Pau Hana Patrol: Romano’s Macaroni Grill offers tasty happy hour surprises

I hadn’t been to Romano’s Macaroni Grill before, and before I visited, seeing the word “Macaroni” in its name conjured up local-style images of a classic Hawaii plate lunch, with a scoop or two of mac sitting alongside rice and teri beef.

That’s good stuff — but it’s not what you get at Romano’s. The restaurant, an elegant but casual eatery that’s been at Ala Moana Center for 14 years, is part of an international chain specializing in Italian-American cuisine, from pizza to pasta to chicken Parmesan.

It’s also a great place for a happy hour, offering tasty dishes at a fair price, and a small, but quenching choice of beverages, also at a discount.

What’s more, happy hour is lengthy and accessible here, starting at 3 p.m. and extending until 7 p.m. daily, an hour or two past common happy hour ending times. You don’t have to visit at senior-citizen early bird hours to get a bargain here.

Football fans take note: The happy hour menu is available anytime live football is being broadcast on one of the flat screens in the bar area, so that means almost all day Saturdays and Sundays during the season.

THE EXPERIENCE

Located on the fourth floor of the Ho‘okipa Terrace at Ala Moana, Romano’s is a large establishment, split into a main dining space and a bar area, which has a few small tables as well. Happy hour offerings are served primarily within the bar area, although the restaurant will allow some spillover during crowded hours.

The decor is obviously Italian-inspired, with earth-toned tile on the walls and wood trim around the bar area.

The hardwood floor surrounding the bar has alternating planks of light and dark colored woods, creating a pleasing striped pattern.

You won’t find red checkerboard tablecloths, ala a pizzeria. Instead, the tablecloths are simply drawing paper, and there are a few crayons laid out neatly on the tables, tempting your inner child to come out and amuse itself while your food is being prepared.

THE FOOD

Romano’s happy hour food menu has a nice variety of items, all in a classic Italian vein, and everything we tried was excellent. But don’t forget to ask about the pizzas, which during happy hour are $12, a discount of $3-$4. The Italian Sausage was done perfectly in soft-crust Neapolitan style, with a whipped ricotta cheese topping setting off the fennel sausage and basil garnish.

Cheesy treats were the choice of the day, with Goat Cheese Peppadew Peppers ($5.95, $8.95 regular) taking the top prize. These sweet peppers, stuffed with cheese and drizzled with a balsamic glaze, fairly explode in your mouth with flavor, but just as you think the sweetness might go overboard, the cheese rounds off the flavor.

A Prosciutto and Cheese Board ($8.95, happy hour only) also came with some nice surprises, with a dollop of guava jelly to go along with lavosh, the Middle Eastern flatbread.

Also pleasing was the Tuscan New York Strip ($11.95, happy hour only), served sliced with a light salad and garlic garnish.

THE DRINK

Happy hour beverages are simple at Romano’s, with only beer and wine available at discounted prices.

Draft beer such as Blue Moon and Maui Brewing Co.’s Bikini Blonde, microbrews such as Kona Big Wave and Kona Longboard, and premium domestics are $4.25, a discount of $1 or $2.

Domestic beers like Bud and Coor’s Light are $3.25, a discount of $1.75.

House white and red are $5, regular $7.50.

Aside from the happy hour menu, there are some intriguing cocktails that look worth a try, such as the Tiramisu Espresso Martini ($9.50). I find it hard to not order tiramisu when it’s on the dessert menu, so perhaps having a drink inspired by it will help me keep off a few calories.

THE VERDICT

If I could be in or around Ala Moana Center at the right time, I would definitely return to Romano’s for happy hour. The food and the ambience are delightful, and the service excellent.

I’m actually looking forward to football season so that I can have another pizza, wash it down with a beer and enjoy the game. Some day I might even try the macaroni.