CUISINE ON A SHOESTRING
With its variety, Grilla's will please any primate

By Matthew Gray
Advertiser Restaurant Critic

The grilled sole filet is among the entrées available at Grilla's. Others include fettucine alfredo, eggplant or chicken parmesan, lasagna and chicken marsala. This downtown spot also serves various soups, quiches, sandwiches and desserts — some with a primate theme. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

Office workers are the primary demographic during lunch hours. Many of them call ahead for take-out, enjoying their food and a little bit of sunshine at a nearby park or picnic area. Some take their food back to the office.

Perhaps you've noticed their front window painted with a whimsical picture of a gorilla. Some attribute human characteristics to the artwork, questioning whether this might actually be something akin to Bigfoot, Sasquatch, or a yeti, depending on your particular mythic leanings. To me, the gorilla looks friendly and ready to feed me.

Turns out the previous owner, Mike Tudisco, was a bear of a man — OK, a gorilla of a man (his own description, by the way) — who was larger than life, and who loved food immensely. Tudisco sold the business, gorilla artwork and all, to the current owners in July 2002.

Jenny Yen and Flora Choy run Grilla's now. They are old friends who used to be in the clothing manufacturing business; before that, they worked in a Chinese restaurant together. The recipes, however, are Tudisco's. Well, good thing, because everything I tasted here was yummy.

When I was there, a customer was yelping (in a good way) about her soup; a dreamy and creamy tomato basil ($1.95 cup; $2.95 bowl, served with a slice of garlic crostini) as good as any high-end restaurant soup in town, although they'd refer to it as bisque. The soups change daily; it may be chili bean, clam chowder, minestrone, chicken and dumplings.

Quiche of the day ($4.50) also changes daily, served with a baby green salad. The one I had was delicately flavored with onion and bacon; it may also be offered with fresh tomato, fresh mushrooms, with ham, or other combinations.

The Philly Gorilly steak sandwiches are large, filling and flavor-packed, the meat thinly sliced and juicy. A plain one is $5.50, but you can get toppings such as green peppers, provolone cheese, mushrooms, or pizza style for an extra 25 cents each. And they'll pile on grilled onions at no charge.

The King Kong subs (yes, you'll see a primate theme throughout this enterprise) are serious gut-busting fare. Some may opt for the old favorites of meatballs or Italian sausage sandwiches ($5.25), but I skipped them, the tuna, turkey & cheese, roast beef, and ham & cheese choices ($5.50), and instead went for the gourmet gorilla ($6.99) sub. This baby's loaded with Jarlsberg cheese, roast beef, turkey, prosciutto, baby greens, roasted sweet peppers, and basil aioli. Come to papa!

If you're more in the mood for salad, the caesar ($4.25) is quite respectable by itself or with chicken ($5.50), or with shrimp ($6.99). A spinach, mushroom and shrimp salad ($6.95) is served with warm bacon vinaigrette.

Could this be? They also make entrées such a rich and creamy fettucine alfredo ($4.95; $6.95 with chicken, $7.95 with shrimp), eggplant or chicken parmesan ($4.95, $6.25), lasagna with caesar salad ($6.50), and a darn good chicken marsala ($6.25), slightly sweet and savory, which I saw being flambéed back in the kitchen. The meatloaf ($5.95) is a winner, too, served with fresh veggies and garlic mashers.

Wait, it just gets better. Another patron came in to pick up cheesecake. I overheard her saying that her co-workers went nuts when they tasted the Oreo and chocolate chip cheesecake ($3.95 per slice), and the traditional New York style ($3.50), both of which are made here every day. So with fork in hand I dug into these sweet, rich, dense and creamy treats. Their cheesecake is as good as any I've had here or on the Mainland.

Parking is easy and inexpensive at the municipal lot a half-block away.

I can't say enough good things about this place. Grilla's fits the bill for our Cuisine on a Shoestring choices: affordable, casual and delicious.

Reach Matthew Gray at mgray@honoluluadvertiser.com.