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RECOGNIZING THE BEST IN HAWAII BEER
The Hawaiian Craft Brewers Guild celebrated the winners of its inaugural Hawaii Craft Beer Awards on Aug. 31 at Tap & Barrel in Kailua.
Lanikai Brewing Co. was named Brewery of the Year, while Olomana Brewing Co. received honors for New Brewery of the Year. The Craft Beer Awards also recognized Lanikai Brewing’s 2 Shakas and a Howzit Lilikoi Sour Northeast India Pale Ale as the People’s Choice, while Waikiki Brewing Co. took the Most Creative Beer award for its Jalapeno Mouth Amber Ale.
Additional winners:
>> Collaboration: Owyee New England IPA, Kohola Brewery
>> Design: Coconut Hazy, Inu Island Ales (collaboration with Village Bottle Shop & Tasting Room)
>> Farmhouse/Belgian: La Perouse Belgian Wit, Maui Brewing
>> India pale ale: Lahaina Haze Hazy IPA, Kohola Brewery
>> Lager or pilsner: Graham’s Pilsner, Big Island Brewhaus
>> Locally sourced beer: Island Punch with Mango and Guava, Inu Island Ales
>> Noncategory: Cocoweizen Coconut Hefeweizen, Honolulu Beerworks
>> Porter/stout: Imperial Coconut Porter, Maui Brewing
>> Sour: Pua Aloalo Hibiscus Sour Red Wild Ale, Lanikai Brewing
The brewers guild comprises 17 breweries dedicated to producing their products in their entirety in Hawaii.
MAGAZINE EXPLORES BRIDGES IN FOOD
The Hawai‘i Food & Wine Festival has launched a magazine, Hashi, to be issued twice a year with content regarding the festival as well as the food and culture of the islands.
The inaugural edition, released last week, delves into the Stonewall Riots, a landmark event in gay-rights history, to be commemorated at this year’s festival.
“Hashi is the Japanese word for chopsticks, but is also defined as a bridge,” Denise Yamaguchi, festival CEO, said in a statement. The magazine will recognize the many bridges that link food producers all over the world, she said.
The cover story of the first edition recounts the visit of chef Rick Bayless, who visited Hawaii earlier this year under the auspices of the festival. An online platform, HashiLife.com, also launched last week, includes video content.
The magazine sells for $4.99 but the first edition is available free at restaurants and other organizations affiliated with the festival. These include Roy’s Restaurants, First Hawaiian Bank outlets, Ko Olina properties and more.
This year’s festival begins Oct. 5 with events on three islands. Go to hawaiifoodandwinefestival.com.
CELEBRATING SUCCESSFUL TRAVELS
A pau hana event Thursday marks the end of the Traveling Plate 2019 fundraiser supporting the Surfrider Foundation.
Traveling Plate, held in August and sponsored by Kona Brewing Co., featured more than 100 restaurants that designated dishes or drinks to be sold for the Surfrider Foundation. Proceeds are still being calculated, but the estimate is at least $40,000 collected for the foundation. Kona Brewing is matching earnings from restaurants that served its beer as part of a Traveling Plate dish, adding another $15,000 to the total.
The closing event will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at Waiwai Collective, 1100 University Ave., with food provided by Town Hospitality Group, Encore Saloon, Koko Head Cafe, The Nook, M.A.C. 24/7, Asato Family Shop, ‘Ulu and Kalo Bakery and The Pili Group.
Tickets are $45; $35 for Surfrider members. For tickets go to travelingplatehi.com.
WINE BAR OPENS AT ROYAL HAWAIIAN
The Royal Hawaiian Center has added a wine bar to its roster of restaurants.
Island Vintage Wine Bar actually reaches beyond its name, offering meals from breakfast through dinner, from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
To get to the heart of it, though, 40 wines are on offer by the glass, bottle or in flights, as well as local craft beer, ciders and sake. Cuvenee dispensers allow for self-service tasting.
For the food, try a breakfast mushroom Benedict ($18) or, for dinner, kalbi-marinated lamb ($29). The menu also includes snack items and charcuterie suited to a wine-sipping interlude.
The wine bar is affiliated with Island Vintage Coffee and Island Vintage Shave Ice, both also located in the shopping center.
Call 799-9463 or visit islandvintagewinebar.com.
BLT SHARES IN-HOUSE TECHNIQUES
BLT Steak in Waikiki is launching a series of interactive cooking classes this month to help those with a desire to improve their culinary skills in a fun, hands-on way.
The inaugural class led by chef Alex Petard will take place from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Each class begins with drinks and hors d’oeuvres at the bar, followed by a cooking demonstration of classic BLT dishes and a four-course meal with wine pairings.
The inaugural meal centers on an entree of beef tenderloin cooked sous-vide with caramelized shallots, paired with Chateauneuf-du-Pape, “Les Cailloux,” Domaine Andre Brunel, 2014.
Cost is $115. Tickets and a full menu: bltrestaurants.com/blt-steak/waikiki. Click on “cooking classes.”
NEW AT THE HELM
Stripsteak Waikiki has a new executive chef, Wesley Pumphrey, former executive sous-chef for Jose Andres’ ThinkFoodGroup.
Pumphrey, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, also has worked at La Folie in San Francisco and The Montage Hotel Parq Restaurant in Beverly Hills.
At ThinkFoodGroup, Pumphrey developed a proficiency in classical Spanish cooking.
Stripsteak is in the International Market Place.
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