The Kahala Hotel & Resort has partnered with the Food Network magazine to bring Andina executive chef Dustin Koerner to present a menu of Novo-Andean cuisine at Hoku’s.
The four-course “A Taste of Peru at The Kahala” menu from the popular Portland, Ore., restaurant is being offered through July 31.
Andina celebrates owner Doris Rodriguez de Platt’s Andean roots with an emphasis on traditional and contemporary cooking by some of Peru’s leading chefs. Ingredients include ancient grains such as quinoa, corn, potatoes that originated in Peru, tropical fruit, and aji chili peppers.
The menu starts with Tiradito de Conchas, a sashimi of U-10 scallops served with aji amarillo leche de tigre, a citrus-based ceviche-style marinade. The second course features golden prawns with a crust of crunchy quinoa, followed by a main course of lomo saltado (beef tenders wok-fried with onions, tomatoes, garlic and aji amarillo), served with jasmine garlic rice. Dessert is a canuto, or cannoli with a shell of crisp quinoa, stuffed with passion fruit mousse and accompanied by mango-lemongrass sorbet.
The cost is $75 per person; tax, gratuity and wine pairings are an additional $45. For reservations, call 739-8760 or visit kahalaresort.com/dining/dining-offers.
South American cocktails crafted by Kahala’s beverage artist Julie Reiner and selected South American wines will also be available during Peruvian Social Hour at The Veranda through the end of the month.
— Nadine Kam, Star-Advertiser
Mariposa names new top chef
The Mariposa restaurant at Neiman Marcus has a new executive chef. Lawrence Nakamoto came up through the ranks, starting three years ago as a line cook and working his way up to evening sous-chef.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Nakamoto says he looks forward to merging his training in Italian cuisine with the flavors of his Asian heritage. His new dishes so far include a grilled beef tenderloin with bone marrow crust and ravioli filled with sun-dried tomato and goat cheese.
Nakamoto is a graduate of the culinary program at Kapiolani Community College.
His first formal event will be a wine dinner at 6 p.m. Thursday to benefit the Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor. Nakamoto will partner with Napa Valley-based chef Holly Peterson on a menu paired with wines selected by Angelina Mondavi of C. Mondavi & Family and Four Leaf Wines. Bottles of wine not yet available in markets may be purchased and signed by Mondavi.
Cost of the dinner is $150. Call 951-3420.
— Betty Shimabukuro, Star-Advertiser
Class features recipes of New Mexico
Castle Medical Center’s monthly tour of international vegan cuisines continues with a visit to New Mexico, 6 to 7:15 p.m. July 27.
“Explore America: Best of the Southwest” will cover the use of regional spices and ingredients in a cooking demonstration in Castle’s Wellness & Lifestyle Medicine Center. Cost is $12, which includes recipes and samples.
Class size is limited. Payment and reservations are required two days in advance. Call 263-5050. Visit castlemed.org.
— Star-Advertiser staff
Tequila battle at d.k Steak House
It’ll be a tequila taste-off at d.k Steak House Wednesday night, as the restaurant hosts a late-night pop-up, “La Batalla de Titanes!” (“The Battle of the Titans!”), with three bartenders creating tequila cocktails.
Competitors Chandra Lucariello of Southern Glazers Wine & Spirits of Hawai‘i, Zack Stewart of Sansei Waikiki and d.k Steak House and Stephen Tam Loo of Wolfgang’s Steak House have designed drinks using Casa Noble Tequila products — crystal, anejo and reposado.
Chef Albert Balbas is offering a menu of Mexican street food to accompany the drinks.
The competition runs from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., with the winning cocktail to be featured on the d.k drink menu.
Tickets are $25 at dksteakhouse.eventbrite.com.
— Star-Advertiser staff
Quickbites is a weekly listing of dining events. Email items to crave@staradvertiser.com.
