the morning, lobster risotto ($18) perfumed with white truffle oil is one way to put a smile on your face early in the day.
Aloha Kitchen’s loco moco ($12) registers as bland when compared to all of this, but that fact has been noted, and the restaurant is going through a self-improvement phase. That just means it’s time to take a look and offer your opinion.
Due to the morning excellence, I was excited to try the dinner menu, but it was a letdown. Yes, the lobster risotto returns and I hope it stays the same as the dinner menu is improved.
In the coming month, there may be more prix fixe menus vs. a la carte offerings. For now, pair that risotto with a salad of greens tossed with sliced strawberries, goat cheese and macadamia nuts
($8 small, $14 large). The macadamia scent permeates the dish.
For novelty, there is baked Spam mac ‘n’ cheese ($12) with a nice blend of Parmesan, cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss and cream cheeses, capped with a nice, crunchy bread crumb crust. The pasta is interspersed with slices of Spam, which is a rather benign presence here, neither detracting from nor enhancing the dish. Bacon might have been a better option, but in Waikiki, Spam is still a selling point for tourists who want to eat what locals eat.
Big Island rib eye seems overpriced at $26 when presented with "steak frites" that seem like your typical frozen, and overcooked, french fries. Roasted king salmon ($23) had no flavor, and while the ginger-shoyu marinade on the huli huli-style half chicken ($18) was beautiful, it didn’t penetrate far enough to flavor the meat. That was a shame because the chicken was tender, stopping just short of magic. When we asked for more sauce, what we got was a nonsensical tomato-based barbecue sauce that didn’t mesh with the Asian flavors.
As I said before, dinner is a work in progress. But you can always get soufflé pancakes as dessert, and that, in itself, makes a visit worthwhile.
Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.
BITE SIZE
MAC 24/7 serves steamy menu inspired by ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’
If you haven’t made your Valentine’s Day dinner reservations by now, you may be too late. But there is some good news. For Hilton Waikiki Beach’s MAC 24/7, Saturday is the launch of a romance-inspired menu tied to the release of the film "Fifty Shades of Grey."
Consider the restaurant’s "50 Shades of Red" menu as yummy foreplay, or a place for gal pals to enjoy a girls’ night out before or after seeing the film.
The three-course meal, at $45 per person, starts with kiawe-smoked Big Island kampachi with quinoa salad, followed by filet mignon and crab Oscar medallions with lobster hollandaise, and finishes with heart-shaped angel food cake with strawberries and chocolate fondue ganache. As a bonus, you’ll receive a can of whipped cream to enjoy on the spot or in private.
Wine pairings will be available for an additional $30 per person.
To reserve, call 921-5564.
For more Valentine’s Day options, including Arancino at The Kahala, and Michel’s at the Colony Surf, which was recently named to OpenTable.com’s list of Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in the nation, visit the Take a Bite blog at www.honolulupulse.com/takeabite.
Bite Size celebrates the small, the new, the unsung.
