Lunch patrons of downtown takeout haven Gochi Grill who were curious to know when chef John Iha might introduce some kind of dinner service must be willing to get their hands dirty to enjoy some of the chef’s high-end offerings.
No, you won’t have to wash dishes at the end of the night but Iha, inspired by the open feel of his kitchen, conceived an intimate, interactive event that starts with a cooking class before diners are able to enjoy the entree they had a hand in creating.
First up is “Sous Vide 101,” at 5:30 p.m. March 30, during which the chef — formerly of Hiroshi Eurasion Tapas — shares tips on cooking up a restaurant-quality dish using the process of vacuum-sealing food before cooking it in a low-heat water bath.
On the menu will be sous vide of snapper with clam jus, tarragon and chili foam, plus sous vide of New York steak with red-wine demi-glace, potato croquette and vegetables. The chef will also offer accompaniments of hamachi carpaccio and a variation on andagi from a family recipe for the traditional Okinawan dessert, served with peanut butter cream.
Cost is $75. Gochi Grill is at 1111 Bishop St. Call 585-8558.
— Nadine Kam, Special to the Star-Advertiser
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Farmers market news
>> Rejuvenate mid-week at a spacious new evening market that opens Wednesday at the site of the old Ward Warehouse, where 55 vendors will offer fresh produce, fish and meats, plus prepared foods, beverages, preserves, jewelry, crafts and more, from 3 to 7 p.m. as part of the FarmLovers Kaka‘ako Farmers Market at Sunset.
The market, at the corner of Ala Moana Boulevard and Ward Avenue, also includes a tented seating area with live entertainment, plus a free yoga class at 5 p.m. Opening day will include free market bags and the chance to win kitchen gadgets.
FarmLovers operates a Saturday market at the same site from 8 a.m. to noon. It also holds markets in Waimea Valley from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays, Pearlridge Center from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays and Kailua Elementary School from 8:30 a.m. to noon Sundays. Go to farmloversmarkets.com or call 388-9696.
>> Big Island Abalone has long provided shoppers at Kapiolani Community College with the fresh indulgence of grilled Kona abalone.
The company has now joined the Sunday lineup at the Hawaii Farm Bureau Farmers Market at Ala Moana Center, complete with an exclusive menu that goes beyond the grill.
Along with the ever-popular grilled abalone is an abalone poke bowl, plus an abalone pie ($8), a stuffed, flaky puff pastry offered either with basil and tomato or in white sauce. It’s a convenient grab-and-go dish.
The market runs 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. along Atkinson Drive in the street-level parking lot.
— Joleen Oshiro, Star-Advertiser
