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COURTESY TOWN
The creations of former Hawaii chef Bryan Nagao at his Hong Kong restaurant Town have drawn the attention of the Michelin guide for two years in a row.
It’s not every year that a Hawaii-grown chef is mentioned in a regional Michelin guide, but it has happened two years in a row for Bryan Nagao, whose Town restaurant in Hong Kong is cited amid the rarefied ink.
Town did not receive a coveted star in the Michelin guide for Hong Kong and Macau released earlier this month, but was recommended for its innovative cuisine.
“Here he has created a menu that reflects his international background by using Japanese and Hawaiian influences along with French and Italian flavours,” the guide said, citing the restaurant’s suckling pig with clams and miso broth, and its prawns and scallops served with black ink udon. His hors d’oeuvres buffet at lunch also got a mention.
Nagao is an alumnus of Honolulu’s Canoe House and Roy’s restaurants, as well as the Hyatt Regency and Park Hyatt in San Francisco.
Nagao mentioned the Michelin listing on Facebook, on both his personal and his restaurant page timelines: “Thank you everyone for the nice comments, the glass is still half full.”
Maui rail work pau
Genki Sushi USA has finished installing a double-rail sushi delivery system at its largest location, a 3,344 square-foot store at Maui Mall that holds its grand opening Friday.
Customers place orders on table-side screens, and the rails’ bullet trains or race-car-shaped delivery cars deliver their sushi.
The store closed for the $2.2 million renovation Aug. 1, about two weeks before the chain had to close all its restaurants when tainted scallops were found to be the source of a hepatitis A outbreak. That problem was resolved within a month.
“We are committed to improving the quality of everything we do, from the speed in which we deliver our food, the taste of our sushi and the freshness of the produce we use, to the level of service and the atmosphere in our restaurants,” said Mary E. Hansen, chief administrative officer for Genki Sushi, in a statement.
Kauai’s Kukui Grove Genki Sushi was the chain’s first neighbor island location to offer the dual-rail system, which also is in place on Oahu at restaurants in Ala Moana Center, Waikele, Windward City Shopping Center, Pearlridge Uptown and Kapahulu Shopping Center.
Hours at the renovated Maui restaurant are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and until 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. Call 873-7776.
SOQ update
Hawaii Seal of Quality stickers and signage have gained more prominence at Whole Foods Markets statewide, under a new partnership.
The store chain previously worked with individual farmers that had obtained Seal of Quality certification from the state of Hawaii Department of Agriculture, but now has broadened its relationships to include the entire line. That means prime shelf space, prominent placement and window signage, according to a spokeswoman.
Hawaii SOQ stickers and labeling can be found on produce, coffee, tea, plants, flowers, honey, desserts, meat, seafood and value- added products, including chocolate-covered macadamia nuts as one example.
A full list of SOQ member companies can be found at 808ne.ws/HiAgSOQ.
Send restaurant news and notes to erika@staradvertiser.com or call 529-4303. Follow her on Twitter @eriKaengle.
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