THE NIGHT STUFF
Portions, prices need work at E&O

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

James Stanton of Kaka'ako and June Oswald of Waikiki share a dish at the new E&O Trading Co. at Ward Centre, the restaurant chain's newest location. Photos by Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

From left, Kelly Kimura of Kahala, Christina Zimmerman of Kailua and Tracy Taira of Salt Lake met at E&O on a recent evening.

Ferozah MacKenzie and Ken MacKenzie, both of Kaimuki, partake in a variety of Southeast Asian fare at E&O Trading Co.

"Bottom line, dude. Would you go back?" he asked. At first, I wasn't sure.

E&O had seemed as ripe for a Night Stuff visit as it did a Dining Scene review. A large centralized bar and ample bar seating — all up front and visible to anyone making their way to Borders or Compadres on Ward Centre's second floor — practically screamed its importance to E&O's overall vibe.

The interior's cinnamon-colored walls and wood accents were stylishly lit by a mix of strategically placed track lighting and deep red Chinese lanterns. A cool breeze blowing through the bar area's open-air facade gave sway to suspended marketplace lights, scattered leafy plants, orchids and dozens of exotic birdcages, baskets and wood chimes.

The overall visual effect was a turn-of-the-century export warehouse gone mod-upscale SoHo. Casual-to-well-dressed patrons — twenty- to fiftysomethings — filled the bar area or reclined comfortably into a row of plush couches and silky throw pillows near the entrance.

A pleasant blend of Asian- and Indian-influenced house and remixed Sting and Sade provided the soundtrack. And while boasting a good share of entrees, E&O's menu seemed more heavy on small plates, satays, salads and flat breads, equally apropos for noshing over drinks.

So what was the problem? Simply put: portion, price and, at times, a side-order of surprisingly uninspired flavors.

A topping of wasabi tobiko, fresh ogo and sides of pickled ginger and deep-fried cassava chips couldn't hide the smoked salmon and 'ahi tartar's lack of anything bold, flavor-wise. Its $12.95 price seemed excessive for the size of the serving.

With or without a dunk in side cups of tangy tomato-herb sauce or cool raita (yogurt vegetable dip), the oven-baked naan bread had a hint of wonderfully smoky flavor. But a single flat bread cut into bite-size pieces was hardly worth $4.95.

We couldn't get enough of a seared 'ahi and soba noodle salad — a tasty mix of noodles, nutty arugula, edamame and shiitake pieces tossed with a sweet-and-tangy brew of yuzu citrus dressing and topped with thick slices of seared sesame-crusted 'ahi. Too bad then that at $13.95 for a too-small plate, we never got enough to begin with. (And I'm not even referring to the 'ahi).

The price-to-portion ratio finally seemed to match up on a 10-strong menu of E&O signature drinks. Though $9 a pop, my partner in Night Stuff's Tiger's Paw and my Rum Jungle arrived generously poured, visually appealing and brimming with cleverly combined flavors. One each was more than enough.

More than a few mix-ups in food delivery to the proper tables hinted at a bar area problem that needed quick resolving. Here, it helped that E&O's staff, while apologetic, was also friendly, eager to please and attentive.

So to answer your question, Rob ... yes, I probably would go back to E&O for drinks and, shall we say, selected pupu. You'll be splitting the non-expensed bill with me though, pal.

Reach Derek Paiva at 525-8005 or dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com.