Grill radiates sexy charm, tantalizes taste buds

By Helen Wu
Advertiser Restaurant Critic

From left, Tiare and Al Watson of Kane'ohe enjoy a dinner at the Diamond Head Grill with friends Kathleen and Troy Finfrock from Oregon. The restaurant's food is simultaneously both sophisticated and comforting. Photos by Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

A salad featuring fresh mozzarella is a popular side at the restaurant, which our critic describes as a sublime dining experience.

Diamond Head Grill at the W Honolulu Hotel, Waikiki 2885 Kalakaua Ave., second floor 922-3734 6-10 p.m. daily Full bar Reservations recommended Valet parking and metered street parking Wonder Lounge Fridays and Saturdays, 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Very good

And then there is the ultimate dining experience — the kind that demands a few hours as you relish each and every bite. This is the stuff that can cause an astral, out-of-body feeling, as tastes and textures transport you to your happy place.

Diamond Head Grill at the W Honolulu Hotel, near the Natatorium in Waikiki, is one place where you can enjoy that ultimate experience. Executive chef Todd Wells' menu of elegant yet down-to-earth dishes stands out for its range of sophisticated comfort food.

On a recent dinner visit, my companion and I were thrilled by the selections on the menu. Everything sounded good, and to choose just a few dishes required considerable debate. Much to our satisfaction, the restaurant helped ease this dilemma by offering to combine two entrÚe specialties for $40. With the exception of one entrÚe that evening, we were able to mix and match from very tantalizing choices.

As we deliberated over dishes and an extensive wine list, we couldn't help noticing the dining room's appeal.

Ultimate dining usually requires a refined setting to highlight its display in artistic plate presentations. The Grill readily complies, as it radiates a sexy charm that centers on the inviting lounge area set at the restaurant's entrance. Metallic tones accent furniture color, interior embellishments and overhead lighting. As a result, the open, expansive dining room is warm despite being dimly lit.

Thick columns wrapped in burnished brass give the impression of flame-like movement as they reflect light. Black tablecloths and black-clad waiters give sleek style to the place. The unpretentious atmosphere is altogether comfortable and relaxed, and the professional service only enhances this feel.

Although spacing between tables does not provide much privacy, the room does have an intimate aura. Banquette-style seating at some tables easily accommodates a cozy twosome. Just be careful sliding into them. If not, you might find yourself doing an unsuccessful magic trick in which you remove the tablecloth and with it, all of its contents.

Once the dishes arrived, our focus returned with unwavering attention to the food. Perfectly seared foie gras ($18) had us soaring with our first bite. The softness of a nice slab of foie gras was emphasized by an equally buttery but crispy thin crouton. Baby beets added depth, complementing the dish exquisitely.

Another appetizer, sweet-potato gnocchi ($12), also transported us out of this world. The chewy, melt-in-your-mouth gnocchi were freshly made in-house from Moloka'i sweet potatoes. A delicate mascarpone cream sauce gently swathed the gnocchi and large, meaty slices of oyster and hon-shimeji mushrooms, accentuating the natural sweetness of the pasta.

I had to chuckle about the appetizers being called "pupu" on the menu because both dishes were more like small entrÚes. The only reason to share one was that they were so rich. Eating the dish by yourself felt downright greedy. But skipping an entrÚe and eating one of these "pupu," maybe with a salad, would have made a filling meal in itself.

A Caesar of Waimanalo baby romaine garnished with white anchovies and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese ($9) continued the "I think I'm floating!" theme. It was a tad anticlimactic because of a smidgen of brown wilt on some of the leaves. But the mild pungency of the white anchovies made the dish, giving it an unusual, softer flavor than a traditional Caesar.

For our main course, we had each opted to try a combination plate ($40). Our plates were an odd twist on the "surf and turf" idea.

My companion's choices were seared Island 'ahi ($32 entrÚe) and macadamia-crusted lamb chops ($39 entrÚe). The 'ahi was served over a hash made from duck confit, sauced with a caramelized apple demi-glace. Here, there was a drawback: The fish was slightly overcooked and not seared properly, making it a bit difficult to cut. Otherwise, it resembled very tender and flavorful beef because of its preparation. The lamb chops were a just-right, juicy medium as ordered. A simple, rectangular piece of potato gratin and a robust-tasting roasted tomato couldn't have made for more appropriate accompaniments.

My plate reminded me of summer and fall. Cioppino ($28 entree) embodied the warmth of summer with clams, lobster, prawns and a petite lobster tail basking in its well-seasoned tomato-basil broth. Braised oxtails served with a root vegetable puree, chanterelles and roasted vegetables ($23 entree) were a strange bedfellow next to my seafood dish but every bit as enjoyable. The oxtail meat was tender and combined with the flavors of the puree had an autumnal dimension.

Warm lava cake with honey gelato ($9) was a fitting end to such a meal. The cake was mildly eggy and could have been infused with more chocolate, but the dessert nonetheless was highly edible.

Our waiter had not mentioned beforehand that this dish took 20 minutes to prepare. We anticipated its arrival over a selection from one of the many dessert wines available, and probably because we had already been swept off our feet, we didn't mind the wait at all.

Reach Helen Wu at hwu@honoluluadvertiser.com.