Food, service at Aaron's fall short of top-floor view
By Helen Wu
Advertiser Restaurant Critic
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| Mike Wamback and Michelle Wiedenbein, both of Midland, Mich., dined at Aaron's Atop the Ala Moana, where the view of the city is simply breathtaking. The food, however, leaves some details lacking.
Photos by Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser |
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| Esther Lai of Honolulu and Bobby Chang of Salt Lake dig in at dinner. With more attention to specifics, Aaron's could be a winner. |
Aaron's Atop the Ala Moana Ala Moana Hotel 410 Atkinson Drive 955-4466 Dinner: Sundays-Thursdays, 5:30-10:30 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 5:30-11:30 p.m. Late-night menu: Sundays-Thursdays, 10:30-11 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 11:30 p.m.-12:45 a.m. Lounge: Sundays-Thursdays, 5:30-11 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 5:30 p.m.-12:45 a.m. Full bar Reservations recommended $5 validated hotel parking (same for valet or self-service); parking available on second floor of Ala Moana Center parking lot near Macy's
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This was the case recently at Aaron's Atop the Ala Moana. In late 1999, the Tri-Star Restaurant Group gave the former Nicholas Nickolas restaurant a $1 million makeover, transforming it into Aaron's. Renamed for Tri-Star president Aaron Placourakis, the place aimed to maintain its emphasis on the fine cuisine and service for which Nicholas Nickolas was known.
An express elevator up to the 36th floor of the Ala Moana Hotel promptly delivered our dinner party to the foyer of one of Honolulu's most elegant-looking restaurants. We were captivated by Aaron's stunning view from the hotel's top floor, which displayed the cityscape as a feast for the eyes. But our initial wow at this touch of dining heaven gradually dissipated during the course of our dinner. By the end of the night, we were firmly back on terra firma with the impression that dining at Aaron's was more a flight of fancy.
The dining room itself is a visual treat. The narrow, rectangular restaurant ends like a horseshoe on both sides with areas used to seat large parties. The mauka portion contains a glass-encased wine room that holds a private dining room. There is a sense of depth and spaciousness — rows of tables seem to stretch out infinitely along the windows on one side. Opposite, a series of booths line the wall on the other. Soft terra-cotta and flesh tones color the surroundings, giving off a soothing feel.
Yet we could not relax in this setting. Our descent started with tables that were too low. I am not a tall person, but even I had trouble crossing my legs. It was altogether impossible for my two taller guests. We kept shifting in our seats, trying to get comfortable in spite of the breathtaking sight of Diamond Head, the marina and the Friday-night fireworks show over Waikiki.
If the staff tries to seat you near the waiter stations or the kitchen entrance, ask to be moved. Waiters here pass back and forth through the central aisle, and gather at these junctions for intermittent powwows instead of conducting discussions discreetly in the kitchen. This scene counteracted the overall effort to put you at ease.
The menu presents large portions of continental favorites alongside items with a contemporary or Pacific twist. Sadly, many creative dishes had a strained quality. Tiger-eye sushi tempura ($13.95) fell apart easily because it was not rolled tight ly enough. A sharp liliko'i-thyme mignonette overpowered fresh oysters ($12.95). Porcini-crusted 'ahi loin ($28.95) had uncomplementary accompaniments of mixed, finely diced Okinawan sweet potato and asparagus.
Some classics proved to be problematic as well. Veal scaloppine ($27.95) came with a sauce more full of asparagus than the mixed mushrooms described on the menu. Fish burned slightly on one side appeared in a signature entrée of Opakapaka Gabriella (market price), prepared either with a lemon butter and caper sauce or Chicago-style. Our choice of Chicago-style, $34.95 during my visit, was smothered in a sauce that tasted predominantly of melted butter, again with more asparagus.
A few plates did float above the rest. Escargot ($10.95) was succulent with a garlic purée and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Zesty, chopped Greek Maui Wowie salad ($8.95) was packed with feta cheese, bay shrimps, avocado and tomato chunks tumbled in a vinaigrette. Cold mashed potatoes couldn't overshadow savory, thick and juicy blackened double pork chops ($25.95).
The end of our meal landed with a thud. After we'd asked several times, a waiter finally arrived to recite the lengthy dessert menu. In the middle of our coffee service, he mumbled through the list, losing us in a haze of confusion after the third option. We decided on a house specialty, Strawberries Panzini ($12.95 for two), that we had seen another table order, but which he forgot to mention until we asked about it.
This blazing showstopper mesmerized every diner in sight. Prepared tableside, it is a pyrotechnic feat of flambé. Waiters pour brilliant blue flames, lit from a potent combination of blue Curacao and 151-proof rum, between two wine glasses and then over fresh strawberries plated with brown sugar, crème fraîche, Devonshire cream, caramel and chocolate sauces. But after the flames died down, the dessert was, like most everything else in the restaurant, more show than substance.
A late-night supper menu also is offered. It includes many dinner appetizers at the same price as those on the dinner menu, in addition to hefty snacks such as New York steak pupu-style ($33.95) and grilled chicken quesadilla ($9.95).
The food can be lackluster, and refilling your water glass every time you take a sip does not qualify as excellent service. Yet the restaurant still has appeal, with its beautiful view and interior. Instead of just being flashily impressive, a stronger focus on delivering better food and service could provide patrons with a stellar dining experience at Aaron's.
Reach Helen Wu at hwu@honoluluadvertiser.com.
