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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Sunday, September 4, 2005

BACKPAGE STORY
'Coco puff' oozes with rich flavors

Kyle Matsumoto and Marc Anthony have developed a special four-course "Chef's Tasting" wine dinner.

Photo by Randy T. Fujimori

Sergio's

Where: Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa

Hours: Nightly from 5 to 11 p.m.

Call: 951-6900

Parking: Free validated self-parking or valet

For a lack of a better term, Sergio's general manager Kyle Matsumoto and executive chef Marc Anthony called one of their new appetizers a "profiterole."

"But we didn't want people to get the impression that this was something sweet," Matsumoto said. "It's not a dessert."

Ooh but it's sweet ... and not in the traditional sugary confection sense, either.

While it's not filled with chocolate and topped with chantilly like Liliha Bakery's famous coco puffs, this one is just as yummy.

Anthony's "coco puff" ($8) is prepared with sauteed escargots, garlic parmesan sauce and crispy pancetta, all tucked in a gorgonzola cheese puff. It could easily be consumed in a single pop, but it's best eaten slowly to savor the delicate escargot and flavor-enhancing cream-like filling.

"I'm trying to keep it fun and new," said Anthony, referring to his recent menu additions. "They're still traditional Italian dishes, but with modern and local twists."

A good example of this old-meets-new concept is found in the new grilled homemade pizza ($10), which is garnished with house-smoked salmon, crispy capers, creme fraiche, red onions and micro greens.

Since making the move from Sarento's to Sergio's earlier this year, Anthony has stepped up the menu here, while still maintaining affordable prices, which are in line — and in some cases less expensive — with other local Italian restaurants of comparable caliber.

Pasta dishes here range from $14.95 for spaghetti pomodoro to $26.95 for tableside-prepared linguine that's topped with sweet roasted-garlic-butter-sauteed rock shrimp.

In between, the pappardelle ragu al Toscano is a good deal at $17.95. Island residents who want to taste a tried-and-true classic Italian dish should order this pasta entree. The sauce is key and Anthony's surpasses expectations. His oregano-and-basil-spiked tomato sauce is folded with chunks of beef, veal, lamb, pork and pancetta, which have all been gently simmered for hours. (Word of advice: Save some bread to sop up the remaining sauce.)

Guests will also want some bread on hand if they order either the Alfredo fettuccine ($16.95) or the lasagna al forno ($17.95).

Those wanting to splurge may want to opt for Anthony's four-course wine dinner for $59, which includes three wine pairings, a choice of appetizer (go for the homemade mozzarella "roulade" and pair it with a refreshing Tin Roof Pinot Rose), and an option of either an heirloom tomato salad or a refreshing citrus gazpacho that's garnished with a chilled shrimp.

Entree selections feature braised lamb shank, fish of the day, egg-battered large prawns and a pan-roasted chicken breast that's accompanied by a delicious Tuscan-style wild rice risotto.

"I think locals have the impression that we're a special-occasion-only-type restaurant," Matsumoto said. "We want to get away from that. Just because we're in Waikiki and just because our ambiance is upscale doesn't mean that they can only afford to come here once a year. We ARE affordable"

And they're ono, too.