Papa Murphy’s, a take-and-bake pizza business, has opened its first Hawaii location at Windward City Shopping Center in Kaneohe.
It is the first of 15 planned locations, with the next to open at Mililani Shopping Center, said Sean Uezu, a partner in Take-n-Bake Hawaii, the Papa Murphy’s Hawaii franchisee.
The new-to-Hawaii business has more than 1,500 mainland locations, and in 2003 it was named Best Pizza Chain in America, even though the stores have no ovens.
“There’s a lot of education that we’re going to need to do,” Uezu said of the take-and-bake concept.
Pizzas come in 12-, 14- and 16-inch sizes with a choice of five crusts including gluten-free. Customers can choose from the menu or design their own pies, then take them home for baking.
Vegetables, cheese, dough and other ingredients are prepared on-site. Cheese is grated in-house from 40-pound blocks. A 12-inch cheese pizza is $14; a 16-inch signature pie is $18.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and until 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
The grand opening will be in July, Uezu said, and there is as yet no firm opening date for the second location, as the lease has just been signed. Call 724-0000. Visit papamurphys.com.
A truly tasty evening
The annual Taste Awards gala, celebrating the best in local food manufacturing, takes place at 6 p.m. May 20 at Dole Cannery’s Pomaika‘i Ballroom.
The Hawaii Food Manufacturers Association issues awards for the year’s top manufacturer (large and small), startup manufacturer, product, advocate and supplier. The organization also will present a lifetime achievement award to Kauai Coffee, KTA Super Stores, HPC Foods or Hawaii Candy.
The gala’s Battle of the Chefs will be a challenge among last year’s winner, Shaymus Alwin of Azure Restaurant at the Royal Hawaiian hotel, James Aptakin of Turtle Bay Resort and Layers of Flavor Catering Co., and Russell Siu of 3660 on the Rise and Kakaako Kitchen.
A silent auction also will be part of the evening’s festivities.
Tickets are $125, with tables of 10 available from $1,500, via foodsofhawaii.com or 380-2608.
Smaller bites at Mavro
The tradition at Chef Mavro has always been the select multicourse menu — a $175 affair these days.
If that’s a price you just can’t face, the restaurant is now offering small plates and shareable dishes, from $15 (a seasonal salad) to $36 (lobster in tamarind broth).
Also offered are $12 sides such as caper mashed potatoes and creamed corn, for sharing, and desserts from $9 to $18.
The restaurant has been divided in two, with a more casual main dining room offering the by-the-plate ordering while the semiprivate dining room serves the nine-course Chef Mavro’s Grand Tasting Menu.
For menus go to chefmavro.com. The restaurant, at 1969 S. King St., is open for dinner Tuesdays to Saturdays. Call 944-4714.
A Hawaiian menu in May
The Top of Waikiki is serving a prix fixe Hawaiian meal during May.
The menu: Hawaiian Stack (panko- crusted taro and sweet potato with kalua pork and pipikaula lomi tomato), stuffed chicken long rice and a mango parfait. Cost is $55.
The restaurant is at 2270 Kalakaua Ave., on the 21st floor. Call 923-3877.
Quickbites is a weekly listing of dining events. Email items to crave@staradvertiser.com.
