Posted on: Sunday, July 10, 2005
COVER STORY
Village celebrates milestone birthday
Waitress Sandy Fan delivers a wide range of dim sum, including siu mai, har gau and steamed half moons.
Photos by Randy T. Fujimori |
Juan Womg lures in guests with huge crab legs and Maine lobster. |
Seafood Village Where: Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort & Spa, 2424 Kalakaua Ave. Call: 971-1818 Hours: Lunch daily from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner is served from 5 to 10 p.m Note: The restaurant can accommodate private parties of 10 to 60 people in one of three VIP rooms. Web site: seafoodvillage.com |
"We get a lot of kamaaina who eat here," said director of operations Tom Kirtley, who also oversees Royal Steak & Seafood, Lobster & Crab House and Antonio's Steak, Seafood & Pasta, all of which are located in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. "We don't just cater to tourists like other Waikiki Chinese restaurants have a tendency to do, but to locals as well."
Now in its 10th year, Seafood Village has become a popular restaurant for kamaaina celebrations, from weddings to birthdays to graduations to anniversaries to baby's first luau.
"We also get tourists who celebrate special events here," said Juan Womg, who lures in pedestrians from Kalakaua Avenue by handing them Seafood Village discount coupons. "I've done this for eight years and I've seen a lot of parties."
Known for their Hong Kong cuisine, cooks here prepare such daily dim sum items as har gau, siu mai, Malaysian cake, manapua and deep-fried stuffed crab claws.
"Dim sum cooks come in at 5 a.m. to makes these items," Kirtley said. "So guests can always expect to find a fresh selection of half moon, siu mai and other dim sum."
Dim sum service is available daily from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m, with prices ranging from $2 to $3 per plate.
"I see a lot of smiling guests leave here," said general manager Gary Chan. "And I always see them leave with our red doggie bags."
Both Kirtley and Chan cited their special set lunch menu ($9.95 per person for a minimum of 10 guests) as one of the better ways to sample a wide range of Seafood Village dishes.
"You're not going to find this type of quality of food for this price at a restaurant that's the same caliber as us," Kirtley said. "They may have nicer decor and Chinaware, but it's going to cost you at least $30 to $50 per head."
The banquet lunch for 10 starts with the traditional Chinese chicken salad, followed by a tasting of five dim sum items: siu mai, taro puff, crabmeat-nori spring roll, half moon and manapua.
Next three dishes feature Cantonese-style roast duck, honey-and-garlic pork chop and seafood fried noodles.
Almond tofu is served for dessert.
In celebration of its 10 years, Kirtley said the restaurant will offer more anniversary specials and packages throughout the year.
"It's hard to believe that it has already been 10 years," said Kirtley, a Waikiki restaurant industry veteran for more than two decades, three of which have been with Seafood Village. "This is a milestone occasion for all of us here."
In agreement was Chan, who praised all the other managers and staff members for maintaining a spirit of aloha and friendliness that has helped keep guests returning to Seafood Village and ensuring the restaurant's longevity for years to come.