QUICK BITES
New and improved on the dining scene
By Wanda A. Adams
Food Editor
Sergio's, a popular Waikiki fixture for more than 18 years, had a "soft" opening Friday for VIPs and press and opens officially on Sunday at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa. The menu is a bit of a return to a more gracious era with several table-side creations, rich Italian dishes, veal and steak and chicken breast and a decor that's supposed to transport you to a Tuscan farmhouse. Dinner will be served nightly from 5 with a light menu from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Reservations: 951-6900. ...
Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar will open its Kihei, Maui location May 17 with a special seven-course "omokase" dinner ($85) prepared by seven well-known Island chefs: Ivan Pahk of Sansei Honolulu, Jackie Lau of Roy's Waikoloa, James McDonald of Pacific '0 and i'o, Steve Ariel of Alan Wong's Pineapple Room, Lance Kosaka of Alan Wong's Restaurant, Tom Selman of Sansei Kihei and, doing the dessert course, Teresa "Cheech" Gannon Shurilla of Hali'imaile General Store and Joe's Bar & Grill. This grand-opening party will benefit the Maui Arts & Cultural Center and the culinary program at the Maui Community College. All reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card and there will be event seating that night only; (808)879-0004 ...
The Sheraton Moana Surfrider has reopened the Ship's Tavern restaurant with a new menu and its trademark sunset views. The menu is Western with Eastern touches, including smoked salmon with tobiko caviar, garlic-rosemary rack of lamb, Hawaiian seafood bouillabaisse. Dinner is served from 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 922-3111.
Food news: Of soy and summer dining
The U.S. market for soy "milk" grew by nearly 100 percent from February 2001 to February 2002, according to Information Resources, Inc., a retail tracking service. Dairy milk sales increased by 2.9 percent in that period while refrigerated soy milk sales grew by 93.4 percent. At the top of that trend is Silk brand, made by Boulder, Colo.-based White Wave; it is the No. 1 selling organic milk in the United States with $138.6 million in revenues annually, compared with $137.1 million for all other brands of organic milk combined. Portable soy milk products, cream-like products and flavored products are leading the sales increases. April is Soyfoods Month. ...
If you're traveling to New York this summer, you might plan to be there between June 24 and 28 when more than 160 restaurants will celebrate Summer Restaurant Week with special three-course, fixed-price lunch menus for $20.02.
Send items of culinary interest to Food Editor, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu HI 96802. Fax: 525-8055. E-mail: taste@honoluluadvertiser.com.
