BEST NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT
12th Avenue Grill

	Kevin Hanney, chef-owner of 12th Avenue Grill, serves up roasted garlic 'ahi with sun-dried tomato sauce. Hanney uses a smoker to good effect in several dishes. Classic desserts at 12th Avenue are by award-winning pastry chef Lisa Siu.
	Andrew Shimabuku | The Honolulu Advertiser

Reservations, yes! Wine list, yes! Now Kevin Hanney's retro diner (which started out taking no reservations and serving no wine unless you brought it yourself) is just about perfect with these improvements. The specials here are always alluring, but we have trouble getting away from our standby favorites, baked mac and cheese with mushrooms, smoked salmon tartare and kim chee steak (skirt steak marinated in a sauce made with juice from kim chee preserves). Hanney uses a smoker to good effect in a number of dishes. The classic desserts — berries with mascarpone, fresh pie, fruit crisp of the day — are by award-winning pastry chef Lisa Siu.

1145C 12th Ave. 732-9469. Dinner: 5:30-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5:30-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Reservations recommended. VS, MC, JCB. No checks. $$.

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