QUICK BITES
Little Vino quietly pops the cork
Advertiser Staff
Wine bar
Bonnie Friedman
Little Vino quietly pops the cork
Chuck Furuya, left, and D.K. Kodama salute their Little Vino, opening last week at Restaurant Row.
Little Vino opened quietly last week, bringing Honolulu's wine-bar count to three (the others being Formaggio and Padovani's). The 60-seat spot occupies that odd corner of Sansei at Restaurant Row once used for special events (the former World Cafe space). It's got a separate entrance, a face-lift in the form of wall murals representing Italian scenes, and is open Wednesdays through Saturdays (4:30-9:30 Wednesdays and Thursdays; 4:30 to closing Fridays and 7 p.m. to closing Saturdays). Co-owner Chuck Furuya selected the wines, and there's a 20-spigot wine-by-the-glass system. Sansei corporate chef Tom Selman designed the menu of small plates, including Ligurian Shrimp, Tuscan Skirt Steak, Petite Osso Buco, Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese-Mushrooms Ravioli. Information: 536-6286.
Instant Java
Sweetened with coffee
The latest attempt by a food manufacturer to loosen Starbucks' hold on our lives is Nescafe Ice Java, a coffee syrup meant to be served chilled with milk or blended with milk and ice, made into a shake or drizzled over ice cream. You can also use it as a base for an Italian-style soda (with club soda) or to make Thai-style iced tea (with condensed milk and spices). The viscous brown liquid tastes like very strong, very sweet instant coffee and isn't meant to be drunk as is. It's basically sugar, coffee and water; 80 calories a 2-tablespoon serving, no fat, 19 carbs (18 from sugar). It sells for about $3.50 for a 22-ounce container (20 servings).
