Spada embraces northern nuances of Italian cuisine
By Helen Wu
Advertiser Restaurant Critic
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| Spada Bar and Restaurant in the First Hawaiian Center, street level, offers downtown workers and evening diners tasty Mediterranean flavors with a wide choice of house-made pastas, pizzas and desserts.
Photos by Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser |
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| Cartoccio de pesce is moi baked in parchment paper with brandy, white wine, zucchini, white mushrooms, tomatoes and olive oil. |
Spada Bar and Restaurant First Hawaiian Center, street level 999 Bishop St., Suite 150 538-3332 Open Mondays to Fridays 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed weekends Metered street parking; $3 per half hour in the building, free validated parking after 5 p.m. (entrance on Merchant Street) Full bar Reservations recommended for lunchtime
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Downtown in the First Hawaiian Center, Spada Bar and Restaurant's chef Alfredo Lee is helping to awaken townie taste buds with exposure to some of the nuances of Italian cooking. Friends and I found some of Spada's offerings so tantalizing that we wished we worked nearby.
Appetizers of fried calamari are ubiquitous nowadays, but rarely are they done as well as at Spada. For $6.95, a plate arrived heaped with crunchy morsels still warm from the fryer and a side of zesty tomato sauce. It was a far cry from the overly greasy, shriveled pieces I often encounter while eating out. The dip was a welcome change from heavy aioli or punchy cocktail sauce.
Portions here aren't skimpy. Antipasto de la casa ($8.95) is a bargain. A large, colorful assortment of cold delights is a profusion of sunny Mediterranean flavors: meaty slices of salami and eggplant; sweet, citrusy marinated shrimp; tart caponata; cooling mozzarella and basil leaves drizzled with good olive oil; plus a handful of mixed greens with a balsamic dressing done just right. Every bite proved that it was the kind of dish I secretly imagine eating entirely myself.
For those craving the security of the familiar, six pizzas are offered, each priced at $9.95. They aren't too doughy and are big enough for two. If you feel you're on shaky ground with Italian ingredients, you can even get a barbecue chicken pizza with house-made barbecue sauce.
Piadina, an unleavened flatbread, is a specialty of Emilia-Romagna in the northern part of the boot. Spada tops piadina with salad: $9.95 for a choice of chicken caesar or grilled vegetables on baby greens. A third option of decadent smoked salmon ($10.95) with fresh dill sauce would be great with champagne. (There's a full bar, so you can try that pairing if you want.)
Even hearty eaters may have difficulty finishing entree portions. An oversized drumstick of tender, braised lamb shank ($15.95) came with garlic-mashed potatoes and perfectly sauteed julienned carrots and zucchini.
Rich sauces and fillings provide extra incentives to try Spada's pasta selections. Chef Lee, who spent time in Italy learning his craft, admitted the restaurant's pastas aren't cooked to the true al dente characteristic of the old country. However, you will immediately notice a firm difference when you bite into them. Noodle enthusiasts fond of that particular, often elusive, chewiness should be pleased.
Don't pass up house-made pastas such as fazzoletti (little handkerchiefs) and ravioli ($9.95 each). Especially enticing are daily specials. On separate visits I tried lobster-filled ravioli ($14.95) and a fettuccine with assorted mushrooms in a cream sauce ($12.95) that I would look forward to eating again.
Leave room for tiramisu made with ladyfingers instead of cake; a house-made, European-style cheesecake; and espresso affogato, an ice cream float in espresso coffee — are all worth ordering. Sorbetto and gelato selections include pear-chianti made with real fruit and hazelnut-flavored gianduja. (Each is $5.95.)
Influenced by the cuisines of the Tuscany city of Florence and the Emilia-Romagna region, Lee is currently revamping the menu to include more northern Italian dishes. Anticipate a progression toward more homemade pastas and desserts in a month's time.
The menu and recipes at Spada were designed by San Francisco chef Faz Poursohi but are executed by Lee, a San Diego transplant. Since the restaurant opened last November, he has worked to transition the cooking to reflect his personal style. His aim, he said, is to please customers who may not be familiar with authentic Italian regional cuisine — but not at the sacrifice of quality.
This has caused some hurdles for the restaurant, though. For example, I attempted to order a grilled steak from the menu several times, but it was never available. Lee later explained that he hasn't been able to find the quality of beef he wants. Another challenge has been finding help with an aptitude for learning the skills many consider an art form.
Service at Spada is friendly and courteous, but sometimes slow. The young crew lacks polish and doesn't yet work efficiently as a team. Admittedly, climbing up and down the restaurant's stairs to its second level is a pain, but servers could save themselves steps if they were better informed about the menu and they could be more consistent in clearing dishes and checking on patrons' needs.
Not the typical grab-and-go downtown eatery, Spada's casual, laid-back setting has patrons unwinding and lingering over lunch. If you visit around noontime, the place is packed and loud, so make reservations. This couldn't be a better spot for pau-hana people, with al fresco tables, free parking in the building after 5 p.m. and a comprehensive drink menu.
I'm wondering now, perhaps I should have gone into finance?
Reach Helen Wu at hwu@honoluluadvertiser.com.
