Some smoothing required at hip 'Fusion' hangout
By Helen Wu
Advertiser Restaurant Critic
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| Ty Boughton, bar man at 808 Kapahulu Fusion Dining and Bar, prepares for the evening crowd. The eatery serves Japanese-influenced Western dishes, cocktails and a pupu menu after 10 p.m.
Photos by Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser |
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| Owner Taka Kijima checks the reservations at 808 Kapahulu Fusion Dining and Bar, a place to see and be seen for the late-night crowd. |
808 Kapahulu Fusion Dining and Bar 808 Kapahulu Ave. 737-8081, 808kapahulu.com Open nightly 5 p.m.-2 a.m.; dinner menu 5-10 p.m.; pupu menu 10 p.m.-1 a.m. Full bar Reservations recommended Metered street parking; pay parking lot behind Pizza Hut
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But ambiance can't be everything in a restaurant. Although 808 oozes an urban chic that rivals similar scenes in San Francisco and Manhattan, it takes more than looks to generate enough sizzle to keep an establishment like this packed every night with a sex-and-the-city crowd.
Problems are apparent from the entrance. In what seems at complete odds with every feng shui tenet, a reception stand confusingly blocks direct entry into the restaurant. Instead, patrons must go around to the right of a large facade to get into the place.
Once in, it's necessary to perform a quick assessment of the surroundings. If it's busy, and you want a semblance of quiet, request a seat at one of three tables in the alcove on the left that opens out onto the street. This room's glass doors can be closed, shutting out some of the noise from the main dining space. But this area, which also is appropriate for smokers, avoids any of the action happening in the main room and can become a sudden no man's land — we're talking rolling tumbleweeds and the whistle from "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly."
Otherwise, the adjoining, cozy main room is for hobnobbing large parties, intimate couples, snug foursomes and the odd loner at the teeny bar. Best seats are on the luxuriously soft, cocoa-colored sofa lining one wall. Off to the side is a discreet little blue room for private parties. On a bustling night — maximum capacity is about 55 — be prepared for decibels to rise as voices, laughter and music playing on the sound system increase to a resounding crescendo.
Service can be spotty at 808, especially when there's a full house. I've been there on both slow and busy occasions and experienced a wide range of attention from staff of the sort that reminded me of a philandering boyfriend. When they're on target, you receive considerate attention. But once the place starts filling up, especially with tables of attractive, 20-something women, expect to wait and wait some more for a server to notice you. Staff is never rude, but sometimes they get bogged down, and unfortunately, management doesn't pick up the slack enough when needed.
One of the most entertaining aspects here is an amusing and extensive one-page drink menu. The selections are grouped according to base components of vodka, gin, rum, whiskey and the like. They revive classics such as the Singapore Sling and Cuba Libre, and offer Fuzzy Navels, frozen Margaritas and Lemon Drops. There are even alcohol-free drinks ($4) with funny monikers — Atomic Cat, Surfer's Paradise and Red Sombrero. However, descriptions of the drinks' contents are missing. A short sake list does a better job of explaining characteristics. Some shochu selections ($5 to $5.50) and a wine list heavy on reds also are available.
The food at 808 is an assortment of Japanese-influenced Western dishes. The menu, too, lacks adequate descriptions. Some of their fusion creations will have a hard time finding a receptive Western audience. An example is garden salad of mesclun with yuzu citrus dressing and dried squid mayo ($5.50). The name alone might deter some from this ill-conceived dish. Served on the side, yuzu vinaigrette separates into oil and a thick, salty paste while the mayo tastes like a glorified tartar sauce.
Then there are items that sound harmless but have clashing flavors. No one at our table cared for scallops and cherry tomatoes with orange dressing ($7.90), a cold dish dotted with raisins. Cold cream of asparagus soup ($4.50) was laden with nutmeg and heavy on cream. Unexpected surprises can accompany some of the dishes. Kahuku shrimp spaghetti "808"-style ($15.95) arrived tossed with shelled, tail-on shrimp and separated shrimp heads.
These surprises sometimes proved wonderful, though. Ewa chicken potpie ($7.90), capped with a tender puff-pastry crust, had moist chicken chunks and assorted mushrooms in a comfort-food creamy sauce. Grilled lamb chop "hunter-style" ($17.80), topped with a lively pesto spread, was meaty, succulent and cooked perfectly.
The pupu menu, served after the dinner menu finishes at 10 p.m., had some winners as well. A satisfying brown sauce coated tender pieces of beef tongue with mushrooms over rice ($8). Savory morsels of fried chicken ($7) were soaked in a shoyu marinade before being deep-fried, intensifying their flavor. Small, whole Kahuku shrimp ($7.80) were deep-fried light and crispy, making them a great snack with drinks.
Dining at 808 Kapahulu is a roller coaster ride when it comes to service and food, but I would still return for the brisk thrill. Dim lighting, appropriate music and fun drinks make it a very comfortable place to unwind until the late hours. Some dishes that hit the bull's eye along with occasionally exceptional service are bonus reasons.
Having opened last November, the restaurant's longevity is yet to be determined. But if successful, it may indicate a trend in future Kapahulu eateries.
Reach Helen Wu at hwu@honoluluadvertiser.com.
