The tastiest five years of my life

Editor's note: This is the final column by restaurant reviewer Matthew Gray, who has explored so many of Honolulu's eateries, from the fine dining to the mom-and-pop and everything in between, for the past five years. We wish him good luck and good eating.

By Matthew Gray
Advertiser Restaurant Reviewer

These have been the tastiest five years of my life, writing the Dining Scene column for the TGIF section of the paper. I've dined with friends, family, lovers, colleagues, celebrities and politicians. I have probably sat beside many of you over the years at local restaurants, anonymously tasting, absorbing and observing the restaurant industry.

One of the most incredible experiences of the past five years was a meeting with President Bill Clinton, who happened to be having dinner at Bali-by-the-Sea, the lovely fine-dining restaurant at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, on a night when my editor Wanda Adams was a guest chef there. When he said that he thought I had a "very cool job," I was floored.

Last year I was invited to a party by a reader named Leilani, who had enjoyed reading my restaurant reviews. It was a fulfilling and emotional time, especially when I found out the party was for her husband Sam, who had suddenly passed away just one month before the party. In his honor, Leilani danced the hula to the beautiful song "Hanalei Moon," written by Bob Nelson.

A few weeks later, Nelson, now living in Arizona, sent me his last two original copies of the sheet music for Hanalei Moon; one for me, and one for Leilani, a most beautiful and generous gesture of aloha.

I have felt a strong devotion to you, our readers, to ensure that your dining experiences here in Hawai'i would be as enjoyable as possible. In some ways, as the restaurant critic at Hawai'i's largest daily newspaper, I have been positioned as an unofficial watchdog of the industry. I hope that my passion has paid off for you, that your restaurant experiences have been more enjoyable, and that the folks whose job it is to feed you at local restaurants have respected your hard-earned dining dollars.

What I'm trying to say is that the past five years, for me, have been about people, about touching hearts and souls, and not so much about the food. I'd happily accept your smile and a chance to talk story any day in lieu of tasting the best food on Earth.

I'd like to thank my dear friend Roberta (Bert) Muramatsu, who alerted me to the restaurant-critic position when it first was advertised; my editor Wanda Adams, assistant features editor for food, books and travel, a fellow foodie who has become a good friend; Debra Yuen, editor of TGIF, who has listened to my rants while staying cool, calm and collected; Mary Kaye Ritz, TGIF editor when I started, who had a hand in bringing me aboard; the photo department, who always supported my words with outstanding pictures; and the rest of the Advertiser team for its support and professionalism.

My next challenge is a new company, Hawaii Food Tours (HawaiiFoodTours.com), which will offer guided restaurant tours. This business will allow me to combine my background in food, entertainment and hospitality.

Hawaii Food Tours is a logical extension of my life's devotion to good food and my desire to share culinary delights with other people. These gourmet adventures were borne from my belief that the best way to experience the aloha spirit is to taste it.

Until we eat again, my warmest aloha.