Smith & Kings delivers in all the right ways

Smith & Kings is another indication of the blossoming of Chinatown.

Located at the corner of Smith and King streets, the restaurant/bar has that funky, urban-hipster feel but doesn’t go so overboard with it that nonhipsters wouldn’t want to go in. It’s friendly enough to be a “Cheers” kind of establishment.

The experience

Owner Samantha Moore, who started the business a couple of years ago with family members, is a native New Yorker, and she’s brought that blend of East Coast class and grit to her establishment. No beachy, frothy tones here. The walls are covered either in rough, dark wood or in black chalkboard paint. Conveniently enough, those walls serve as chalkboards to display the food and drink menu, written up in stylish lettering.

A few flat screens hang around, televising sports, but there are also a few old-fashioned board games and toys in the corner to play with. It’s a fun touch; in a larger place a pool table might be in order, but for this cozy corner establishment, a few rounds of Rock ’em, Sock ’em Robots is just as good.

The food

Smith & Kings’ happy-hour menu is chock-full (and I don’t mean chalk) of pleasure for the palate. Head chef Rob Purkhiser served an apprenticeship at the famous Timberline Lodge near Portland, Ore. He first came to Hawaii two years ago, working at both a resort and at Smith & Kings and taking over full time at Smith & Kings about seven months ago. Now he’s presenting a nice collection of “comfort food,” but with special touches. Everything I tried was excellent.

His foie gras burger ($10) comes with a pate of duck and goose liver with a touch of aioli. I’ve come to expect glopping ketchup and mustard on burgers, but you’d better not try that with Purkhiser’s. The wagyu-style beef was perfectly done, just a hint of pink on the inside, while the pate and aioli added lasting richness.

Happy hour also features wings for 50 cents each, so you can order just enough to top off your snack. It’s a nice touch in comparison with places that sell them a dozen or so at a time, often resulting in a stomach full of deep-fried bread with little room for anything else. They’re not breaded here; cooked in either a honey glaze or barbecue style, both were good.

You can also get poutine, the Canadian dish of french fries, cheese and gravy. It’s $5 during happy hour, but you might want to splurge an extra $5 and get it with pork belly or pulled pork. We had the pork belly poutine, prepared with a bit of char for a crisp texture but still tender.

Purkhiser is especially proud of his mac and cheese because it’s his mother’s recipe. It features five cheeses, and the macaroni is just that right tenderness, maintaining its form on your fork and yet nearly melting in your mouth. It’s $12 on the regular menu, with $3 extra for either pork belly or pulled pork.

Look forward to some interesting additions to the menu in the future. Moore has just leased some farmland and said she expects to bring a farm-to-table aesthetic to the menu.

The drinks

The happy-hour menu offers beer from $4 and a refreshing list of mixed drinks.

We had the lychee refresher ($5), beautifully finished with mango rum, guava, cranberry and pineapple juices, and the guava Rickey ($6) with gin, orange liqueur, guava, lime and mint. Both went down easy, and I could easily see downing them for a refreshing aftertaste before stepping out on a sultry evening. The cucumber Collins ($6), with gin, orange liqueur, lemon and soda, should fit that bill perfectly as well.

The verdict

Smith & Kings provides a fun, classy atmosphere. It’s perfect for a drink and a bite before or after a show at the Hawaii Theatre or any of the other artsy events in Chinatown.

Don’t wait until there’s a special event to try out Smith & Kings, though. If you can be in the area, it’s well worth a visit.