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Last month, I lucked out with an invite to a monthly “Raising the Bar” event at Azure, and joined in on the party as a photographer captured the action for an online gallery. It was loads of fun, attracts a younger (35ish) crowd and combines cocktails with chef’s tastes in a festive set-up. Turns out that these pair-ups are becoming relatively common around the island.
I’m loving the concept as a way to enjoy a chef’s talents and some selected spirits, wine or beer, while not committing to a multicourse tasting menu or high price tag. And when I looked around, I found that these kinds of events are becoming a trend around Honolulu. Here’s a look at four that take place in June and July.
>> “Bespoke at Amuse”: 6-7:30 p.m. June 20, Bamboo Garden, Amuse Wine Bar. $35; RSVP to 237-5429
This monthly, third-Thursday cocktail and small-plates sampling at Amuse launched in January. Participants socialize — and share their opinions — in the tiki-influenced setting of the Bamboo Garden, on the second floor of the Honolulu Design Center. Stage food and beverage manager Michael Moore described the process: “Each month, our bartender and a representative from Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits select a trio of spirits and craft cocktails made with them. Each attendee receives a small sample of the spirit — around a half-ounce — so they can taste and feel the differences between the individual spirits.
“The bartender and host explain a little bit about the spirit: distillation processes, techniques and individual nuances that make them distinct, with a little history about the spirit or distiller and some background on the cocktail being made. Attendees receive a craft cocktail featuring each of the spirits, and at the end of the evening vote as a group on which cocktail they enjoyed the most. That winning cocktail is then featured for the following month in Amuse Wine Bar and Stage Restaurant.”
Chef Ron de Guzman prepares a dish or two paired with the cocktails, and the full Amuse Wine Bar Menu is also available.
On June 20, Bespoke at Amuse features bourbon. Chandra Lucariello from Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Amuse bartender Ian Ortiz host the event, pouring samples of three bourbons and three cocktails: Knob Creek Bourbon in a Clermont Smash; Basil Hayden 10-year-old Bourbon in a Smoked Old Fashion; and Four Rose’s Small Batch Bourbon in a Doctor’s Order.
>> “Raising the Bar: Rosé All Day”: 8-9:30 p.m. June 21, Azure, The Royal Hawaiian hotel. $60-$65; reserve at 931-7837
Azure and The Royal Hawaiian hotel draw a high-energy crowd to “Raising the Bar,” a monthly, third-Friday event that includes music, spirits and small plates from Azure’s chef de cuisine, Shingo Katsura. The event reflects the ambitions of host Micah Suderman, The Royal Hawaiian’s director of restaurants and bars, and Katsura, who clearly sweat the details to produce a free-flowing, elevated experience in Azure’s swanky bar.
“Hospitality is aloha,” says Suderman, who is well-known in the Honolulu food and beverage community — he’s worked in the industry since he was a teenager growing up in Kailua.
The event takes place at stand-up tables, encouraging socialization. There is music. And when the spirits are served, there is a lot of laughter in the air.
Sommelier Chris Ramelb joins Suderman and Ariana Tsuchiya, both sommeliers themselves, on June 21 for a rosé-themed event. Musician Jeremy Cheng provides the acoustic accompaniment.
>> “Booze & Bites”: 6 p.m. June 27, Mud Hen Water. $35; reserve at eventbrite.com
Mud Hen Water has been presenting a “Booze & Bites” program at the Kaimuki restaurant for more than a year now. With general manager Kathryn Varga championing the program in 2019, it has become a dependably scheduled event, held on the final Thursday of each month.
The event includes a tasting of the base alcohol — Hendrick’s Gin, for the June 27 program — and background on the spirit, wine or beer, along with snacks, drinks incorporating the featured alcohol, and small plates paired with the beverages by Mud Hen Water’s chef.
“We want to bring the community together to learn about spirits, and we’re challenging our chef, Alika Chung, to come with creative pairings,” Varga said.
The spirits included may be produced by well-known labels or smaller operations that Varga, restaurant group owner Ed Kenney and Chung want their audience to know about. Last month, for example, the event paired dishes with Breakside Brewery beers, and Mud Hen Water called it “Brews & Bites.”
Capacity is limited to 30 for this event, held on the restaurant’s lanai with communal seating around the outdoor picnic tables, and it’s a great value, so early reservations are advised.
>> “Taps Summer BBQ on the Lanai”: 2-5 p.m. July 21, Taps & Apps, Gateway at Mililani Mauka, 95-1830 Meheula Parkway. $60; reserve at eventbrite.com
This will be Taps & Apps’ first tasting event, cooked up by restaurant brewmaster and owner Chris Overton, manager Monica Overton and chef Mike Fujii as a casual, affordable summer outing.
The event will spotlight beers brewed on premises by Chris Overton — a drink option that is not always available in quantity, Monica Overton noted.
“We get a ton of requests for our beers, but we have limited space,” she said. “It’s great to be able to pair Mike’s creativity with his food with Chris’ creativity with his beer.
“This is a fun thing to do, with an upscale barbecue and specialty beers,” Overton said. “We’ll have a grazing station on the lanai, and people can sit down or walk around and socialize.” The event will accommodate up to 50 people.
The event will start out with a spritzer, and for those who prefer cocktails to beer (or one of each), the option of a whiskey tasting is available. Two drink tickets are included.
Honolulu musician Jeh, who occasionally plays at Taps & Apps on Saturday nights, provides the entertainment.
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