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Before Kevin Hanney arrived in Honolulu 31 years ago, opening a casual, uncomplicated restaurant was his Plan A. He had been about to open that restaurant in Santa Cruz, Calif., when the Loma Prieta earthquake (also known as the San Francisco-Oakland earthquake of 1989) struck, destroying his partner’s vineyard as well as their plans.
Hanney came to Hawaii looking for a fresh start and to reboot his idea, but couldn’t find the right location. So when a space opened up in 2003 in Kaimuki he went with Plan B, a modern American restaurant called 12th Ave Grill, which has kept him busy all this time, along with other Kaimuki ventures over time such as Koko Head Cafe.
But dreams never die. Venturing outside of Kaimuki, he finally has the restaurant he always wanted in Chopchop Rotisserie, a small, casual Waikiki eatery with a streamlined menu of affordable rotisserie meat and sides.
For now, the choices are simple: Three kinds of meat on plates ($11 to $15), in bowls ($11 to $13), tucked into pita wraps ($11 to $13) or in salad formats. But, always with ideas percolating, I can see Hanney and chef Felix Tai adding on over time. Already, they’ve presented daily specials that customers want to see added to the permanent menu, such as rotisserie lamb, and there will be weekly fixtures, such as Taco Tuesdays, most recently with an offering of kim chee-marinated steak tacos at two for $5.
Of course the main attractions are the meats — chicken, beef short ribs and pork — evenly roasted in a 500-degree rotisserie. A tray at the bottom is for simmering potatoes, which catch the flavorful oils emanating from the meat.
So those potatoes are not vegan, but there are many vegetable offerings, such as roasted Brussels sprouts tossed with a Thai vinaigrette, and roasted cauliflower in a smoky vinaigrette ($9 bowl, $11 plate), and multiple sides.
Introducing island flavor profiles to the rotisserie, the chicken is dressed with refreshing pineapple chimichurri, beef comes with a hoisin BBQ sauce, and pork is topped with mild miso mayo. You won’t find barbecue restaurant standards such as ketchup, Worcestershire or A.1. sauces here. (Diners who just want the basics might want to bring their own bottles and request the house sauces on the side instead.)
Sauces and vegetable dishes reflect island produce and products, as well as chef Tai’s global outlook. He was born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, and traveled the world as a personal chef and chef on a cruise line.
So side vegetables are also tossed with unexpected flavors such as li hing and lemon to go with corn and quinoa, or bright lemon grass and lime paired with a mushroom salad. You can pick rice or potatoes, and one side to build a plate.
My favorites so far are the cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and combination of pickled long beans, peppers and carrots in a gochujang- sesame sauce.
Chopchop’s take on the chop salad ($12) is to start with Pupukea greens, roasted corn, cauliflower, avocado, pickled cucumbers and onions, to which you could add Hanney’s famous smoked ahi spread ($4), Brussels sprouts ($2.50) or 2 ounces of steak ($4.50), chicken ($3) or pork ($3).
Follow the restaurant on Instagram — @chopchoprotisserie — for updates and notice of special events that focus on different local products, such as a recent J. Ludovico Chicken Night.
CHOP CHOP ROTISSERIE
Eaton Square, 438 Hobron Lane
Food: ***1/2
Service: ***1/2
Ambiance: ***
Value: ****
>> Call: 425-4268
>> Hours: 1 to 10 p.m. daily. Lunch service to start soon, from 11 a.m.
>> Prices: About $35 for two without alcohol
Ratings compare similar restaurants:
**** – excellent
*** – very good
** – average
* – below average
Nadine Kam’s restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Advertiser. Reach her at nkam@staradvertiser.com.
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